Walt Whitman Beliefs and Attitudes Explored

Walt Whitman Beliefs
Walt Whitman, one of the world's greatest journalist and poets, touched the lives of many different
and diverse cultures through his many works in which he placed his feet in the shoes of everyday
people and the experiences they faced. However, his attitude towards slavery and abolitionism were
never permanent as if he was constantly torn between how he really felt or how others who did not
agree with him would judge his views. As the saying goes, "your first teachers are your parents."
Whitman grew up in a racist environment, in which he was a descendent of slave owners. Therefore,
he grew up embodying white prejudice and coming to a conclusion that blacks were shiftless and
ignorant. However, as he grew older and became more educated on the ... Show more content on
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Michael Conlin, professor at the University of Wisconsin, stated, "But Whitman was, in the 1850s,
consumed by the coming of the Civil War. It was in the midst of the crisis that Whitman wrote some
of the most egalitarian and profound verse relating to African Americans." Being born into a
lifestyle where he was taught to take full advantage of white privilege and to show nothing more but
hatred towards blacks can explain why he was often between mind and matter when expressing
himself. The Civil War caused dismay for many whites because they believed that blacks would
make life in the North chaotic. Post Civil War drew in even more worry and tension between black
and white men. As humans we all want feel accepted by our peers and sometimes worrying about
validation from them drifts us away from our own self beliefs. That may have happened to Walt
Whitman as well. Deep down he knew that even a scientific theory could not come to the conclusion
that integrity, wisdom, and lack of humane quality was based on race. With that thinking, his works
provided and showed how e really felt about African Americans. This dismay could have caused
him to be called a "nigger lover" by his peers. His thoughts being diminished based on how his
peers felt about him may have been what caused him to take advantage of his white privilege and
turn the blind eye towards blacks, the ones he once adored and stuck up for. Later on he discovered
that that did not solve any problems because he was also confused on how he actually felt himself.
That caused his later works to be bright line in which he was helping both races see the sides of their
own madness, he too was expressing how he had connected both with the white and the black man.
However, some people
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Walt Whitman Accomplishments
Walt Whitman is one of the most influential writers in American History. Although greatly
unappreciated in his time, Whitman's works were truly groundbreaking and served as the basis to
usher in a completely new literary movement. Growing up and writing in a era of American History
of immense change on numerous spectrums, Walt Whitman's literary works explored many of these
new concepts and ideologies brought forward during this time. As possibly the most important poet
of the American Romantic movement, Walt Whitman's poetry such as "For You O Democracy" and
"I Sing the Body Electric" exemplified resurging and new found American ideals stemming from the
events of the early to mid nineteenth century. With economic, physical, ideological,

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 Influence
There is no question that Walt Whitman had the most significant influence on American literary
history. Along with Emily Dickinson, Whitman represented the Romantic literature era of American
literature. Whitman is known for his distinctive poetic forms and free verse. Whitman's most
popular work Leaves of Grass influenced many future writers that came after him to follow his
writing style. The richness that Leaves of Grass left behind had such a huge impact on American
writers of many different backgrounds and cultures. Whitman's influence can be seen in the works
of Ezra Pound, Langston Hughes, and Sharon Olds.
The influence Walt Whitman had on Ezra Pound is found through Pound's modernist poetic
experiments. "At the beginning of Pound's career, he wrote of Whitman, "I honor him for he
prophesied me while I can only recognize him as a forebear of whom I ought to be proud"" (Willard
573). The following work from Pound was a pact he made with Whitman:
"It was you that broke the new wood,
Now is a time for carving.
We have one sap and one root–
Let there be commerce between us" (quoted in Willard 573).
Pound went on to keep that pact with his many works that include The Cantos, The Condolence, and
To Whistler, American. Like in the 1855 version of Leaves of Grass, Whitman gave a descriptive
image of him in a "working dress and large hat, arms akimbo, standing at his ease," this is also
matched by the descriptive image in Pound's Pavannes and Divisions (Willard 573). Whitman

Leaves Of Grass By Walt Whitman
Leaves on Grass is collection of poems written by an American poet named Walt Whitman. The first
edition was published in 1855 but, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting
Leaves of Grass, until his death in 1892 at the age of 72. Even though during the time his work was
considered immoral later people began to realize the beauty behind his poems and started to
appreciate the man who wrote them.Whitman 's Leaves of Grass is iconic in American poetry
because of the beauty behind its poems as well as the legacy it left behind. The poems do not rhyme
or follow standard rules for meter and line length. Among the poems in the collection are "Song of
Myself", "I Sing the Body Electric", "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking". Later editions included
Whitman 's elegy to the assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, "When Lilacs Last in the
Dooryard Bloom 'd".
The poems of Leaves of Grass are loosely connected, with each representing Whitman 's celebration
of his philosophy of life and humanity. This book is known for its sensual pleasures however, during
his time that sort of display was considered immoral. Where much previous poetry, relied on
symbolism, allegory, and meditation on the religious and spiritual, Leaves of Grass gave life and
power to the body and the material world. Influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and the
Transcendentalist movement, which is mostly similar to Romanticism, Whitman 's poetry praises
nature and the individual human 's role in

Walt Whitman Poetry Analysis
As Walt Whitman wrote his multiple editions of Leaves of Grass, each edition always had
something new, because he would take his experiences and reflect them into his poetry. For
example, the first edition that came out in 1855 wasn't popular, "Walt Whitman's literary
masterpiece, Leaves of Grass, was first self–published in 1855 with less than glowing reviews."
(Woodworth p. 270). Walt Whitman self–published his first edition due to not being able to find a
publisher, the book was beautiful with green leather on the front to give the feeling of "laying down
in the grass". The first edition was mainly focused on nature and the solitude that is found within it.
In addition, his involvement in the Civil War appears in the later editions, "When the war broke out,
he soon found himself working as a wound dresser for the North. These war experiences became the
subject of Drum Taps, a series of poems set during the war." (Woodworth p. 272). His experiences in
the Civil War could be read about in the fourth edition published in 1867. The fourth edition mainly
focused on the Civil War and Reconstructionism. Furthermore, his background life before
publishing has an influence on his writing, "The life familiar to him is the picturesque, free,
unconventional life of the people–not the pale, monotonous, artificial life of literary student,
aristocrat, or plutocrat. He enters profoundly into all their difficulties, enjoyments, sorrows, and
eager aspirations." (Noel "A Study of Walt

Research Paper On Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman Mini Research Paper
Walter "Walt" Whitman, also known as "the father of free verse," is one of the most influential
writers in American history. Whitman was born, on May 31, 1819, in Long Island, New York. His
family settled in North America in the first half of the 17th century. His father and mother, Walter
Whitman Sr. and Louisa Van Velsor, got married on June 9, 1816. Together, they had nine children.
Whitman's father was of English descent and his mother was Dutch; this ancestry was typical of the
region. They were poor farmers with meager amounts of formal education.
Whitman's father was forced to stop farming, after their large expanse of farmland became severely
diminished. He commenced to working odd jobs, in order to ... Show more content on
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He spent extensive amounts of time at home and in public libraries, and he had begun experimenting
with a new style of poetry. He managed to publish a few of his stories and poems in local
newspapers and magazines. By 1842, he had published his first book titled Franklin Evans; or
Inebriate: A Tale of the Times. It was a story that warned others about the corruptness of drinking
alcohol (Walt Whitman UXL). Whitman likely wrote this type of story to save other families from
the hardships that he faced in his own life, because of his father's and brother's alcohol addiction
(About). Whitman not only advocated for prohibition in his literary works (Walt Whitman Archive),
but was also an active supporter of abolition and strongly favored democracy. He was against the
submission of any new state, to the Union, that supported slavery (Walt Whitman

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 on
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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

The United States Themselves are Essentially the Greatest Poem
The Good Gray Poet, Walt Whitman, is one of the giants of American literature. He wrote with
passion and used his own life experiences to start the spark of his greatest works in literature.
Whitman was strongly influenced by the United States and during his life he witnessed and wrote
about many of defining moments of American history.
The recurring symbol of a common man best portrayed Whitman's beliefs in unity of all form of life,
and celebrated the potential of the human spirit. Whitman, himself is considered a common
American man from his early life of having to leave school and work for money to support his
family. The name given to Whitman, The Good Gray Poet, was given because of his actions to
appear like a common man. Then the common folk would feel connected to his poetry and his
poetry is his life influenced by what's happening around him. In the text, "I hear America Singing",
Whitman writes, "The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or ... Show more content on
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This is due to Whitman's strong opinion of anti–slavery and what is best described as two war
kindred spirits. Whitman admired Lincoln for his drive and uniqueness out of all the presidents.
When Lincoln died Whitman became very inspired to write poems in his honor and one of those
poems was, "O Captain! My Captain!". This poem states, "the prize we sought is won...Where on
the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead" (O Captain! My Captain!, Poetry Foundation). The
text shows, how the Civil War was won, but Lincoln, the Captain, did not live to see the day of his
great victory. Additionally, Whitman dedicated to Lincoln "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard
Bloom'd", which continued to show his immense passion and obsession for Lincoln. Forever
changed by the tragic passing, Whitman will always be infatuated with Lincoln and his legacy that
he imprinted on

Walt Whitman Accomplishments
There have been many inspirational and motivational poets throughout history, but none has stood
out more to me than Walt Whitman. Jane Halsall wrote of Whitman in a review in the School
Library Journal, "Whitman was more than a poet; he was a player on the stage of American history,"
which I believe is true (1). He helped create a path for other poets to follow through all of his
passionate writings. He paved the way for people to live the life they wanted without worrying what
other people thought. The life, career, and poetry of Walt Whitman was remarkable in its time period
and is still influential to this day. The life of Walt Whitman was remarkable and inspiring to many
people in the past and still is today. "Walt Whitman was born at ... Show more content on
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He worked at a law office that belonged to James B. Clarke, and his son Edward (Levin 5). He
started work at eleven years old and was an apprentice compositor (Levin 5). I think his work at a
law office pushed him to pursue his next job. "When he was 17, Whitman turned to teaching,
working as an educator for five years in various parts of Long Island" (Biography.com Editors 1).
Most of his jobs revolved around writing or editing different pieces of literature. I believe his jobs
are what led him to write such amazing poetry. In 1846, Walt became an editor for a daily
newspaper, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and worked there for about two years (Biography.com Editors
1). He worked in New Orleans as an editor of the Crescents in 1848 (Biography.com Editors 1).
"Whitman returned to Brooklyn in the autumn of 1848 and started a new 'free soil' newspaper called
the Brooklyn Freeman, which eventually became a daily despite initial challenges" (Biography.com
Editors 1). He was very successful at all of his jobs that related to writing, which helped when he
began working on his poetry. Whitman started writing a compilation of poems in 1848 (Loving
295). "In 1855, he published the collection of 12 poems at his own expense" (Loving 295). Walt
faced many challenges when he first published his poems. Many people didn't like how he wrote or
what he wrote about. "Early responses to Whitman's first book were often very critical. The Boston
Intelligencer printed a scathing review stating that Whitman 'must be some escaped lunatic, raving
in pitiable delirium" (Levin 6). Regardless of all the negative criticism he received, he continued to
improve and write more poems for Leaves of Grass. He didn't let what people thought of him keep
him from doing what he wanted to do. He published nine editions of his book, all slightly different
(Bowes 1). Leaves of Grass marked the beginning of Walt's poetry career.

Walt Whitman Poem Analysis
Connotation– The poem was inspired by Walt Whitman, hence the free verse style of poetry. It was
done solely out of inspiration as well, no other poet or poetess could compete with him, with regards
to the complexity of his poems. Although this is nowhere near the genius of Whitman, it still
resembles the poet's work, through free verse. Nevertheless, the poem was written in free verse in
order to sound scholarly, and although it may be tougher to create a poem that rhymes, it can also be
said that rhyming draws some of the creative freedom out of a poem, when a poet or poetess is
writing one. Thus, the poem was written in free verse, because of the previous explanations. Another
component of the poem was the comparison of life to a maze, ... Show more content on
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With that regard, that is why the poem was similar to the likes of Walt Whitman, because it had an
optimistic energy.
Shift– The shift appeared in the final section of the poem, when it was stated that the only person
who can answer the questions that life presents is themself, because everyone almost everyone has a
separate opinion on an issue that broad. Throughout the poem, it shifts as well, because it goes from
a question, to personal reflection, to the extended metaphor, but then to the most dramatic shift. It
should be considered the most dramatic shift, because it is placing the weight of the question on the
reader, provoking thought, that is what was beautiful about the poem.
Theme– The theme of the poem was discovering individuality within oneself through personal
reflection. It was that theme, because the perspective of the poem was just that, in order to learn
from one's mistakes, one must reflect on them to navigate their way to ultimate happiness.
Furthermore, as they mature, they also learn other valuable lessons throughout life, and find develop
and their own answers to the questions of life.
Reflection– As stated previously, this poem was inspired by Walt Whitman's work, but it was also
inspired by religion. Buddhism, in short, focuses on enlightenment and eliminating the essentials
from the non–essentials, in order to achieve tranquility. It was very inspiring, and then began the
creation of the basis for the

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
"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 Glory
The ongoing conversation that Walt Whitman often designs into his poems, specifically his odes, act
as a recreation and a reimagining of reality, with the tone changing and fluctuating with his
disappointment and his newfound reimagination. In "Ode ('There Was a Time')," the circulation of
glory, this heavenly object birthed in Nature, and its gradual disappearance unto inevitable death
with only vestiges of itself left behind, emerges as an important effect in the work. It parallels the
circular structure of the "Ode" constitutes Whitman starting a conversation, an action, and then
destroying it, using the pieces that are left to make a different argument, ad infinitum. Whitman
reworks and recreates the definition "glory" on a linear timeline, ... Show more content on
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"Fallings from us, vanishings:/Blank misgivings of a Creature/Moving about in worlds not realized"
(lines 146–148), Whitman writes, moving along the linear timeline into a place of unknowability
and tranquility, a place that does not necessarily kill the light, but simply a place where he is unable
to see it, a place where it will never be "realized," a death in his world, and not necessarily in all
worlds. The development of glory: "What though the radiance which was once so bright/Be now for
ever taken from my sight" (lines 178–180), now reaches its end – the glory itself it dead, and
whatever wispy clouds, whatever matter remains infuses itself into other things, other places. For
this type of reincarnation, not the recreation of glory as it was in its first life, but the absorption of its
remains into a new, different life, to be efficient, Whitman continues to confirm the developmental
symbol of glory, by emphasizing this temporary death: "Doth the same tale repeat:/Whither is fled
the visionary gleam?/Where is it now, the glory and the dream?" (lines 55–57), It allows him now
the ability to revisit these worlds, to imagine the places where the glory has

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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,

Criticism Of Walt Whitman
(A critic of Walt Whitman's Pedagogy) Famous writer, C.S. Lewis, one wrote, "The task of the
modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts". He wrote this in 1943 in The
Abolition of Man, this work depicts Lewis's objections and defence of the pedagogy of the time. The
Merriam–Webster Dictionary defines Pedagogy as "the art, science, or profession of teaching"
(Merriam–Webster Dictionary). In his quote, Lewis makes the point that teachers aren't meant to
destroy the thoughts and processes a student already has, but are to help the student's mind grow.
Instead of Nowadays, it's common for instructors to demolish original thoughts of students to install
the uniform constructs instituted by the instructor. It's astonishing this happens when extraordinary
thinkers have fought against it for over a hundred years. Walt Whitman was one these great writers
of the 19th century. Walt Whitman(1819–1892) presents his radical pedagogy in his poems in
Leaves of Grass. In When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer(Astronomer) Whitman expresses that
individuals learn more by experiencing the topics, than listening to a lecture. The poem depicts the
narrator listening to the lecture of an astronomer and learning nothing. In the beginning of
Astronomer, Whitman lists visual aids and evidence showing reliability of the facts in the lecture.
Whitman then composes, "...When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with /much
applause in the lecture room,/How soon

Walt Whitman As A Revolutionary Poet
Walt Whitman is said to be a revolutionary poet because of the way he influenced a change in
writing technique, but also because he acknowledged topics that had never been addressed before.
During his lifetime, his ideas were seen as ludicrous; they aided the radical social reforms of the
time, making them dangerous, although many expert writers such as Waldo Ralph Emerson thought
they were amazing and not pieces to go unnoticed. As time passed and Whitman died, the nation
saw Whitman's pieces for the masterpieces that they were. To fully understand Whitman's greatness,
one must look at his full biography to experience how each step in his life led up to the great
influence of his poems on the fledgling nation of the United States.
Walt Whitman was born to working–class parents on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island. He
was the second of nine children and was known to read substantially from a young age. Whitman
and his family soon moved to Brooklyn, which was a heavy contrast to Long Island. The contrasting
regions inspired many of his writings later in life because he fully enjoyed the positive aspects of
both lands. Whitman was said to have learned more from books, conferences, and lectures rather
than from formal school, but nevertheless, his schooling was over by 1830 at the age of 11. He then
took to his interest in the printing trade. He spent five years learning the trade and the experience in
his early career allowed him to continue on in the printing and

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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
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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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

Song Of Myself, By Walt Whitman
"Thousands of tired, nerve–shaken, over–civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the
mountains is going home" (Muir 1). Spending time in the wild, without another human soul in sight,
is where one can lose and then find himself. Sitting on a rock in the middle of a desert, mountain,
rain forest, or lake, and simply meditating, this is where one can see more than the obvious. Beyond
that, this is where one can get in touch with his animal side, and in doing so, sometimes one will no
longer be satisfied with the trappings of civilization; pollution of the mind, soul, and earth, media,
social norms, philosophers with agendas, and an incredible amount of rules. Walt Whitman must
have spent many hours sitting on rocks. An imagist, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Though the war and "all its deeds of carnage, must in time be / utterly lost" (2), in this present
moment, "a man as divine as [oneself] is dead" (6), "white faced and still"(7), washed of his sins by
"the hands of the sisters Death and Night" (4) along with the rest of "this soil'd world". Whitman
presents one with this image of hopelessness, the world is in such bad shape that only death can cure
it. So much of the story is left ambiguous; nowhere does Whitman tell us what war he is referring to,
why he considers this man his enemy, or the cause of his enemy's death. This lack of detail is so
profound that one could barely consider Reconciliation a story, but rather a moment frozen for all
time in poetry. Such is Whitman's talent in writing. Though he conforms to no ideas of what poetry
should be, a revolutionary idea for his time, and presents the reader with no rhyme scheme, no
particular meter, and in some ways a complete lack of order in his poetry, he manages to convey an
image of a dead man being "touched lightly with [the] lips" (9) of his enemy in a way that seems
almost sacred in only ten lines. The reader will never know how he died or what he died for, but it
matters little. The only thing that matters is that one moment of beauty amongst a world of chaos
and

Walt Whitman Research Paper
David Henderson
English 1213
Dr. Keith Hale
2 Dec 2016
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman is known as Americas greatest poet; however, this took some time. Whitman is
considered the father of free verse poetry (Reynolds). The free verse was not accepted among the
people very well, the people had no idea how to accept it for what it was. Whitman's greatest work
is a collection of poems and stories called "Leaves of Grass", which Whitman published his first
copy in 1855. Whitman's collection of "Leaves of Grass" is Walt's songs about himself, America, the
American people, religion, intimacy, and death. Whitman described "Leaves of Grass" as an
autobiography, saying it is "an attempt from first to last, to put a Person, a human being (myself, in
the latter ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"No labor–saving machine" these are things that make life easy, like a washing machine. The first
line tells us the speaker is talking about life, the second line "nor discovery have I made," tells us
that the speaker is talking about their life. The rest of the poem lets us know what exactly this
speaker hasn't contributed. "nor will I be able to leave behind me any wealthy bequest to found
hospital or library, nor reminiscence of any deed of courage for America, nor literary success nor
intellect; nor book for the book–shelf, but a few carols vibrating through the air I leave, for
comrades and lovers." (Whitman). This poem could be translated as Whitman going through a type
of depression, at the time he had been getting a lot of criticism over his style of poetry and his
sexuality, Whitman happened to be bisexual. Whitman was worried about his legacy, this poem is
now an ironic poem, it wasn't until after Whitman's death that his work really took off being broken
down, collected, and researched. While Whitman may have felt that he had not contributed to the
world at that time in his life; in our time, we that he is an important

Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln
Walt Whitman and Abraham Lincoln
Table of contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................2
2. Whitman's position in American literature.............................................2
3. Whitman's poetry before the civil war......................................................3
4. Lincoln's death – a turning point for Whitman........................................6
5. Walt Whitman's four poems on the American nation's grief.....................7 5.1 Hush 'd Be the
Camps To–day...........................................................7 5.2. When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom
'd.......................................7 5.3 O Captain! My
Captain!................................................................................8 5.4 This Dust Was Once the
Man.........................................................10
6. Summary.........................................................................................10
7. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This poem is a prototype for Whitman's pre–war writing style. He published his long poems with
their innovative catalogue–style, a frequent stylistic use of enumeration and anaphora.
Great examples for Whitman's catalogue–like listings can be found in one of his early poems,
Starting From Paumanok (Whitman 1871–72), which was published in several editions of Leaves of
Grass. The visual image of the following example is characteristic for Whitman's early writing style.
"[...]
43 I will make the songs of passion, to give them their way, And your songs, outlaw 'd offenders–for
I scan you with kindred eyes, and carry you with me the same as any.
44 I will make the true poem of riches, To earn for the body and the mind whatever adheres, and
goes forward, and is not dropt by death.
45 I will effuse egotism, and show it underlying all–and I will be the bard of personality; And I will
show of male and female that either is but the equal of the other; And sexual organs and acts! do you
concentrate in me –for I am determin 'd to tell you with courageous clear voice, to prove you
illustrious; And I will show that there is no imperfection in the present–and can be none in the

Walt Whitman Metaphor
"Crossing the Brooklyn Ferry" by Walt Whitman is a poem composed generally in free verse,
describing the journey from Manhattan to Brooklyn over the East River on a literal level, but is a
comment on the presence of a shared human experience regardless of time,place and distance when
looked at figuratively. Whitman achieves this with the free verse style, with the use of anaphora and
repetition, and effective diction.
Whitman adopts a prose–like writing style in the poem, generally in free verse. This implicitly
alludes to the fundamental tenets of democracy. Just as Whitman is does not acquiesce to the rules
of conventional poetry, democracy does not enslave people, nor forces them to subscribe to
repressive rules and regulations. The poem's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This commonality foregrounds the central theme of a shared human experience that Whitman hints
at. Not only does Whitman use anaphora, but parallels the persona's and the future generations'
experiences as seen in " just as you feel when you look on the river and sky, so i felt" (Whitman, 77)
and " just as any of you is one of a living crowd, i was one of a crowd" (Whitman, 77). The
anaphora and parallel phrasing contributes to a sense of foreshadowing of future experiences and
also bridges the gap between the persona and the readers with the use of the second person pronoun
"you" (Whitman, 77) which not only accentuates the individual involvement of the reader, but also
informs of a collective involvement with the word choice of "crowd" (Whitman, 77). This
reconciliation of the self and the collective represents the democratic process of voting, where one's
individual significance ultimately translates into a collective significance. Repetition of particular
sight and scenes and add to the sense of foreshadowing and reflects the shared human experience
like " sea–gulls oscillating" (Whitman, 78–79) , "hay–boat" (Whitman,78–79) , "belated lighter"
(Whitman,78–79) and "scallop–edged waves" (Whitman, 78–79)

Walt Whitman Biography
Wonderful Causing Tears The ability to pinpoint the birth or beginning of the poet lifestyle is rare. It
is rare for the observer as it is for the writer. The Walt Whitman poem "Out of the Cradle Endlessly
Rocking" is looked at by most as just that. It is a documentation, of sorts, of his own paradigm shift.
The realities of the world have therein matured his conceptual frameworks. In line 147 we read
"Now in a moment I know what I am for, I awake." This awakening is at the same time a death. The
naiveté of the speaker (I will assume Whitman) is destroyed. Through his summer long observation,
the truths of life are born, or at least reinforced, in him. The obvious elements are birth and death,
which are both caused by another instance ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The birds' thoughts are his own interpretation. He witnesses what he believes to be true love
between the two. Two together! Winds blow south, or winds blow north, Day come white, or night
come black, Home, or rivers and mountains from home, Singing all time, minding no time, While
we two keep together. There seems to be a perfection to the state which these two share. No matter
what the world brings their love exists as it always had. The next stanza begins with "Till of a
sudden, May–be kill'd, unknown to her mate, One forenoon the she–bird crouched not on the nest,
Nor returned that afternoon, nor the next Nor ever appeared again." The recently impossible is now
the reality. The love perceived by Whitman still exists, but not as a functioning unit. From this point
on the he–bird longs for the lost love of his mate. The voice of the he–bird calls for nature to return
his love to him by any means necessary. "Blow! Blow! Blow! Blow up sea–winds along Paumanok's
shore; I wait and I wait till you blow my mate to me." This is the extent to which the he–bird carries
on the love for the she–bird, with a constant longing song. Whitman recognizes this and begins the
process of slowly coming to learn the truths of the world. "Land! Land! O land! Whichever way I
turn, O I think you could give me my mate back again if you only would". Whitman also realizes the
torment felt by the he–bird as he is confused by the world without

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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"

Walt Whitman Feminist Analysis
Feminish: A Close Look at Walt Whitman's Misleading Brand of Feminism
During the discussion on Walt Whitman, our class questioned Whitman's beliefs about equality
between individuals. At one point, Madden expressed her thoughts on Whitman's writing about
equality, sharing that "[She thinks] it is really interesting how he viewed women as equal to men––
[Whitman] writes "And I say that it is as great to be a woman as to be a man" (83). This is a line
from poem 21, a poem that revolves around Walt Whitman's identity. He wrote the quote Madden
referenced after he stated that "[He is] the poet of the women the same as the man." (83) I see how
out of context or without close analysis this quote appears sincere and progressive; especially, as
Madden reminds us, "given the time period, 1855..." Though the line is indeed progressive for its
time and likely well–intentioned, Whitman's sexist beliefs still shine through in this stanza.
Therefore, while I agree his views are progressive for his time, I disagree with Madden, because he
reinforces traditional female roles in a way that limits them and ultimately prevents men and women
from being truly equal in both his own eyes and the eyes of society.
Madden's comment enabled me to draw parallels between Whitman's ideas about feminism and
equality to those that I have heard today. I know quite a few people who, like Whitman, express
what they or others may perceive to be "progressive" views that reveal underlying misogynist and
sexist

Analysis Of Walt Whitman 's ' Whitman ' And Bishop '
ckenboss
Nora Burghardt
English 11 pd 2
2 May 2015
Exploration of the Individual in Whitman and Bishop
Walt Whitman and Elizabeth Bishop are two of the most highly acclaimed American poets of all
time, exploring themes, scenes and emotions that deeply resonate with psyche of the American
public. Whitman and Bishop explore the relationship between themselves and their audience by
writing about the liminal space between individual and community. As renowned poetic voices for
their country, the two are individuals speaking for the multitude. They are therefore fascinated with
their apparent inability to determine what defines an individual within humanity, and it becomes
clear through their writing that they are at times frightened ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
For Whitman, this connective trait of humanity symbolized by grass allows him to transcend the
individual, suffer with the his fellow American sufferers and celebrate with the celebratory. The
ideal role of the narrator of Song of Myself is outlined in section 11. As the woman watches the 28
nude men from her window, she remains physically within her own home, but mentally escapes
outside of it to engage with the group of men, as her "unseen hand also pass 'd over their bodies, It
descended tremblingly from their temples and ribs" (212–213). She feels empowered by her
invisibility to touch the men, but does so timidly, scared by the force of the reality of her
imaginings. The erotic nature of the scene is also meaningful, as sex is often seen as a means of
transcending the individual by the physical and emotional unification of two bodies. Whitman
attempts to replicate the role of the woman in his position as narrator by imaginatively engaging in a
scene, often within another body, but not interfering with the reality of the moment.
Although the narrator is the only character in the poem who explicitly transcends his body, Whitman
makes it clear

Walt Whitman Transcendentalism
Walt Whitman: A Transcendentalist Poet
During the 19th century, a new movement of philosophy and literature rose across America. This
intellectual movement known as Transcendentalism focused on individualism, nature, oversoul, and
strongly encouraged a simple, mindful life. Everyday people were encouraged to pursue truth
through nature, personal experiences, and their own reasonings, not conform to society. Themes of
transcendentalism were not limited to those directly part of the movement. The themes were
prominent in other authors' writings as well, specifically Walt Whitman. Although Whitman is not
considered a father of the movement, his writings suggest he played a role in furthering these ideas.
Walt Whitman wrote poems such as "Song of Myself" and "I Hear America Singing", both which
clearly reflect Transcendentalist beliefs. Walt Whitman should ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In "Song of Myself," Whitman uses nature, specifically grass, to symbolize various aspects of
humanity. Whitman uses the grass to represent America by referring to it as a "uniform
hieroglyphic" ("Song of Myself" 20). Whitman is trying to express that grass doesn't grow any
differently depending on who it's growing for, whether it be white or black, rich or poor, or any
group of people. The grass grows where it pleases and by doing this everyone receives the same
value. Whitman believes that grass can be found everywhere and is a joining force for all humans.
Every person can take part in loving nature because it grows all over the earth, Through this
metaphor, Whitman shows appreciation for nature like a Transcendentalist. Whitman also uses
nature to explain his idea of life after death. Whitman describes how at the end of his life he will
give himself to nature and become a part of it. He gives himself to the grass emphasizing his belief
that humans are interconnected with nature. His belief that humans will be returned back to nature
after death shows his appreciation for

Walt Whitman Walt Whitman was a wonderful poet in his lifetime. He with many others influenced
the American Literature during the time of the Great Depression. He was an American poet, essayist,
novelist, short story writer, journalist, and editor. His work was revolutionary in both its style and
content. Whitman promoted himself as the poet of American democracy and of the common man.
His exploration and exaltation of sexuality and homosexuality has been downplayed. I plan to talk
about Walt Whitman and his life of a poet.
One of the greatest achievements in literature. He was a Major poet in the Renaissance. It was
educational writing in that craft. His work was very controversial in its time. Whitman's major work,
Leaves of Grass, was first published in 1855 with his own money ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
But they did not publish it until many years after his death. He had a stroke and died. Many were
devistated by his death. He was almost fired after publishing the Leave of Grass. He worked as a
clerk in Washington. His working for the confederate soldiers led to the writing of his poems.
Whitman published his own enthusiastic review of Leaves of Grass. Critics and readers alike,
however, found both Whitman's style and subject matter unnerving. Most of his poets were
regarding sex and things like that because he was homosexual or bisexual. Whitman's "ambition,
expansiveness, and embrace of all the high and low features of American life influenced many poets
of the twentieth century. When he died over 1,000 people came to his funeral. He was a very popular
poet. he was favorably received in England, with Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Algernon Charles
Swinburne among the British writers who celebrated his work. You can read and inspect many of
Whitman's books, letters, and manuscripts at the Walt Whitman Archive, a digital edition at the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln, directed by Ed Folsom and Kenneth M. Price ("Walt

Walt Whitman once poetically proclaimed, "Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."
(Whitman Brainyquote). This is just one of thousands the of thoughts that he and many authors
shared during this time period. He played a great role in the transcendentalism literary movement,
which was a point in history when authors expressed themselves through the simplicity of nature.
They viewed the earth as a canvas that God stroked with his choicest paint brush. Walt Whitman's
difficult childhood and love of nature led him to conceive possibly the most brilliant collection of
poems that would grace the presence of innumerable lives across many time periods and eras.
Whitman's childhood was a short cry from the effortless bliss most children experience. Most of his
family was illiterate. Watching his parents struggle to care for his large family inspired Whitman to
aspire for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He also worked for 24 years in printing, publishing, and journalism before publishing "Leaves of
Grass". This instilled in him the desire to write and would lead him to eventually, become a major
figure in the literary world. Walt Whitman very much looked up to and admired Ralph Waldo
Emerson. He was drowning in a world of criticism and Emerson's praise was like the warmth of the
summer sun after an eternal winter storm. Emerson had a unique interpretation of life for this time
period and Whitman patterned his poetry after these very ideas.
Emerson saw Whitman's work as a stunning piece of art that was denounced without a second
thought. After this realization he decided to throw this drowning aspiring poet a life preserver.
Emerson wrote a letter of encouragement to Whitman. He begins by saying that despite society's
tendency to turn away from and shun his poetry, he believes that the collection of poems he crafted
was a, "Wonderful gift" (Emerson). Emerson notes the pure uncensored emotion of Whitman's art
work known

Walt Whitman The Greatest American
Due to his stroke he retired in Cambridge, New Jersey where he published the 7th edition of Leaves
of Grass, which was soon banned in Boston on the grounds that it was "obscene literature." D.H.
Lawrence called Walt Whitman the "greatest modern poet," and "the greatest of Americans."
Walt Whitman was considered a new breed of American because no one dared to release these types
of thoughts in a published book before. His immunity of social constraints and his impulsiveness
made it seem as if he radiated poetry. Walt Whitman was shunned and shrugged off as much as he
was respected. Transcendentalists would read his book of poems idolized him and dubbed him the
greatest American to expel such creativity and wisdom while others saw him as an

Emily Dickinson And Walt Whitman
In American literature there are many types of themes and periods of writing. Each writer has their
own style and way of conveying what they want to say to their readers. A lot of time what and how
an author writes comes from how they grew up and the experiences they have had. They find a way
to insert themselves and their emotions into words that move the readers in some way. One of the
most popular periods of writing would be the romanticism era. Some of the most well known
authors in this time period were Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. The reason they are so popular
from the Romanticism period is because they also incorporated their transcendental ideas into their
work.
Romanticism "has been described as a Protestantism in the arts and letters, an ideological shift on
the grand scale from conservative to liberal ideas"(Keenan). This period came about at the turn of
the nineteenth century after the Enlightenment movement. Some general characteristics of
Romanticism would be "remote settings in different time period, heroes doing the extraordinary,
idealized characters, heightened, poetic language, and the plot is central" (ecore Online content Unit
4). The philosophers of the Romanticism era believed unlike the Transcendentalism that people were
not born with a clean state but shaped by environmental experiences. Romanticism in American
Literature focused a lot on the beauty of nature and all nature has to offer. It also allowed writers and
artists to use their

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
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

Emily Dickinson And Walt Whitman
Steve Jobs advised students that, "Your time is limited, so don 't waste it living someone else 's life.
Don 't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people 's thinking. Don 't let
the noise of other 's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the
courage to follow your heart and intuition..." ("You've Got to Find What You Love"). Job explains to
the Graduates of the Stanford Class of 2005, that in order to be successful one must assert their
unique personality, one must stand up for what they believe in, and one must create their own
perspective of the world. In life, a choice has to be made, to take a stand for what you think is right,
or sit passively and listen as peers debate, Job recommending the former. Emily Dickinson and Walt
Whitman agree that living life in a passive manner is not acceptable. The standard of asserting
oneself is seen through Walt Whitman's poem, "To a Pupil," in Paul Schutze's photograph Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., as well as in biographical information about Dickinson and Whitman; however,
Dickinson claims in her poem, "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" that on occasions, it is okay to stay out
of the spotlight.
Whitman and Dickinson embraced the idea of nonconformity and taking a stance for their beliefs in
their day to day lives. According to The Academy of Authors, during the second year of the Civil
War, Whitman would spend any excess money he had nursing injured soldiers ("Poet Walt
Whitman").

Dualism In Walt Whitman
While reading Walt Whitman's compilation of poetry found in the comprehensive collection Leaves
of Grass, it is nearly impossible to ignore the multitude of connections made to Buddhist teachings.
His poetry mimics the main principles of Buddhism to the point that some authors have gone as far
as to call him the American Buddha. In particular, Whitman subtly makes a connection between two
of the most essential dualistic principles in Buddhism, not one not two, and death without dying. In
fact, rather than merely demonstrating these teachings, Whitman, through his powerful language,
portrays the latter as a continuation of the former in a way that comes irresistibly close to describing
the mystery surrounding Buddhist dualism. [In fact, Whitman portrays death without dying as a
continuation of not one not two; through his powerful language his descriptions are irresistibly close
to the mystery that surrounds Buddhist dualism rather than merely demonstrate the teachings.] From
the very first stanza of the collection titled Songs of Myself, Whitman makes it clear that he see's
humanities existence in a dualistic sense. The statement, "I celebrate myself and sing myself" is
riddled with personal pride and demonstrates the "not one" aspect of Buddhist dualism. Whitman
boldly declares that he is unique, special and worthy of song and praise. Yet the bombastic opening
is immediately followed by a voice that speaks to the legitimacy of collectivism, "and what I assume
you shall

Song Of Myself By Walt Whitman
While it is not commonly known, the type of music a person listens to affects the way in which they
perceive the world. Music also triggers activity in the brain structures that release dopamine, the
pleasure chemical also released during sex and eating. In his gutsy poem to America, Song of
Myself, Walt Whitman uses repetition to make music that will bring pleasure to his readers and also
shape how they perceive the world. Whitman begins his poem by boldly stating that he celebrates
himself. Like the chorus to a song he repeats the word "I" throughout the entirety of the poem. The
meaning of the word transitions from "I" being Whitman himself, to the people reading his book,
and then ending with the reader realizing that "I" is, and has been, the American ideal. We all make
up the American ideal; we are all America and important to what America stands for. Whitman
stresses that this one country, seemingly small compared to earth's vast borders, can ignite the ideas
of equality, love, and independence that should be mirrored throughout the world. His words would
go on to inspire not only literary artists that followed him but musical artists of the 21st century like
Aloe Blacc.
The impactful opening line "I celebrate myself" (Whitman 1) is followed by the repetition of
"assumes". It utilization brings the attention back to the question of what "I" is representing.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary assumes is "to take into the body." Walt Whitman chose
to expedite

Walt Whitman And Transcendentalism
I believe Walt Whitman has done an amazing job influencing Transcendentalist ideas and changing
them in a new light. Whitman does this by loving the individual, at the same time loving groups of
people and lastly by loving everything about each and every person. Walt Whitman has continually
shown us in his writings of his Transcendentalist ideas and, how he twists them into something even
better. In this essay, I will explain why and how he does this. Firstly, Walt Whitman tends to talk a
lot about the different, unique things each person has about himself. In his poem called, "I sing the
Body Electric", he talks quite a bit about how even people doing normal tasks, one can do them in a
special way. In this poem, line 18, it says, "The sprawl and fullness of babes, the bosoms and heads
of women, the folds of their dress, their style as we pass in the street, the contour of their shape
downwards...". He is describing how a woman looks, how she herself can look as an individual.
Transcendentalist ideas completely centre around individualism and being yourself despite what
may be expected of them. In the same poem by Whitman, he goes on to say, "As I see my soul
reflected in Nature..." the line then continues by him comparing a single woman to the beauty of
nature. This itself is a Transcendentalist idea! Nature is thought of as holy, healing, ... Show more
This would be a bad judgement, however. The reason Walt Whitman is considered a
transcendentalist is that when he's talking of groups of people, he's admiring the beautiful individual
that is with other amazing ones. A way of understanding this would be, say you really like mint ice
cream but you only get one scoop. Wouldn't it be amazing if you had two scoops of it? In Whitman's
eyes, that's exactly how people work. One amazing person is great but with others, they are beyond

Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was one of the best literary figures of that time and through history because people
still love his books. After Whitman stopped writing he decided to become a nurse during the Civil
War. His most famous book was Leaves of Grass; it is now a trademark book through history. He
also wrote about the potential freedom in America.
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 and he died on March 26, 1892. He had a nickname that
was "Bard of Democracy. When he was 11, his dad took him out of school so he could help around
the house and the farm. He started to work as a journalist and he did not really like it because he
always had a hard deadline. Whitman became angered about the slavery problems so that is what
made him sit down and start writing his feeling which became a poem. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
At first, it was seen as a book that should be not published but then it caught the eyes of Ralph
Walter Emerson and it was published after that. It contains 32 poems and a letter from Emerson to
Whitman telling him that he thought the book was brilliant and he should continue writing. The
second edition did not spark nearly as much as the first edition until the start of the Civil War. In
1862, he visited hospitals to see the soldiers that had been harmed by the war he also saw how they
were short of nurses to take care of the soldiers.
In 1865, he came out with a book called "Drum–Taps". It was about the soldiers fighting the war
and how hard it is during the war for the family of those soldiers that are afraid they might never
come home. He wrote many books that year about the war and how he felt. After the war, he met
Peter Doyle who helps take care of Whitman after his health started slipping. In 1873, he had a
stroke and became paralyzed, which did not stop him from

"Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you."( Bio. A&E
Television Networks 1) Walt Whitman's life was a representation of his famous quote. Whitman
lived his life looking toward the future waiting for his radical ideas to become reality. Walt Whitman
was arguably the best writer in United States history, and has written many famous pieces in the
American Realism era. Whitman suffered through the Civil War, where brothers would often turn
against brothers to fight for opposing sides. Walt Whitman rose up through turbulence of the Civil
War during the American Realism era to write, "O CAPTAIN! My Captain!"(Whitman 1), a poem
that illustrates a nation morning for their fallen leader. Walt Whitman was born on ... Show more
Some historians believe that this may have deeply affected his writing and opinions, but this is not
known for sure. As whitman grew older he became an abolitionist and he was a woman's rights
activist. Whitman was part of the minority of people who thought that women should be able to own
property, which was unheard of in this time. Some historians believe that Whitman had various
unhappy sexual attempts, and came to realize that he was homosexual, giving him the power to form
his imagination. After 1855 Whitman had this experience he started to write classics like, "Leaves of
Grass". Around the time of the Civil War, Whitman found life getting harder. As the Nation situation
was deteriorating, all business was risky and most people were struggling with the hard times. As
things got worse in Whitman's life he had to put his own brother in an insane asylum, after
physically attacking his mother in 1864. The older Whitman got the more he wrote until there came
a time when he became ill. The great poet died on March 26, 1892, of tuberculosis. Such a Great
poet killed by a terrible sickness so fast(Gay

WALT WHITMAN Walt Whitman, arguably America's most influential and innovative poet was
born into a working class family in west Hills, New York, a village near Hempstead, Longstead on
May 31, 1819. He was an American poet, Journalist and essayist whose verse collection "Leaves of
Grass" is a landmark in the history of American Literature. At the age of twelve, Walt began to learn
the printer's trade, and fell in love with the written word. Largely self–taught, he read voraciously,
becoming acquainted with the works of Homer, Dante, Shakespeare and the Bible. Whitman's own
love for America and its democracy can be at least partially attributed to his upbringing and his
parents, who showed their own admiration for their country by naming Walt's younger brothers after
their favourite heroes. The name includes George Washington Whitman, Thomas Jefferson Whitman
and Andrew Jackson Whitman. Whitman worked as a printer in New York City until a devastating
fire in the printing district demolished the industry. In 1836, at the age of seventeen, he began his
career as a teacher in the one–room school houses of Long Island. He continued to teach until 1841,
when he returned to journalism as a full–time career. Walt proved to be a volatile journalist with a
sharp pen and a set of opinions that didn't always align with his bosses or his readers. He backed
what some considered radical positions on women's property rights, immigration and labour issues.
He lambasted the infatuation he saw

Walt Whitman Beliefs and Attitudes Explored

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