Abstract This paper examines the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar's 1903 poem "We Wear the Mask", which is in open defiance of the commonly accepted fallacy of his day that African-Americans were happy in the subservient roles they were forced to assume in the face of white racism. The paper describes Dunbar's uses irony and the religious rhetorical to convey the disparity between the false face African-Americans were forced to wear to earn a living in white society. The author shows how the prose illustrates the theme of the socially assumed mask.
From the Paper "The title of Dunbar's and first lines of the poem may at first suggest a mask that an actor or a performer wears. ?We wear the mask that grins and lies, / It hides our checks and shades our eyes.? (Lines 1-2) However, the next lines of the poem suggest that the nature of the mask that is worn is far more complex than a mask made of paper or plaster. The poem strikes a contrast between African American's exposed social faces and the bleeding hearts within their apparently smiling, happy exteriors."
Abstract After briefly describing Dunbar's life and career, this paper takes a look at some of his poetry. More specifically, the paper analyzes the English, dialect, prose, and meaning of Dunbar's poetry.
From the Paper "In 1872, nine years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Joshua and Matilda Dunbar gave birth to a baby boy in Dayton, Ohio. When it came time to name the boy, Mr. Dunbar insisted the child be named Paul. His wife, who thought the name was too old-fashioned for a baby, voiced her disapproval. Mr. Dunbar quaintly replied, "Matilda Madam, don"t you know that the Bible says Paul was a great man? This child will be great some day and do you honor? (Wiggins, 26). Thus, Paul Laurence Dunbar was introduced to the world."
Abstract This paper details the life and career of African-American poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar. The paper discusses Dunbar's use of dialect, melody and metaphor in his poetry and how he was able to express his love for freedom and hate for slavery as well as how he symbolized the essence of African-Americans.
From the Paper "Paul Laurence Dunbar was among the first generation of blacks born into freedom in the United States. He was born June 27, 1872 in Dayton, Ohio, to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar (Gentry 23). As a child, Dunbar's father would tell him stories about the Civil War and the brutality of slavery, drilling into him a deep-rooted hatred of slavery that would surface later in his poems. On the other hand, his mother would tell of better times, usually slipping into a down-home dialect to give a better description. This also was a major influence on his writings, since a key point to Dunbar's success was in his ability to write in dialect (Gentry 28). He started writing early, composing poems in earnest at age twelve. In high school, he wrote for his school's newspaper, the High School Times, and several of the Wright brothers' other productions. Called "Deacon Dunbar" because he was always dignified and upright in all activities, he had a quick wit and friendly character (Gentry 12). Dunbar was the only black student to graduate from Central High in 1891 out of a class of forty-three students, and the only one three brothers to graduate."
Tags: emotions, spirited, blacks, united, states, oak, and, ivy, ode, to, ethiopia, alice, moore
Abstract This paper analyzes the poem "We Wear The Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The writer explains that the poem suggests that the nature of the mask that is worn is far more complex than a mask made of paper or plaster. The writer further discusses how the poem strikes a contrast between African Americans' exposed social faces and the bleeding hearts within their apparently smiling, happy exteriors. The writer points out that Dunbar does not speak only for himself in the poem, but for his entire race of people. The writer concludes that the poem does not tell Whites to treat African Americans with greater dignity, instead it functions as a revelation and an explanation.
From the Paper "The poet Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote his 1913 poem "We Wear the Mask" in open defiance of the commonly accepted fallacy of his day that African-Americans were happy in the severe roles they were forced to assume in the face of white racism. Dunbar uses irony to redefine the positive connotations of smiling. He also uses the religious rhetorical tropes of exclamation and crying out to God to further convey the difference between the false face African-Americans were forced to wear to earn a living in white society and the pressure they feel within as a result of this cognitive dissonance."
Tags: white, society, African-Americans, racism, religious, rhetorical, tropes
Abstract This paper presents three interpretations of Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "We Wear the Mask" and focuses on the third interpretation that the poet is advocating stoic courage in the face of cultural or circumstantial adversity. The paper points out the undertone of bitterness in the poem, but notes the dominant message that stoic courage is the wise option in the face of racial domination. The paper believes this interpretation is the most appropriate, for it expresses the universal message for which Dunbar generally aimed.
From the Paper "Paul Lawrence Dunbar's poem "We Wear the Mask" is subject to various analyses. It is most commonly analyzed from the point of view of black America in its state of subjection to white hegemony. But it may also be read from a mainstream or white point of view, in which case it provides a glimpse of what it feels like to be a subject race, and where the subjection is not always overt, but instead takes on subtle and disguised forms. There is however a third reading. Where the poem may be seen as reflecting on the human condition in general, and does not require that a black/white agenda be imposed. From this point of view the poem teaches the importance of Stoicism in the face of cultural or circumstantial adversity."
Abstract This paper examines how elements of realism and romanticism can be found in any work of literature, although usually one or the other will predominate and how the subject matter or theme of a piece of writing can be realistic, while the delivery in tone, style and diction may be romantic. It shows how such is the case with the works of Paul Laurence Dunbar, Alice Dunbar-Nelson and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman by reviewing their works ?A New England Nun,? ?Sister Josepha,? ?Sympathy,? and "We Wear the Mask". It looks at how each of these authors approaches the mundane world of social class and conformity, emphasizing the role of structure and order in daily life. Strength of character and personal integrity are valued over flights of fancy, even though the protagonist in each example exhibits a desire for transcendence. It discusses how Dunbar, Dunbar-Nelson and Freeman all employ a flowery, romantic writing style that belies their chosen subject matter and how each of these American writers skillfully combines elements of both romanticism and realism to form an authentic tapestry of the human condition.
From the Paper "Paul Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" is a succinct summation of the tension between romanticism and realism. Choosing poetry as his vehicle for expression, Dunbar could be dismissed offhand as a romance writer. A deeper examination of "We Wear the Mask" shows his predilection for the bleak social realities that lie within the realm of realism. ?We wear the mask that grins and lies,? the poem begins. We must all lie in order to conform to social graces and be part of society. Whereas a romantic would assert his or her individuality and flaunt unconventional behavior, Dunbar concedes the necessity to ?let the world dream otherwise.? His choice of words is ironic, as the "dream" is a decidedly romantic subject. Likewise, his "tortured souls" is a melodramatic phrase that proves the poet's ability to combine a realistic theme with a romantic sentiment. Dunbar bemoans the mask that hides our true emotions, but he knows it is the ?debt we pay to human guile.?"
Abstract This paper traces the life of African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906), the son of freed slaves. The paper examines the beginning of his career as a writer of poetry with his works "Our Martyred Soldiers" and "On the River" (1888). It looks at his professional relationship with Orville Wright and his job as the editor of "The Tattler". The paper looks at Dunbar's remarkable success as a writer in a segregated and racist America. It also includes a chronological list of major events in Dunbar's life and an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "At a time when the black and white worlds were diverging once more, Dunbar bridged the two in a unique fashion. Black artists have often fared better in Europe than America, and Dunbar as well impressed many European critics and audiences. However, he also reached across the racial divide in his own land. His subject matter derived from the Negro folkways he had learned from his parents and others in the older generation, and he often performed his dialect poems in character to evoke the flavor of these stories in a direct manner. At the same time, he was often criticized for depicting his blacks characters as too easy going, though a close reading shows that he was well aware of the rebelliousness underlying his use and his character's use of black dialect."
Tags: Civil, War, Lager, Beer, Oak, and, Ivy, Negro, Victorian
A look at the transmission of pre-Reformation Scottish poetry after 1560
focusing on the works of Robert Henryson, William Dunbar and William of Touris.
Abstract After the Reformation, some works with Catholic material in them were still written and printed, but often in a modified form. In response to the changed political climate, it was inadvisable to disseminate poetry with Catholic content. This paper centers on the "Arundel" and "Bannatyne" works of Robert Henryson, William Dunbar, and the author of "The Contemplacioun of Synnaris", called William of Touris in Arundel 285. The manuscripts are chosen for their proximity to the Reformation and the importance of some of their works in Scottish literary history. Several of the poems have a long and wide circulation, especially the poems of Henryson and Dunbar. The paper concludes with a discussion of modern editions of Henryson's and Dunbar's work and the way modern editors have dealt with the Protestantization of some of the poems.
Outline:
Book Production at the Time of the Reformation
Anglo-Scottish Relations
Arundel 285 and the Bannatyne Manuscript
Minor Rewriting
The Removal of Catholic Content
Careful Titling or Placement within the Book
Other Situations
Conclusions
From the Paper "Printing came to Scotland in 1508, the year after James IV gave the first patent to Chepman and Millar and asked them men to bring home a press and the men who knew how to use it. Chepman and Myllar's prints are poorly produced, with much abbreviation, Anglicization, incorrect word divisions, and inconsistent punctuation. Perhaps partly on account of this, Scotland's shift to print culture did not happen until later in the century (although the shift was far from linear). By the 1560s, "Scotland for the first time had more than one printer at work, but the printers were constrained by the political atmosphere.." In July 1567, Queen Mary, a Catholic, was induced to abdicate in favor of her son Charles James. She was then imprisoned. Scotland broke with Rome in 1560 when the Parliament met without royal authority and declared the country Protestant. "
Tags: Contemplacioun, of, Synnaris, Arundel, Bannatyne, catholic, church
Abstract The paper compares Frances E. W. Harper's poem, "Ethiopia" with Paul Lawrence Dunbar's poem "Ode to Ethiopia" and shows how Harper is yearning for something that is not yet there while Dunbar is seeking to ameliorate what already is. The paper discusses the poems' loaded diction and the allusions to the biblical prophecy that African-Americans will rise. The paper illustrate how Harper and Dunbar's poems glorify and empower African-Americans while looking forward to a new era in which black people will stand tall in the face of adversity.
From the Paper "The term Ethiopianism referes to a literary tradition in which "early black writers and even some of their white allies [embraced] this inspirational Biblical passage: 'Princes shall come out of [Africa}; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God' " (Psalms 68:31; Moses 412). Since the 19th century, many writers have interpreted this "verse as a prophecy that African Americans will rise within society" (Moses 412). Therefore, it is not surprisng that Frances E. W. Harper's "Ethiopia" and Paul Lawrence Dunbar's "Ode to Ethiopia" reflect this biblical prophecy. As Dunbar and Harper wrote, "Yes! Ethiopia shall stretch her bleeding hands abroad," "Go on and up!/ Our souls and eyes/ shall follow thy continous rise." These poems were both written at times when many blacks felt disillusioned by social unrest, poverty, and racism."
Abstract The formal structures of Claude McKay's "If We Must Die" and Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" operate in unusual ways. The paper shows that because both poets were African-Americans writing about the injustices suffered by their race, they were writing about fundamental feelings of rage and the struggle to avoid despair. It shows however that they were also writing specifically about the ways African- Americans face the white world that oppresses them. Ironically, they also wrote in the language and, at times, in the poetic tradition of the white culture.
From the Paper "Dunbar's poem is written in iambic tetrameter and contains very few words of more than one syllable. The short words emphasize the regular rocking rhythm that resembles a children's rhyme. And for the first three lines of the poem the reader, while aware that something is being hidden, is not fully prepared for the fourth line where the shocking image of "torn and bleeding hearts" emerges. It emerges only to have its intensity quickly suppressed as the line ends with "we smile," which rhymes almost childishly with "guile." But the true depth of feeling is established by the contrast between the "torn and bleeding" and the "smile." The smile, a feature of the mask, hides the true feelings of the people who are Dunbar's subject -- just as the "smile" in this line masks the intensity of the words that precede it."
An application of Jung's various archetypes to the personality of Lt. John Dunbar in the film "Dances With Wolves", in order to follow him on his journey of individuation.
2,325 words (approx. 9.3 pages), 6 sources, 1999, $ 71.95
From the Paper "The opening Civil War battlefield scene, in this movie, gives the first insight into one of Dunbar's personality Archetypes. He has been so severely, rounded, facing possible amputation of his foot, that he wants to die. Dunbar finds himself in a desperate situation that he has little control over causing him to experience feelings of misery and impotence. With great agony, he finds his way back to the front lines and makes a suicidal ride in front of the Confederate soldiers. "
Abstract This paper analyzes the feelings and emotions of the townspeople in Shirley Jackson's tale of perverse ritual and strict conformity in "The Lottery". The author discusses the cruelty and blind obedience of certain characters, and the intense guilt and defiance felt by others in participating in the lottery.
From the Paper:
"In Shirley Jackson's The Lottery we see an exciting game of chance turn ugly, as the winner of this lottery is subsequently sentenced to death at the hands of the town people. The town runs amok with various rebellious, evil, and utterly insensitive people who lie in wait for their next annual victim. Playing the role of judges, juries, and executioners, many of Jackson's characters depict a strong underlying theme of the evil, prejudice, and rebellion that is so prevalent in our everyday lives. All the characters' roles, as well as their names, were precisely chosen in order to awaken our hearts and minds to the callousness and rebellion that lies at the heart of every man in the face of habitual conformity."
Tags: anne, hutchinson, tessie, dunbar, rock, warner, old, adams, summers
Abstract This paper discusses the film "Dances With Wolves" in relation to man's inhumanity to man, culture, our attitudes towards other cultures, and the media's portrayal of other cultures through the medium of film.
From the paper:
"The film "Dances With Wolves" (Costner) looks in detail at the way strangers get to know each other. It is seen from the point of view of John Dunbar, a lieutenant fighting during the American Civil War. We meet the wounded hero in a field hospital just as he is about to have his leg amputated. However, when the doctors leave, he decides to rejoin his regiment, and invites death by riding his horse in a suicidal charge at the enemy lines."
Abstract The paper examines "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson - a parable with an unexpected twist. The author of the paper shows how the story is a comment on capitalism in society, the subjugation of women as well as the pointless violence that continues despite our common sense. The paper investigates how, when it was first published in 1948, the book was met with indignation and abuse. In order to understand this reaction, the author of the paper revisits the little village of three hundred people and studies the elements of character, the narration of the story in which it is told, and the plot. The paper shows that only in examining these three elements can we grasp the social chord Jackson touched upon when she wrote ?The Lottery.?
From the Paper ""The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson explores the violent (and often irrational) tendencies of Man. She deems capitalism to be the root of society's problems in that it promotes and sustains inequality amongst its citizens, not least of which is the subordination of women. Although Jackson does not offer a solution to the problem, her story does provoke consideration and debate of the subject. Maybe upon identifying the problem as opposed to blindly accepting the status quo as did the townspeople in Jackson's tale, can we hope for change."
From the Paper "The formal structures of Claude McKay's "If We Must Die" and Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" operate in unusual ways. Because both poets were African Americans writing about the injustices suffered by their race, they were writing about fundamental feelings of rage and the struggle to avoid despair. But they were also writing specifically about the ways Africans Americans face the white world that oppresses them. Ironically, of course, they also wrote in the language and, at times, in the poetic tradition of the white culture.
The formal structures in these two poems are means by which the poets develop a greater intensity of feeling in the poems, and both Dunbar and McKay do this in two different ways. On the one hand, the regularity of their rhyme schemes and meters allows the poets to build their ideas and emphasize the major points in
