Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman An author study

Introduction Walter Whitman was an American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist. He was a part of the transition between Transcendentalism and realism, using both views in his works. Whitman is considered one of the most influential poets in the American canon.

Click on the terms below to find their definitions: Transcendentalism Realism Canon

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Important Dates n n n

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May 31st, 1819 – Walter Whitman is born 1831 – Begins job as a printing apprentice 1855 – First edition of Leaves of Grass is published 1863-1864 – Whitman helps wounded troops March 26th, 1892 – Whitman dies

Go to the following link and explore the timeline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/whitman/timeline/

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Whitman’s World New York City was very influential to Whitman’s views and writings. Click on the map below to explore the 19th century Manhattan and Brooklyn. Different numbers identify the different areas that were important to Walt Whitman.

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Whitman’s World An important aspect to Whitman’s world was his work with New York City’s newspaper companies. n

Watch the first three minutes of the video clip in order to discover more about his experiences. “Captured by the City”

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Important Works Whitman's work breaks the boundaries of poetic form and is generally prose-like He also used unusual images and symbols in his poetry, including rotting leaves, tufts of straw, and debris Whitman is often considered the father of free verse, although he did not invent it.

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Leaves of Grass Whitman’s most famous piece of work A collection of Whitman’s poetry Published at his own expense in 1855 Whitman published nine editions in 33 years The first edition consisted of 95 pages of poetry and a 10 page prose preface The final edition, published in 1892, had a total of 600 pages

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“Song of Myself” Part 1

Click the sound clip in order to read and hear the poem

I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass. My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air, Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same, I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin, Hoping to cease not till death. Creeds and schools in abeyance, Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten, I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard, Nature without check with original energy. 2.25.09 Gardner

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“Song of Myself” Three important themes to consider: 1. The idea of the self 3. The identification of the self with other selves 5. The poet’s relationship with the elements of nature and the universe To Whitman, the self is both individual and universal. Man has an individual self, whereas the world, or cosmos, has a universal or cosmic self. The poet wishes to maintain the identity of his individual self, and yet he desires to merge it with the universal self

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Whitman’s own words n

Below is an authentic wax cylinder recording of Whitman reading from his late poem 'America' which appeared in 1888 in the Leaves of Grass Click on the title in order to listen to the author read his own poem. America By Walt Whitman “Centre of equal daughters, equal sons, All, all alike endear'd, grown, ungrown, young or old, Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich, Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love, A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother, Chair'd in the adamant of Time.”

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Application “I Hear it was Charged Against Me” I hear it was charged against me that I sought to destroy institutions, But really I am neither for nor against institutions, (What indeed have I in common with them? or what with the destruction of them?)

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For Further Reading

Walter Whitman wrote hundreds of poems during the entirety of his lifetime. Take some time to explore some more of his poetry by clicking on the titles below.

“I Dream’d in a Dream” “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” “I Hear America Singing” “Drum-Taps” “O Captain! My Captain!”

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