What does the absence of light symbolize in the masque of red death?

In "The Masque of the Red Death," the absence of light symbolizes the inescapable nature of death and the futility of trying to escape it. The dark rooms of Prince Prospero's lavish abbey represent isolation and denial, as the revelers attempt to shield themselves from the Red Death ravaging the outside world. Ultimately, the lack of light serves as a metaphor for the inevitability of mortality, highlighting that no amount of wealth or privilege can protect one from death.