The Poems wording and the type of condition its describing sounds like Late 1800s or Early 1900s. The amount of hate for darked skinned individuals being described doesn't exist anymore. The Poem was written in 1895 because of these reasons, one says that it was set in the 1900s.
Symbolism
The theme is dark and alarming. This poems theme is how black people were treated in the 1900s. The Lines We wear a mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes . Dunbar explained what the poem is saying in these two lines which mean : How they wear a mask that hides their truth and what they actually are , and how the mask grin and lies which means its deceiving.
Speaker
Strong Voice.
The imagery is not that strong in the poem but there is some. He writes We repeatedly which shows the picture that this was experienced by mostly every dark skinned individual which shows that it was a mass problem. Nay, let them only see us, while we wear the mask. This Line picturizes that only the bad side of them, avoiding and sidelining their good side.
Purpose
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, is a really touching line which symbolises two thing , Number 1 : It symbolises how severe the matter was by using words like torn and bleeding hearts. Number 2 : How the People persevered through it by saying bleeding hearts we smile.
The Speaker is really bringing out the emotions of the poems. The Speaker makes us feel for the people and really explains how it was . The Speaker reads the poem in such a way that it will keep playing in your brain even after it over.
The Purpose of the Poem is to inform people how dark skinned individuals used to be treated in late 1800s and early 1900s. The other reason is to convey the how they felt about it.
How they felt about it?
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