1. Introduction: The Mask as a Universal Concept
: The mask acts as a protective shield against a world that is "over-wise" yet indifferent to the pain of the oppressed.
The most influential literary exploration of the mask is poem, " We Wear the Mask " (1895).
: Modern scholars link Dunbar's metaphor to the concept of "double consciousness," where individuals must view themselves through the eyes of an often hostile society.
