Question

In "The Masque of the Red Death," Edgar Allan Poe personifies the Red Death. Which two excerpts from the story reflect this fact? Excerpt 1 The "Red Death" had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal—the redness and the horror of blood. Excerpt 2 The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have had difficulty in detecting the cheat. Excerpt 3 His vesture was dabbled in blood—and his broad brow, with all the features of the face, was besprinkled with the scarlet horror. And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. Excerpt 4 But in the western or black chamber the effect of the fire-light that streamed upon the dark hangings through the blood-tinted panes, was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all. R

Answer 1

Hey there! I'm happy to help!

Personification is giving human like characteristics or actions to a non-human things.

Excerpt 1 just talks about how scary and awful the Red Death is, but it doesn't really make it seem human.

Excerpt 2 describes the Red Death like a really scary looking masked person looking thing, kind of like a scythe. The Red Death is a non-human thing though, but Poe is making it seem human. This is personification.

Excerpt 3 talks about a face, vesture, brow, etc. These are all things that humans usually have. This is a personification.

Excerpt 4 is just describing a scary place, but it doesn't really talk about anything human, and it doesn't seem to be talking about the Red Death at all.

Therefore, the answer is Excerpt 2 and Excerpt 3.

Have a wonderful day! :D