O Make me a Mask by Dylan Thomas
The poem explores the theme of mortality and the inevitability of death, using a mask as a metaphor for the human face that hides our true selves. The speaker creates a mask to conceal their emotions and thoughts, but ultimately realizes that it cannot protect them from the reality of death. The poem is a meditation on the transience of life and the futility of trying to escape or deny mortality.
By Dylan Thomas · First published 1945 · Genre: Poetry, Modernist, Symbolism · 151 words
First lines
O make me a mask and a wall to shut from your spies / Of the sharp, enamelled eyes and the spectacled claws / Rape and rebellion in the nurseries of my face, / Gag of a dumbstruck tree to block from bare enemies
The bayonet tongue in this undefended prayerpiece, / The present mouth, and the sweetly blown trumpet of lies, / Shaped in old armour and oak the countenance of a dunce / To shield the glistening brain and blunt the examiners, / And a tear-stained widower grief drooped from the lashes
To veil belladonna and let the dry eyes perceive / Others betray the lamenting lies of their losses / By the curve of the nude mouth or the laugh up the sleeve.
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as metaphor, imagery, and rhythm.
- Modernist — The themes of identity, alienation, and the use of complex imagery align with Modernist literary characteristics.
- Symbolism — The poem employs symbolic language to convey deeper meanings about identity and perception.
- Psychological — Explores the inner psyche and emotional struggles of the speaker, reflecting psychological depth.
Tags
Poetry · Drama · Tragedy · Masks · Identity · Self-discovery · Existentialism · Philosophy · Psychological Insight · Human Condition · Emotional Depth · Inner Turmoil
What this Textopian page supports
O Make me a Mask is listed on Textopian as a poem by Dylan Thomas, dated 1945 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Dylan Thomas
- Date: 1945 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Modernist, Symbolism, Psychological, Surrealism
- Length: 151 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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