What is the internal conflict of the masque of the red death?

In "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe, the internal conflict centers around Prince Prospero's struggle between his desire for self-preservation and his denial of the inevitability of death. Despite his wealth and power, he attempts to escape the horrors of the Red Death by secluding himself and his guests in a lavish abbey. This conflict highlights the futility of trying to evade mortality, ultimately leading to the tragic realization that no amount of privilege can protect one from the universal fate of death.