Final answer:
The word 'pale' in poetry often conveys more than its literal meaning, suggesting purity, sickness, or emotional distress depending on the context and can add layers of meaning, such as the portrayal of a character's emotional state or illness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of the word pale in poetry often carries a connotative effect that extends beyond its literal meaning of having a light coloration. When poets choose this word, they tap into a wealth of associations that can hint at purity, sickness, or emotional distress, depending on the context.
For instance, the repetition of pale in reference to a knight's complexion could suggest his noble and pure character (associating paleness with purity or innocence), yet it might also imply a state of suffering or sickness, as paleness can evoke images of weakened vitality or anguish, perhaps due to love or a strenuous quest (sickly beer-drenched and weakened atmosphere).
Additionally, Sondra O'Neale outlines how Phillis Wheatley, in her poem, uses terms such as Negros, black as Cain, to challenge prevailing racial assumptions by the eighteenth-century evangelicals, drawing on the biblical allusion to Cain and considering its moral implications.