Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

“We Wear the Mask” is a powerful poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar in 1895. The poem presents a poignant description of the double-consciousness experienced by African Americans during the Jim Crow era in America. The poem is a reflection on the masks that African Americans were forced to wear in order to conceal their true emotions and identities, while navigating the oppressive social and political systems of their time. In this essay, we will examine the key themes of the poem, and analyze how Dunbar uses language, form, and imagery to convey his message.

The central theme of the poem is the idea of masking or concealing one’s true self in order to survive in a hostile environment. The first stanza introduces the concept of the mask, which serves as a metaphor for the façade that African Americans were forced to adopt in order to navigate the racist social structures of their time. Dunbar writes, “We wear the mask that grins and lies, / It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes— / This debt we pay to human guile.” The mask is described as a tool of deception, a way to obscure the true feelings and thoughts of the wearer, and to present a façade that is acceptable to the dominant culture. Dunbar suggests that this masking is not a choice, but a debt that must be paid to survive.

The second stanza of the poem explores the psychological impact of the mask on the wearer. Dunbar writes, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, / And mouth with myriad subtleties.” The smile that African Americans present to the world is not genuine, but a forced expression that belies the pain and suffering that they experience. The use of the phrase “torn and bleeding hearts” highlights the emotional toll that this masking takes on the individual. The use of the word “myriad” emphasizes the complexity of the emotional response that is concealed by the mask.

The third stanza of the poem suggests that the mask is a means of protection. Dunbar writes, “Why should the world be over-wise, / In counting all our tears and sighs? / Nay, let them only see us, while / We wear the mask.” The world is portrayed as being unsympathetic to the plight of African Americans, and the mask is presented as a means of self-protection. The use of the phrase “over-wise” suggests that the world is not capable of understanding the complexity of the emotions that are being masked. The idea of the mask as a means of protection is reinforced by the use of the phrase “let them only see us.”

The final stanza of the poem suggests that the mask is a necessary evil. Dunbar writes, “We smile, but oh great Christ, our cries / To thee from tortured souls arise.” The use of the phrase “tortured souls” emphasizes the depth of the emotional pain that African Americans experience. The reference to “great Christ” suggests that the only hope for relief from this pain is through a higher power. The poem ends with the question, “Why should the world be over-wise, / In counting all our tears and sighs?” This question suggests that the world cannot understand the pain and suffering of African Americans, and that the only solution is to continue wearing the mask.

Dunbar uses a number of literary devices to convey his message in the poem. The use of the metaphor of the mask is a powerful way to convey the idea of the façade that African Americans were forced to adopt. The repetition of the phrase “we wear the mask” throughout the poem emphasizes the pervasive nature of this masking. The use of the phrase “torn and bleeding hearts” is a powerful image that conveys the emotional pain that African Americans experienced. 

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