The Murders in the Rue Morgue Murders in the Rue Morgue" continues an urban theme that was used several times in Poe's fiction, in particular "The Man of the Crowd", likely inspired by Poe's time living in Philadelphia. The tale has an underlying metaphor for the battle of brains vs. brawn. Physical strength, depicted as the orangutan as well as its owner, stand for violence: the orangutan is a murderer, while its owner admits he has abused the animal with a whip. The analyst's brainpower overcomes their violence. The story also contains Poe's often-used theme of the death of a beautiful woman, which he called the
Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales Masque of the Red Death and Other Tales is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" fantasy role-playing game. Red Death refers to a malevolent entity spawned in ancient Egypt during the "golden age of magic." It proceeded to wreak havoc for a few thousand years, promoting violence and catalyzing disasters. By the late 19th century, the era in which the game unfolds, the world totters on the edge of the abyss. The player characters are poised to challenge the Red Death and its minions. The Masque