Walt Whitman Essay

Essay on Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
In parting with traditional poetic formalities, Walt Whitman alleviated a burden that impeded his
ability to achieve full poetic expression. To Whitman, the strict boundaries that formal meter,
structure, and rhyme imposed set limits on his stylistic freedom. This is not to say that these limits
prevented Whitman from conveying his themes. Rather, they presented a contradiction to which
Whitman refused to conform. In Whitman's eyes, to meet these formal guidelines one would also
have to sacrifice the ability to express qualities and passion of living men. Thus, Whitman contested
traditional poetic protocol because it added a layer of superficiality that concerned itself with
creating perfect rhythmical, metrical,...show more content...
This meant that stanzas consisted of a predetermined amount of lines or that the poem had a
predetermined amount of stanzas. Augmenting this formal structure were predetermined rhyme
schemes (such as 'abab cdcd efef gg' in Shakespearean sonnets). Based on the above, we can describe
traditional poetic etiquette as adhering to the suggested formal patterns predetermined by the
tradition of British poetry. Just in reaching the above conclusion, a problem arises that all poets, not
just Whitman, face when trying to conform to this style. This problem is that all of these rules are
cumbersome. It is difficult for a poet to convey the theme of a poem when he or she is concerned
with whether or not each word fits into a designated formal pattern. Yet, some would argue that this
is what makes poetry such an elegant art form. Surely, Whitman recognized the genius found in
Shakespeare's sonnets and other constitutive examples of traditional British poetry. However,
whether or not Whitman recognized the genius of great traditional British poets, is inconsequential.
What did matter was whether or not Whitman felt that this style was appropriate for him. The
answer is no. Whitman found problems not simply with the fact that clinging to the traditional style
might be burdensome (surely this would not have been an insurmountable task for Whitman), but his
main issue with traditional style concerned the ornamental effect of formal regularity:
"In
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walt whitman Essay
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was a follower of the two Transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson and
Henry David Thoreau. He believed in Emerson and Thoreau's Trascendentalist beliefs.
Whitman believed that individualism stems from listening to one's inner voice and that one's life is
guided by one's intuition. The Transcendentalist centered on the divinity of each individual; but this
divinity could be self–discovered only if the person had the independence of mind to do so.
Whitman lent himself to this concept of independence. He once said,"Everything on earth has the
divine spark within and thus is all part of a whole."(web.pg2trans.) This
philosophy...show more content...
"Song of Myself" is the most complete utterance of Whitman's first great conception of life. " No
innovations must be permitted on the stern severities of out liberty and our equality".(web.page 2
USR) That was the message that Whitman was trying to get through to people by reading his poems.
In most of Whitman's poems including "Song of Myself"
Whitman appears to be surrounded by women and children, and by young men, and by common
objects and qualities. He gives to each just what belongs to it, neither more or less. The person
nearest him, that person he ushers hand in hand with himself. "Song of Myself' was the poem that I
believe revieled the most about Whitman's attitude and beliefs. In "Song of Myself"
Whitman celebrates individuality and his beliefs of the existence of a shared universal self or soul.
This also showes how he really believed in Transcendentalism which stated stong intense
individualism and self–reliance. Critics who didn't believe in Whitman's beliefs rejected his
optimistic outlook on humanity and life. They declared such optimism naive and unrealistic.
They felt humans were depraved and had to stuggle for goodness. They feared the people who
desired complete individualism would give into the worse angles of man's nature. They viewed
Whitman's

Walt Whitman Contributions
It is known without a doubt, that Walt Whitman is a key contributor to the evolution of American
literature. Whitman was born in 1819 to a classic working family and is also considered to be a
part of the first generation of children since the United States was formed. It is only fitting that
amount of pride felt across the nation filled Whitman since he was just a small child. It was because
of his pride as an American, that Whitman set out to change American literature and move away
from the British styles of writing. Despite writing during the Romantic era, Whitman's works are
often considered to be futuristic of his own time. Whitman accomplished his goal to impact
American literature through his innovative writing style, addressing political issues, and using
themes about sexuality and religion that broke social barriers.
Whitman started his writing career as a journalist for a few small newspapers even though he formal
education ended when he was just eleven years old. Despite lacking the formal education, Whitman
went on to be a school teacher, a journalist, and eventually started his own newspaper. Whitman's
first poems are considered to be in line with the Romantic era. Containing themes about love, normal
rhyme schemes, and conventionally made Whitman's poems just average and rather boring. Ralph
Waldo Emerson, often considered the father of American literature, plead for American poets to step
forward and create a new, innovative American style. Whitman heard

Walt Whitman Individualism Essay
Individualism is where someone is in the habit of being independent and self–reliant to the world
around them. Walt Whitman is an author who believes that all people should have a sense of
individualism because without it everyone would be the same. The overall topic is going to be
about how Whitman perceives individuality differently based on the settings of the writings. In two
of Whitman's writings, "Song of Myself" and "Drum Taps", the idea of individuality is present and
clear to each of the characters that are there in the writings but the differences in each of the
writings explains how different the character's individuality can be. I will be using these two
writings because of the very different settings each of them take place in, by coming from two
different places the sense of individuality changes which shows that being...show more content...
I believe that the characters in Whitman's writings have a sense of individualism and by
comparing and contrasting each of the main character in "Song of Myself" and "Drum Taps" it
will show others what it is like to share individuality as a whole with the world, but to be different
as well based on the experiences some may have to go through. I plan to some of "Drum Taps" and
some of "Song of Myself" because each of the writing show individualism both in the characters that
Whitman is writing about, but also each of the poems show some of Whitman's individualism just
based on the things that he writes about. From "Drum Taps", I am going to explain why the phrase
"Beat! Beat! Drums!–Blow! Bugles! Blow" is repeating at the beginning of every line during that
part of the writing. Then I am going to discuss why "Drum Taps" brings out an individuality,
throughout the poem it describes to me, life during the civil war. "Drum Taps" goes through multiple
people with each poem, it has pilots, nurses, fighters etc. and each of them have their own
individuality. In

Individualism is important. This statement is made clear in Walt Whitman's book, Leaves of Grass,
published in 1855. Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection composed in the nineteenth–century, during
the Westward Expansion. Contrary to a popular poetic style in that period, Whitman wrote in
free–verse, meaning there was little to no rhyming or tempo. Individualism is a theme that sets the
tone of Whitman's poems. Whitman uses the literary devices of repetition, asyndeton, imagery, and
conflict to create the idea of individualism to set the tone. The repetition present in Whitman's works
contributes significantly to the theme of his poems. Repetition can be used to emphasize
differences; moreover, it can stress the individuality of every person....show more content...
Closely relating to repetition, in that it is used to emphasize, Whitman also used the literary device
asyndeton to connect his works to the theme of individualism. The usage of asyndetons has been
used with verbs. However, this literary device is not strictly verbs. Asyndetons are when there is an
absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence. Whitman used asyndetons to describe many
ideas in his works. As used in, "Pioneers! O Pioneers!" an asyndeton was used to describe a
powerful mistress mentioned in line forty–three, "Raise the fang'd and warlike mistress, stern,
impassive, weapon'd mistress,..." The three adjectives, "stern, impassive, weapon'd..." are used to
describe a powerful, independent, mistress who is her own individual. Connections made through
asyndetons are shown in Whitman's poem, "I Saw in Louisiana A Live–Oak Growing," to make a
parallel between the author and the Oak tree. The literary device appears in line four, "And its look,
rude, unbending, lusty, made me

Characteristics Of Walt Whitman And Walt Whitman
The concept of individualism or individuality has been the soul of Walt Whitman and Allama Iqbal's
poetry. Both employed it as a tool to awaken the sense of democracy and patriotism in newly freed
Americans and still–in–seek of freedom Muslims.
Bellah et al (1968) mark Whitman as a representative of 'Expressive individualism'. Being an
expressive individualist, Whitman refutes all the principles of utilitarian individualism and
emphasized on the freedom to express one's true self and desire against all odds of the society
(cited in Nakamura, 2013).
Regarded as the celebration of the unchanged spirit of modernization, individuality, and development
of the Americans, Walt Whitman works emphasis on the unique identity of every individual and
...show more content...
Through his poetry, he tried to bond individuals with love and brotherhood so that they could be
saved from "atomistic solitude" (Pires, 2001). Whitman treats 'Man' as the soul of his works. That
is why; his poetry tends to resolve "the inherent conflict between the individual and the universe...at
the level of the transpersonal self, where the individual being himself is also the self of all".
According to Whitman, an individual in his spirit is "one with the cosmic whole" (Chari, 1960, p.
127).
In addition to this, he regards man the "spiritual center of the universe" and only through the
self–realization one can be able to explore "nature, history, and ultimately, the cosmos itself;"
leading to the amalgam of individual soul and Oversoul (= God) (Baghira, 2013)
On the other hand, Allama Iqbal uses the term khudi to connote the terms ego, self, or individuality.
Iqbal's this concept stresses on the relationship between God and man as the 'chosen of God'. He
believes this designation of co–worker would be only granted to the man who will reach the status
of God's vicegerent and for this, one has to develop and nurture his ego (khudi) (Saeed,

Walt Whitman's Poetry Research Paper
Compare and contrast Whitman's free verse with Robert Frost's traditional verse. Compare not only
the form of their poetry but their themes as well, as discussed by Professor Weinstein.
Walt Whitman and Robert Frost are both considered talented writers as well as many other poets.
They both have their own unique style of writing and captivating their readers. Although, they both
write about the happenings in the world during their time, their views of the world are different in
context. Both of these poets uses everyday people and life experiences as the focus of their work.
Robert Frost writings consists of common language, which helps the reader to understand the theme
of his poetry, invites them to view the context of his work and gain...show more content...
He uses the word "I" in most of his poems. In poetry was written without rhymes and schemes. In
"I Hear America Singing" is uses a list of people, places and events to show the relationship
between all that exist in the world, such as human and nature, as well as human and human. For
example, "I loafe and invite my soul I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer
grass ". Walt Whitman believed in democracy and the themes of his poem prove just that. He used
his writings as a way to express the voice of the people and to bring awareness to the situations
that exist in the world. In his poetry he described the world as he viewed it, a unified nation
composed of unique but equal individuals. When one reads the work of Whitman, they can vision
a world where everyone has a purpose and that purpose is unique to that individual. His poetry
seems to have no structure as the work of Frost. Whitman chose to use ordinary people as the
subjects of his work, so he choice of words is a clear representation of his subjects and adds
uniqueness to his

Essay about Walt Whitman
During the time period that Walter Whitman lived, there were many controversial things happening
to the American people as a whole. One of the most strenuous upon society at the time was the
Civil War. The Civil War created many problems in the lives of most Americans during this time
period. This war also prompted, and inspired Walt to create many of his historical works of art. The
war was raging in both the north and the south during Whitman's golden era of his writing. In the
North, the economy was blooming, and growing, and industry was getting better and better each
day. While in the South, the price, and the labor of the war was taking its effect upon society. The
economy was getting worse, and worse as time went on. The problems...show more content...
This poem was a poem for how the entire country felt at the same time.
     Another great breakthrough at this time was the
development of the new national pastime, baseball. Baseball originated during the 1880's, and
was derived from the British sport of cricket. It was said that the founder of baseball was a man
by the name of Abner Doubleday. He started the game in Cooperstown New York. Now, this is not
a fact that he was the man that really created the sport, but no one really knows for sure who it
was, so he was given credit. There have been so many things that have occurred due to the invention
of the sport of baseball. Thanks to it, it gave people something to do during the weekends, and
something enjoyable to do as a family. If not for the growth in the popularity of the sport of baseball,
we wouldn't have done so much to increase the popularity for football or basketball.
     During Whitman's time of great writing, and his most popular
days, the industrial workers were booming in the North. And him being from the North, and the city
of Pittsburgh, he also used this to shine in his writings, such as in I Hear America Singing (Whitman,
3). For some reason, Whitman enjoyed many of the strong workers that did the manual labor for the
steel mills, and many other strenuous jobs.      This time in
American history was nowhere near the homosexual

Walt Whitman
Poems are used to express a general idea or feeling about life and nature. One author, Walt
Whitman,writes poems that generally express a positive view on living and the harmony of life.
One poem, "Song at Sunset", intends to delve into the joy of life. Throughout the poem, Walt
Whitman decides to praise nature as a whole for offering him a chance at enjoying all that life has to
offer, which, as previously stated, shows that Walt Whitman actively tries to express a Carpe–Diem
attitude about the world in his poems. The main theme of Walt Whitman's poem, Song at Sunset, is
that individuals should be grateful that they have been given the opportunity to live and should
appreciate all aspects of nature and life.
Walt Whitman's poem's main focus...show more content...
The idea that Whitman was America's voice explains why there is passion and positivity radiating
throughout the poem. Whitman's use of certain poetic devices helps strengthen the idea that life is
worth living. Also, it is clear that the main tone present in the poem is optimistic and cheery based
off of the content in the stanzas. Based off of the background information on Whitman, the poetic
devices, and the content in the poem, the main theme in Walt Whitman's poem "Song at Sunset" is
that life and nature should be appreciated to the

How Did Walt Whitman Contribute To Society
Whitman's Contribution to American Identity
Walt Whitman's portfolio of poetry was a crucial staple in the American identity. Whitman used his
poetry to contribute to the evolution of self–reliance, human freedom and concepts of democracy.
These influences can be seen throughout all of his poems, but more relevantly in "Song of Myself",
"For You O Democracy" and in "Live Oak, with Moss". After analyzing these works thoroughly,
Whitman has undeniably aided in the development of American identity and influenced many more
American poets and literary authors. Whitman is able to influence his beliefs by creating personal
connections in his poems that will resonate with his audience. During the time of Whitman, the Civil
War was on the rise...show more content...
The previous quote can also be the opening for Whitman's expression of American Politics.
Throughout Whitman's poems, he does not necessarily stick to one main point of interest, but he
somehow manages to coherently combine his own personal beliefs of self–reliance with democracy.
This is one of talents that allows Whitman to draw in such a broad audience, with his way of being
able to bring people together with his strong opinions of equality for all.
Meena Alexander, an Indian immigrant and author of "In Whitman's Country", stated that "Whitman
drew me here, and now I am a woman who must cast herself on the kindness of others" (para 4)
This author and her writing have been so strongly inspired by Whitman's work, almost one hundred
and fifty years after his time, that she put her trust into Whitman's arguments and moved to a new
country because of her faith in his word of self–reliance on herself and the fate of humanity. This act
simply screams the face of American identity. Having faith in yourself and a country, that is not
even where you were born, has inspired you enough to leave your whole life behind to go to
something that may not even be how you expected, is what the passion for every American should
be. Whitman wanted his audience to see how important self–reliance and self–love is to for the mind
and spirit. "Song of Myself" is a poem that embraces self–celebration and the welcoming of
friendships from all people. By

Walt Whitman as a Voice for the People
"The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as much as he absorbs his country."
This brilliant quote from Walt Whitman thus ends his preface to Leaves of Grass, and thereafter
begins the poem "Song of Myself." To many, upon their first reading, this was a crude, shocking and
distasteful piece of work. but to me...this was a celebration of life. And not just a celebration of his
own life, but of every life, of the American life. Walt Whitman is the "voice of the people" and this I
believe because, while he did write of things that were not seen as aesthetically beautiful by
many...including homosexuality, loneliness, and death. And while these topics were not picturesque
to...show more content...
You shall not look through my eyes either....
You shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself."
(lines 27–29)
I love this line, because itГs actually telling people that itГs okay to think for yourself. I believe that,
here, we can see the coming out of him. HeГs speaking for the people...asking them to finally stand
taller and think for themselves. This is what I interpreted this line as. Something else that struck
me while reading "Song of Myself" and some of the criticisms on it, was what I like to call "The
shock factor". I call it this because when this was published, America didnГt have much of an
identify. It was vast, and searching. WhitmanГs poetry seemed to encompass everyone and
everything through it. But what's ironic about this is, while Whitman stood as the American voice,
finally speaking refreshingly and truthfully...many rejected him. People thought that his style was
way to different from what they were used to, and did not understand Whitman. And heaven forbid,
his meter was irregular, and his verses did not rhyme! Even Thoreau said "It is as if the beasts
spoke". But what came as more of a shock to people was his unleashing of things that were just plain
never talked about. Whitman was most certainly one of the first to talk of sexuality, homosexual
relationships, lust, and desire, and the more sensual parts of the human body. Although I can see
how those who

Short Essay On Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman, a poet, an essayist, and a journalist, brought a huge revolution in the field of U.S.
Literature. He is often called the father of free verse. He wanted to write an American epic using
free verse. He usually performed love, friendship, nature, and democracy through his works. 'Leaves
of Grass' is a major work of Walt Whitman. He is appraised as one of the greatest poets in the U.S.
Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in West Hills, Long Island, New York. He was the second son
among nine children. His parents were Louisa Van Velsor Whitman and Walter Whitman, Sr. His
family loved their nation, the U.S. Even Whitman's younger brothers were named after American
heroes. The names involved George Washington Whitman, Thomas Jefferson Whitman, and Andrew
Jackson Whitman. His father failed in farming, so they moved from Long Island...show more
content...
First of all, he was a proponent of temperance. He seldom drank alcohol when he was young.
Furthermore, he supported for prohibition. Another fact is that he was influenced by deism. He
thought that all religion is equal. One of his works, 'With Antecedents', shows the attitude of
respect for all religion. The most interesting fact is that he was homosexual or bisexual. Some of
his works talked about homosexuality. This allowed his works to be more frank and uninhibited
than the works of others in his generation. Walt Whitman was a representative poet who revealed a
transition between transcendentalism and realism. At that time, in the 19th century, U.S. poets
preferred to follow the British tendency but Walt Whitman didn't. He reflected the U.S. society in
his poems to let readers know the true value of the U.S. He was the first poet who was
democratic. His major work, 'Leaves of Grass', was criticized with an obscene description at first
but now is appreciated as an important literary work in U.S. literature. Now he is believed to be one
of the most influential poets in the

Essay on Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was looked upon as the forerunner of 20th Century poetry, praising democracy, and
becoming a proclaimed poet of American democracy. He was known as the &quot;Son of Long
Island,&quot; and he loved his country and everything about it. (Current, Williams, Freidel–
page 292–293). Whitman lived during the time of the Civil War; a fact that increased his patriotism.
Whitman was considered one of the most important American Poets of the 19th Century.
(Encyclopedia of World Biography– page 249). He influenced the direction of 20th Century poets
such as Erza Pound, William Carlos Williams, Carlos Sandberg, andAllen Ginsberg. Whitman
praised democracy and spoke of the flesh as well as the spirit. (Encyclopedia of Biography–...show
more content...
Sometimes the narrator was the poet himself. (Lowen, Nancy– page 6). In other passages,
"I" speaks for the human race, the universe, or a specific character, which was
dramatized. Like all Whitman's major poems, "Song of Myself" contained symbols.
For example, in the poem he described grass as a symbol of life "the babe of
vegetation," "the handkerchief of the Lord." Whitman praised God and nature.
He exposed his gentle nature to his fellow man, and in doing so expressed his love of the world.
This was a love he grew up with and carried with him everywhere he went. Whitman loved Long
Island and it became a major part of his works. (Webster, Orville III– page 122). He held various
jobs throughout his life. He was a printing apprentice, journalist, editor, and school teacher. Walt
Whitman sold his first story to "The Democratic Review" shortly after leaving his
teaching job. This publication was known to pirate literature from Europe to save money, but it also
printed the works of Poe, Lowell, Whittier, Hawthorne, as well as other well–known American
lyricists. (Webster Orville III– page 123). It was this publication which gave Whitman his first break
as a professional writer. The editor of "The Democratic Review," John L. O'Sullivan, was
so impressed with Whitman and his work, he bought at least three more stories from Whitman that
very same autumn for the

Walt Whitman Biography Essay
Walt Whitman There are many things that people think about when the think about Walt Whitman.
Whitman was an American poet, one of my favorite American poets to be exact. My favorite
thing about Whitman is that he was a very controversial writer and was not scared to use his
opinion. Whitman was known and referred to as the father of free verse for his controversial
writing, although he referred to himself as the American Bard at Last. Whitman had a very strong
opinion and a poet and his opinion often did not go over well with his employers at the newspaper
where he worked. In a four–year period, he was fired from seven different newspapers due to his
difference of opinion. Most of Whitman's work often included the topics of death and sexuality;
which back in this time frame...show more content...
Whitman was the second child born, he moved with his family to Brooklyn when he was four
years old. When Whitman was 11 years old his formal education ended. He held a variety of jobs
trying to help support his family. He worked at a newspaper called The Patriot where Samuel E.
Clements was the editor. Whitman died on March 26th, 1982. During the autopsy, it was discovered
that bronchial pneumonia had caused his lung capacity to shrink and that he had an abscess on his
chest. Whitman is generally considered, along with Emily Dickinson, to be one of the most
important American Poets. The Leaves of Grass does not mean what most people think In
conclusion Walt Whitman is one of my favorite poets of all time; and aside from him having the
nickname Father of Free Verse and referred to himself as the American Bard at Last everything from
his birth to his death are intriguing. Whitman is a very well know American Poet and will forever be
known as a controversial writer, essayist, journalist, a humanist and was part of the transition
between transcendentalism and realism. Incorporating both

Walt Whitman's Writing
Walt Whitman writes poems with a democratic matter. His writings are what makes him not
unique. His faith lowered from the civil war. The style of his writing stays consistent and he
doesn't change how he writes. He uses few metaphors, other symbolic language, and anecdotes. His
goal is for the reader to have a sympathetic experience while reading. He wants the read wrong to
have this experience to relate to themselves. He often uses obscure, foreign, or invented words
throughout his writings. He has a unique individuality. A lot of Whitman's writings explain that
others will not be understood no matter what we try or how hard we try. He often stays away from
rhyme schemes and even poetic devices. He does although use meter.
Emily Dickinson

The Poetry of Walt Whitman Essay
Walt Whitman is considered by many to be one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century.
Whitman grew up in New York and was a member of a large family, having eight siblings. Only
four of these siblings lived to adulthood. His father was an alcoholic, which led to Whitman
becoming more like a father–figure than a brother to his siblings. Whitman quit school at the age of
eleven. He then worked as a journalist, as a carpenter, as a teacher, and as an editor before focusing
on poetry. Whitman is most well–known for his book of poems, Leaves of Grass. Whitman could not
find a publisher interested in his poems; therefore, he published them himself. Whitman rereleased
this collection of poems several times, each time with the addition of...show more content...
Whitman deplored slavery and was even fired from his job as an editor for his outspoken views
on the subject. Whitman saw Lincoln as someone who wanted to put an end to slavery and as
someone who would put his words into action. Whitman took a great interest in The Civil War.
His brother served in the war and Whitman volunteered as a nurse at an army hospital in
Washington, D.C., where he dressed the wounds of injured soldiers, as well as read to them, and
wrote letters for them to their families. Whitman gave lectures on President Lincoln almost up until
his own death. Whitman was greatly disturbed by the assassination of President Lincoln and wrote
these poems as a tribute to him. The most popular and the most analyzed of these poems is When
Lilacs Last in the DoorYard Bloom'd. Laurie Lanzen writes, "this is a poem whose rich and sacred
beauty and rapture of tender religious passion leave it unique and solitary in literature, and will make
it the chosen and immortal hymn of death forever" (Lanzen, 544 ). Even though Whitman never
mentions President Lincoln by name in the poem, according to whitmanarchive.org, this poem "was
published in the fourth edition of Leaves of Grass in 1867 under the heading President Lincoln's
Burial Hymn" (whitmanarchive.org). This has come to be considered as one of the best poems ever
written by Whitman. When Lilacs Last in the

Walt Whitman Poem Summary
The first stanza revolves around the word "gymnastic" due to its symbol of flexibility. This word is a
connotation since when thinking about gymnastic you think of flexibility and movement. Walt
Whitman advises everyone including himself to allow change in one's self. In lines 1–2 "Myself and
mine gymnastic ever,To stand the cold or heat–– to take good aim with a gun–– to sail a boat–– to
manage horses–– to beget superb children" the speaker explains that we should be open to new
ideas to allow ourselves to grow and balance our lives out. When the speaker mentions the word
"embroiderers", he tries to emphasize the idea that eminent men are useless and hold no real
substance. Embroiderers are not necessary for a certain object, instead it makes it more appealing.
These eminent men are used for decorations so it doesn't change the utility of the object it's
attached to. In mentioning this, he contrast to the first stanza by the symbolization of decoration in
the word "embroiderers". The speaker uses the word ornaments symbolizing the eminent men as
well, which explains that these kind of men are just a mask for what the community is actually
like. The speaker repeats the word "eminent" men to emphasize the importance of not following the
kind of people who believe to be above others. The idea he tries to convey is that all people are
equal and those who believe otherwise should not be praised differently. Whitman states "I praise no
eminent man–– I rebuke to his face the

Essay On Walt Whitman
Who is the most famous poet? In my opinion, Walt Whitman, legendary nineteenth century
American poet, takes the cake. He had many roles in his life other than poet, however (World Book
294). Growing up in West Hills, Long Island, New York as the second of nine children, Whitman
had various jobs before his poetry career began ("Walt Whitman Bio" 1). His many life experiences
during this time would later influence most of his poetry, which relied heavily on the common
rhythms of American speech (Eikkila 1). His poetry mostly focused on America, but his own
lifestyle was often incorporated into his poems as well ("Walt Whitman Bio" 2).
Walt Whitman is generally regarded as the most important American poet of the nineteenth century
("Walt Whitman Bio" 1). His poetry career took off once he was fired from the Brooklyn Eagle due
to political differences with the newspaper's owner ("Walt Whitman Bio" 2). His evolution from
journalist into revolutionary poet cannot easily be explained, however, as not much was know about
his literary activities at the time...show more content...
I believe that this response was when Whitman's career really took off, as people began to
actually notice his poetry. After this fated letter from Emerson, Walt decided to add about 20 new
poems to the second edition of "Leaves of Grass" ("Walt Whitman Bio" 3). This began a lifelong
practice of adding in new poems and revising previous poems to reflect his current feelings ("Walt
Whitman Bio" 3). This practice later evolved into arranging his poems into special groupings, two
notable groups being "Children of Adam" (love poems) and "Calamus" (A celebration of "manly
love") ("Walt Whitman Bio"

Song Of Myself By Walt Whitman Essay
In a variety of Walt Whitman's poems, the first person narrative emphasizes that the emotions
expressed in his writing are unique to him. In his poem Song of Myself, he describes a scene in
nature involving a wild goose call. He reflects "The pert may suppose it meaningless, but I listening
close,/ Find its purpose and place up there toward the wintry sky.... I see in them myself and the
same old law" (6). The use of the first person shows how Whitman's interpretations of the events he
depicts do not apply to all people. He admits that other people may find the goose call "meaningless",
showing his understanding that his feelings of mutual connectedness with the world is not a
universal reaction. Whitman is able to show that the emotions evoked...show more content...
In Song of Myself, Whitman inquires as to whether the audience has ever had similar experiences to
his own. He questions, "Have you reckoned a thousand acres much? have [sic] you reckon'd the
earth much?/ Have you practis'd so long to learn to read?" (4). Whitman's questions begin the
transition from Whitman's own reflections to his reader's. He prompts his audience to consider
situations similar to those that inspired his own contemplation. By turning the focus from his own
personal conclusion to the audience's, Whitman begins to encourage them to come to their own
conclusions. Whitman continues this encouragement by outright asking for their thoughts on life
and death. Later in the same poem, he asks his readers, "What do you think has become of the
young and old men?/ And what do you think has become of the women and children?" (5). Whitman
is asking the audience to come to their own conclusion surrounding the mystery of death. His prompt
forces his readers to think for themselves, and ultimately come to their own conclusion. Whitman's
poetry is no longer reserved for his own reflection, it embraces the different reflections of other
people. Walt Whitman uses the second person to shift the focus of his poetry from his own
interpretations to the interpretations of his

Walt Whitman Essay
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island, New York. He was the second
of six children. From 1825–1830, he attended public school in Brooklyn. After his years of
education, Walt Whitman experimented with many different jobs. From 1836–1838, Whitman
taught at several schools in Long Island. After teaching, Walt Whitman returned to printing and
editing in New York. During this time he edited many papers such as the Aurora (daily newspaper),
Evening Tattler,Brooklyn Weekly Freeman, Brooklyn Daily Eagle and the Brooklyn Times. In
addition to editing, he also wrote for the Long Island Star. From 1850–1854, Whitman owned and
operated a printing office and a stationary store. During...show more content...
He is now buried in a tomb in Hurleigh Cemetery.
How and Why did the themes of WaltWhitman's writing change over time?In 1855, Walt Whitman
published his first piece of literature, Leaves of Grass. During his life, he wrote on a number of
different subjects. The year of 1861 brought many changes in his life. This year and the years that
followed, changed Whitman's life and the poetry that he wrote for two major reasons.
"Clearly 1861, with coming of the Civil War, marked a turning point for Whitman: he shed his past
and began a new career with new poetry and new themes" (Walt Whitman, pg.18). Although Walt
Whitman did not see the Civil War coming, he was very interested in it. At this time
Whitman was forty–one years old and was obviously beyond the age of enlistment. Besides being to
old, Whitman also had to remain at home and take care of his mother (he had been taking care of her
since his fathers death in 1855). Although Whitman was to old, he was determined to be involved in
the war. In 1862, Whitman heard the new that his brother had been hurt near Fredricksburg, Virginia.
As a result, Whitman traveled to Virginia to help his brother. Although his brother was never
wounded, this trip changed Whitman's life. Walt Whitman had finally found his place to get
involved in the war. Upon learning the news that his brother was not wounded, Whitman decided to
travel back to Washington DC. When Whitman was traveling to Fredricksburg, VA, he saw so many

Walt Whitman Essay

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Walt Whitman Essay