What is the exposition of "The Masque of the Red Death"?Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death"

The exposition of "The Masque of the Red Death," of
course, introduces the setting, the characters, and the basic situation as well as
providing some background information: a plague, called "the red death" has "long
devastated the country."  It is hideous, fatal, and causes those around it much horror
and fear of contracting it.  However, the wealthy Prince Prospero, with his allegorical
name, fears it not.  For, he feels that his prosperity will provide a fortress against
this death of pain and red stains.  Summoning together a thousnad "light-hearted friends
from among the knights and dames of his court," they sequester themselves in the
seculsion of one of his castellated abbeys, which were often used as
fortresses.

Together with ample provisions, they decide to
fortify themselves against this plague; they resolve to not despair or become hysterical
so that they will neither open nor close any entry through which the red death can enter
the abbey.  Poe writes,

readability="5">

All these and security were within.  Without was
the "Red Death."

This
sentence sets up the complication of the narrative with its suspense, and from this
point the rising action takes place.