Walt Whitman Walt Whitman 1819-18921819-1892

“The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he absorbed it.” -1855 preface to Leaves of Grass

Whitman’s BirthplaceWhitman’s Birthplace

               

   

               

   

               

   

               

   

               

   

          

                                                                                        

 

Early YearsEarly Years

Parents gave him an upbringing based Parents gave him an upbringing based loosely on Quaker valuesloosely on Quaker values

Only 5-6 years of formal schoolingOnly 5-6 years of formal schooling Voracious readerVoracious reader Worked as a printer, teacher, journalist, Worked as a printer, teacher, journalist,

building contractor, and editorbuilding contractor, and editor Volunteer nurse and correspondent for Volunteer nurse and correspondent for

the Civil Warthe Civil War

Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman Mixed reaction to his poetryMixed reaction to his poetry Emerson/Lincoln loved itEmerson/Lincoln loved it Whittier hated it—threw it in the fireWhittier hated it—threw it in the fire Medic during the Civil WarMedic during the Civil War Anti-slavery; Free SoilerAnti-slavery; Free Soiler Themes: Nature, Democracy, Common Themes: Nature, Democracy, Common

ManMan Introduced Free Verse to AmericaIntroduced Free Verse to America

1840s1840s

Purpose of His PoetryPurpose of His Poetry

To make “an attempt to put a Person, a To make “an attempt to put a Person, a human being (myself in the latter half of human being (myself in the latter half of the 19the 19thth century, in America) freely, fully, century, in America) freely, fully, and truly on record.”and truly on record.”

To show his appreciation for the linkage To show his appreciation for the linkage between the body and the soul and the between the body and the soul and the communion that can come through communion that can come through physical contact.physical contact.

1850s1850s

1855-self-published first edition of 1855-self-published first edition of Leaves of Leaves of GrassGrass at age 36; now considered one of the at age 36; now considered one of the greatest collections of poetry ever written. greatest collections of poetry ever written.

Reaction against European standards, Reaction against European standards, constraints of Romanticism and the classicsconstraints of Romanticism and the classics

Book was celebrated by few, dismissed by Book was celebrated by few, dismissed by most as barbarism, filth, “exotic and vulgar” most as barbarism, filth, “exotic and vulgar” language, and gross yet elevated writinglanguage, and gross yet elevated writing

Radically new style of writingRadically new style of writing Made his own rhythmsMade his own rhythms Created his own mythic worldCreated his own mythic world Free-verse unorthodoxiesFree-verse unorthodoxies

His formless, free verse departed His formless, free verse departed from poetic convention with:from poetic convention with:

Unique incantations and boasts of individualityUnique incantations and boasts of individuality Celebration of sexualityCelebration of sexuality Commonplace experience of the worker, Commonplace experience of the worker,

common mancommon man Ecstatic perceptions of humans and nature Ecstatic perceptions of humans and nature

(united and divine)(united and divine) Glorified all humanity and human qualities Glorified all humanity and human qualities

including: sex, womanhood, maternity, bodily including: sex, womanhood, maternity, bodily functions, etc.functions, etc.

Disorganized and raw experiencesDisorganized and raw experiences

1860s1860s In his lifetime, read mostly by literary In his lifetime, read mostly by literary

enthusiasts and intellectuals. He fell short enthusiasts and intellectuals. He fell short of his goal of being the poet of the of his goal of being the poet of the masses.masses.

1870s1870s Leaves of GrassLeaves of Grass went through about five went through about five

editions (1871) at which time he received editions (1871) at which time he received increasing critical recognition in England increasing critical recognition in England and America. Readers seemed more and America. Readers seemed more accustomed to him.accustomed to him.

1880s1880s

Considered the “bard of democracy”Considered the “bard of democracy” Poetry centered on ideas of democracy, equality Poetry centered on ideas of democracy, equality

and brotherhood.and brotherhood. Public poet who celebrated democratic men and Public poet who celebrated democratic men and

women “en-masse.”women “en-masse.” Urgent desire to incorporate the entire American Urgent desire to incorporate the entire American

experience into his life and poetryexperience into his life and poetry Wanted to create a new Frontier voice, vigorous and Wanted to create a new Frontier voice, vigorous and

free, that represented Americafree, that represented America Celebrated the self—of the poet in everyman, in the Celebrated the self—of the poet in everyman, in the

worker, in the individualworker, in the individual

Unique StructureUnique Structure Avoided rhyme schemes, but used meter in Avoided rhyme schemes, but used meter in

masterful and innovative ways, often to mimic masterful and innovative ways, often to mimic natural speechnatural speech

RepetitionRepetition ParallelismParallelism Catalogs (listings)Catalogs (listings) AlliterationAlliteration OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia ImageryImagery

StructureStructure

Frequently, the purpose of the structure was to Frequently, the purpose of the structure was to reflect his democratic ideals:reflect his democratic ideals: Ex. Listing items without imposing a hierarchyEx. Listing items without imposing a hierarchy Uniqueness of the individual—democracy does not Uniqueness of the individual—democracy does not

mean samenessmean sameness

PerceptionPerception

Perception more than analysis was the Perception more than analysis was the basis for his poetrybasis for his poetry

Used few metaphors or symbolic Used few metaphors or symbolic languagelanguage

AnecdotesAnecdotes

Transmitted a story to give the readers a Transmitted a story to give the readers a sympathetic experience which would sympathetic experience which would allow them to incorporate the anecdote allow them to incorporate the anecdote into their own history.into their own history.

Obscure, Foreign, Obscure, Foreign, Invented WordsInvented Words

Signified his status as an individualSignified his status as an individual Difficulty of the language mirrors the Difficulty of the language mirrors the

necessary imperfection of connections necessary imperfection of connections between individuals: no matter how hard between individuals: no matter how hard we try, we can never completely we try, we can never completely understand each other. understand each other.

Final ThoughtFinal Thought

A truly democratic poetry, for Whitman, is A truly democratic poetry, for Whitman, is one that, using a common language, is one that, using a common language, is able to cross the gap between the self able to cross the gap between the self and another individual, to effect a and another individual, to effect a sympathetic exchange of experiences.sympathetic exchange of experiences.

1890s1890s

Required Reading:Required Reading: I Hear America Singing I Hear America Singing (TP-CASTT)(TP-CASTT) I Sit and Look Out I Sit and Look Out (TP-CASTT)(TP-CASTT) Oh Captain! My Captain!Oh Captain! My Captain! A Noiseless Patient SpiderA Noiseless Patient Spider Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking (TP-CASTT)(TP-CASTT)

I Hear America SingingI Hear America SingingI hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,strong,

The carpenter singing him as he measures his plank or beam,The carpenter singing him as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck-hand The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck-hand singing on the steamboat deck,singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,stands,

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.