Death in Edgar Allan Poe An analysis of Poe’s two short stories Edgar Allan Poe’s works are usually described as dark, eerie and profound psychological explorations of the depths of human nature. This paper will analyze two of his works namely The Premature Burial and The Masque of Red Death and discuss the recurring themes among them. The Premature Burial and The Masque of Red Death The Premature Burial is a collection of accounts about individuals who have suffered from premature death and with a malicious stroke of fate have been buried alive. His first account concerns that of the “wife of one of the most respectable citizens-a lawyer of eminence and member of Congress…” (Poe, p. 309) After an illness has befallen this lady, that which no physician has the ability to cure, she suffered from premature death. She was then deposited to the family vault only to realize, after three years, that she was actually alive when she was left at the vault. She struggled to get out but to no avail and so “she remained, and thus, she rotted erect” (Poe, p. 310).