“We sing, but oh the clay is vile / Beneath our feet, and long the mile”: The “clay” and the long “mile,” too, are metonymies which evoke labor, toil, and physical suffering, by association.
How long does singing last in a world built on a “vile” structure?
Why is the world over wise? answer : in its counting of “all our tears and sighs?
Why does Dunbar use the word "we" in the poem?
Why does the poem "Hearts are changed through tearing and mouths contain endless expressions" continue?
What is the fourth stanza of the piece?
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The Analysis of We Wear the Mask By Paul Laurence Dunbar
The Background "We Wear the Mask" is a poem written by the African-American poet namely, Paul Laurence Dunbar. It was published in 1896. It mainly focused on the issue of racism that existed during his time.
An Analysis of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s ‘We Wear the Mask’ - Penlighten
Writing is one of the supreme modes of expression; perhaps, this is reason enough to proclaim that ‘a pen is mightier than the sword.’ It is a well-known fact that there are numerous pieces of write-ups in different forms which were influential enough to start several revolutionary movements in the past.
Analysis Of The Poem We Wear The Mask By Paul Laurence Dunbar - Samplius
While the poem starts by saying “We,” it is especially targeted toward the African American race during the time of slavery. The mask suggests not just a synonym for the speaker in a poem but also a rich tradition of ritual and ceremony in many cultures around the world.
We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar | Poetry Foundation
Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872 to two formerly enslaved people from Kentucky. He became one of the first influential Black poets in American literature, and was internationally acclaimed for his dialectic verse in collections such as Majors and Minors (1895) and...
How long does singing last in a world built on a “vile” structure?
One is only able to overcome an unsteady and dangerous situation for a limited period of time. Singing can only go on for so long in a world built on a “vile” structure. In the final lines, the speaker explains that the “vile” clay stretches on far “Beneath our feet.”. It lasts for miles on end.
Why is the world over wise? answer : in its counting of “all our tears and sighs?
He asks why the “world be over-wise” in its counting of “all our tears and sighs?” While this is a very serious question, it is clear the speaker finds something ironic about it. It does not take much skill to take in the ”tears and sighs” of the world. These are clear emotional expressions that are used here to represent the deepest of societal problems. Dunbar was likely referring to the struggle to achieve equal rights, overcome segregation and racial violence. Anyone living in the world can see that these things are present and deeply problematic, even if they are obscured by masks.
Why does Dunbar use the word "we" in the poem?
It is also the line that later became the title of the poem. He is using the word “We” to allow the reader to include themselves in the text. All people are among those who “wear mask [s].”. That being said, Dunbar is well-known as a pioneer of the Harlem Renaissance.
Why does the poem "Hearts are changed through tearing and mouths contain endless expressions" continue?
The poem continues on to sarcastically ask why humankind should put out the effort to see behind the masks. It is so clear that we should take the time, but the world does not seem willing to.
What is the fourth stanza of the piece?
The fourth stanza of this piece is a quatrain, meaning it contains four lines. These lines begin with the speaker asking a rhetorical question. He does not expect to receive an answer. This does not mean the question lacks importance. It is posed to make one consider the state of the world and perhaps further the question themselves.
Why do people sing happy songs?
A The people dislike the journey, so they sing a happy song to make themselves feel better.
What does the speaker say about suffering?
The speaker talks about suffering which "hides our cheeks and shades our eyes". He then went on to state "We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries / To thee from tortured souls arise." And when he says "We sing, but oh the clay is vile / Beneath our feet, and long the mile;" he seems to say that despite the hardships faced by them, they will pretend to be joyful and show a happy face that everyone expects and wants to see, and he will hide his true feelings behind the mask.
How long does singing last in a world built on a “vile” structure?
One is only able to overcome an unsteady and dangerous situation for a limited period of time. Singing can only go on for so long in a world built on a “vile” structure. In the final lines, the speaker explains that the “vile” clay stretches on far “Beneath our feet.”. It lasts for miles on end.
Why is the world over wise? answer : in its counting of “all our tears and sighs?
He asks why the “world be over-wise” in its counting of “all our tears and sighs?” While this is a very serious question, it is clear the speaker finds something ironic about it. It does not take much skill to take in the ”tears and sighs” of the world. These are clear emotional expressions that are used here to represent the deepest of societal problems. Dunbar was likely referring to the struggle to achieve equal rights, overcome segregation and racial violence. Anyone living in the world can see that these things are present and deeply problematic, even if they are obscured by masks.
Why does Dunbar use the word "we" in the poem?
It is also the line that later became the title of the poem. He is using the word “We” to allow the reader to include themselves in the text. All people are among those who “wear mask [s].”. That being said, Dunbar is well-known as a pioneer of the Harlem Renaissance.
Why does the poem "Hearts are changed through tearing and mouths contain endless expressions" continue?
The poem continues on to sarcastically ask why humankind should put out the effort to see behind the masks. It is so clear that we should take the time, but the world does not seem willing to.
What is the fourth stanza of the piece?
The fourth stanza of this piece is a quatrain, meaning it contains four lines. These lines begin with the speaker asking a rhetorical question. He does not expect to receive an answer. This does not mean the question lacks importance. It is posed to make one consider the state of the world and perhaps further the question themselves.
