What is the connection between death and time in the masque of the red death?

In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death," death is portrayed as an inevitable force that transcends time. The story's setting within a luxurious ball illustrates the futility of attempting to escape mortality, as the revelers are ultimately confronted by the Red Death, a personification of disease and death. The clock in the story serves as a constant reminder of the passage of time, marking the moments until death arrives, emphasizing that no matter how one tries to evade it, time will always lead to the end. This connection underscores the theme that death is an inescapable part of the human experience, unaffected by wealth or social status.