Question

we wear the mask that grins and lies,it hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--this debt we pay to human guile;with torn and bleeding hearts we smile,and mouth with myriad subtleties.why should the world be over-wise,in counting all our tears and sighs?nay, let them only see us, whilewe wear the mask.we smile, but, o great christ, our criesto thee from tortured souls arise.we sing, but oh the clay is vilebeneath our feet, and long the mile;but let the world dream otherwise,we wear the mask!how did paul laurence dunbar depart from traditional poetry in \we wear the mask?\a. by using formal languageb. by including biblical allusionc. by employing an unusual rhyme schemed. by discussing individual identitye. by adhering to strict grammar norms

Explanation:

Traditional 19th-century poetry often focused on broader, impersonal themes or formal decorum. Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" centers on the personal, suppressed emotional and individual identity of Black Americans, exploring the gap between outward performance and inner trauma—an intimate, marginalized perspective not commonly centered in traditional poetry of the era. Options A, E are incorrect as the poem uses accessible, not strictly formal language/grammar; B is incorrect because biblical allusions were common in traditional poetry; C is incorrect as the poem follows a consistent, conventional rhyme scheme.

Answer:

D. by discussing individual identity