Preview

Sense Of Self In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1928 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sense Of Self In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
Acclaimed as one of America’s most influential authors, Walt Whitman wrote of and for the common people. Living through the Civil War and the social reforms that occurred, Whitman’s work is rife with democratic ideals and his views on America. As a poet, Walt Whitman explored one’s sense of self in America, with abundant references to the politics of the 1800s and the Civil War.
Walt Whitman was born in 1819 in New York. His childhood was tumultuous, partly because of his family’s lacking economic status. His relationship with his father was not the healthiest, and his father died a few years after Whitman came out as a poet. His family relations and surrounded greatly influenced “Song of Myself”. Whitman worked as a journalist and typesetter
…show more content…
“When Lilacs in the Dooryard Bloom’d” is primarily about Lincoln, but can also extend to mourn for all lives lost during the Civil War. Whitman opens the poem with two symbols that he carries through, lilacs and a fallen star. Lilacs are a perennial flower that could represent spring, birth, or life. Because Whitman tied lilacs so closely to Lincoln’s death, the lilac’s perennial season can symbolize the long-lasting love and adoration the poet felt for Abraham Lincoln. The great fallen star is Lincoln, who guided America through its bloodiest war, but ultimately fell. The narrator breaks off a lilac from those growing around his home and takes it to Lincoln’s coffin. He also states that flowers are for all the coffins, the others who had died in the war, I break the sprigs from the bushes, / With loaded arms I come, pouring for you, / For you and the coffins all of you O death” (canto 7, lines 7-9). Of the star, the narrator says that he “saw you had something to tell as you bent to me night after night” about a month before Lincoln’s assassination, when the star then “dropt in the night, and was gone” (canto 8, lines 4, 11). The narrator does not know how to properly commemorate his loss, “And what shall the pictures be that I hang on the walls, / To adorn the burial-house of him I love,” but is slowly progressing towards the acceptance of death (canto 11, lines …show more content…
Much of it is autobiographical and also projects who Whitman wishes to be. Whitman believes that his poem works the best when readers actively and creatively participate. “Song of Myself” expands on the different versions of Whitman through time and how he his writing was heavily influenced by his surroundings. Part one opens the epic with a celebration of self. This sets the mood of the poem with an uplifting tone of self-love. The narrator is easy-going, at least in this moment, and mentions small details about family and himself, such as “I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health” (10). In the second part, Whitman uses perfume as a metaphor for other people, saying places are filled with perfumes and while the smell is nice, it is overbearing. While he likes company, the narrator will not let others affect or change him, even if they are close. He draws references to nature, and how the atmosphere is not a perfume, so nature will not try to change him. Nature will take him as he is. Going to nature, he feels all of his senses and he can feel his body working, “...the beating of my heart, the passing of blood and air through my lungs” (30-31). He invites the reader in towards the latter half and directly addresses the reader with questions. He invites the reader to learn with him and to find the meaning behind all poetry, but to make their own opinions with all the knowledge

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Walter (Walt) whitman is an american poet, essayist, and a journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Was born May 13th, 1819. Lived in Brooklyn and Long Island in the 1820s and 1830s. Whitman spent his declining years working on additions and revisions to a new edition of the book and preparing his final volume of poems and prose, Good-Bye, My…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    People of all kinds are influenced by their everyday life and it shows in their work. Walt Whitman is no exception to this rule. Whitman was born in 1819 on Long Island, New York. From there he was a free spirit. He worked many different jobs including working as a printer, political campaigner, writer, editor, freelance journalist, house builder, newspaper, publisher, hospital volunteer, office clerk, lecturer, teacher, and official in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Folsom). This seems to have directly translated into his writing as he is often referred to as the father of free verse poetry. While he was clearly a spark plug in the work place he didn’t start out as a huge sensation of a poet. In fact he at least partially taught himself how to read and write (Shepard). Writing first became a big portion of his life when he began to work with the Long Island Patriot newspaper. Here he was hired as an apprentice to a printer but began editing and really becoming involved with the act of writing literature. Even though this opportunity came at the very young age of twelve, his career as a writer never got its footing until 1855 when he released Leaves of Grass. From there he continued to show influence from his surroundings in his poems. For example when the Civil War broke out he volunteered in a hospital that his brother was in from being wounded in the war, he wrote a handful of…

    • 1307 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The poem, “Song of Myself,” is written in first person. Throughout the plot, the narrator mention “I,” and “myself,” and for deeper self, he called “Me Myself” and the “Soul.” Also, he shares his idea of self, universe, religion, sex, and political beliefs with readers, addressing as “You,” in the poem with the 1st person narrative.. The poet gives his name “Walt Whitman.” in section 24 of “Song of Myself,” which is not usual. It does not mean that the narrator is the biographical Walt Whitman who wrote the poem, but the character “Walt Whitman,” comes from real Whitman’s dream. However, when the character, Whitman, is portrays himself by explaining atmosphere in detail, it makes readers to think that other person describe him instead observing himself alone. This is because, when the poet mentions his name, the readers make separations between the character “Whitman” in poem which is the narrator, and the poet “Whitman.” This causes the readers to start putting themselves on the narrator’s shoes, that is consistantly addressing as “I” in the poem. Also, When the narrator is described himself, it is very descriptive like a flaneur.…

    • 1065 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman and Donald Hall--These names incite a sense of excitement in almost every individual who enjoys poetry. The two American poets hail from different time periods, different backgrounds, and different lifestyles that have led to different experiences. However, despite their differences, the two poets appear to be very similar upon analyzing their works. “A Song of Myself” by Whitman and “My Son My Executioner” by Hall are poems that portray their fascination with the same theme – the cyclical nature of life. Another similarity that exists between the two poets is they both portray their views through utilizing examples from nature. In “A Song of Myself,” Whitman uses grass to highlight the cyclical nature of life,…

    • 891 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman entails a man questioning his own existence, only to answer himself with a simple answer. It begins as a list of the negative parts of life. For example, he feels as if he is “forever reproaching [him]self” (3); this means that no matter what happens in his life, the speaker still disapproves, and he can never feel truly content in his actions. When Whitman is spelling out “the struggle ever renew’d” (5) in life, he uses a repetitive device to emphasize the multitude of hardships people face in their lifetimes. At the beginning of each idea, he uses the word “of.” For example, Whitman states “of eyes that vainly crave the light” (4) to state that one negative art of life is that some people desperately crave attention and praise…

    • 252 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman was a great american poet that wrote about the CIvil War and life in general. In 1886, at the young age of 17, he became a school teacher and later became a journalist just five years later. In 1855 Whitman made Leaves of Grass, his first step toward poetry. He wrote this book of twelve poems and published it himself. Walt Whitman made, edited, and published many great american poems, including O Captain! My Captain! and Song of Myself, that he often included his views about transcendentalism and realism.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Walt Whitman’s poem, Song of Myself, I found different key pieces of Whitman’s diction and language to be more in depth and not so cut, black and white. This poem really makes you think by giving you different perspectives of life to wonder about through the use of his words. I have gotten the impression that Whitman really values himself and his beliefs of a good world and being alive in the present is worthwhile to him. His words are very powerful, thoughtful and even strong enough to change somebodies view of how they see the world. Whitman includes inspirational, yet erotic views of how he feels for his soul and the life around him.…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Walt Whitman's poetry is relatively formless and his random patterns have a significant effect on the meaning evoked from the poems. Whitman has a constant theme of the link between nature/natural experience and humans. He expresses his emotions and opinions through his poems. Some of his poems are very personable, which makes them very easier to understand and more enjoyable to read.…

    • 5560 Words
    • 28 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Compare and Contrast

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Whitman used repetition of words and phrases and his word choice portrayed a seemingly optimistic way of life in America. Using words like “singing,” “partying,” and “strong melodious songs” all have a positive air about them, which helps develop the writer’s perspective of America. The numerous occupations named in the poem additionally give a sense of appreciation for the possibilities in America, and gratitude for the ability to work and support a family, and in a sense, accomplish the American dream.…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Both Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson believed strongly in originality and personal expression;although the different tactics that they used to get their message across were nothing short of contrasting.In Emerson’s case, he was vehemently opposed to a society that he saw to be oppressive and unimaginative. Emerson was convinced that all of modern human civilization was in collaboration to crush his uniqueness and subjugate him to a life of a faceless cog. “Society is in conspiracy against the manhood of everyone of its members.” (P. 153) Conversely, Whitman regarded the common man with much esteem and favoritism. In his epic poem, “Song of Myself” Whitman spoke of the working class with an unusual favoring and support of their ways and lifestyle. “The sun falls on the crisply hair and mustache, falls on the black of his polish’d and perfect limbs, and I behold the picturesque giant and love him.” (P.173) Whitman encouraged the reader to lead an original and unconfirmed life. He celebrated the common man and tells the reader to be happy with their life and social stature.…

    • 736 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    One poem in Whitman’s collection, Leaves of Grass, is one work that really interests me. “Song of Myself” is the first poem in the collection and shows how an individual can fade away into the abstract idea of “self.” Although I have to keep reminding myself that the “I’ and “self” referred to throughout the poem is not, in fact, Whitman, there are some places in the poem that I can see that Whitman may have intended the “I” and “self” to refer to all. In the line in section one, the speaker states, ““For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” This shows how the speaker considers himself the same as everyone around him; he is one in the same as the person next to him or the person down the street. The line, ““I am…

    • 407 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    In “Song of Myself” Walt Whitman is trying to see self as a whole. He wants to find strength and beauty as to make self whole and to be unified with humanity and nature. While people are condemning him, because the expression of a sexual content and a connection that makes use body and soul as well as the shock value. Whitman’s friend Ralph Waldo Emerson decides to back him in his writing. Emerson’s letter to Whitman calling Leaves of Grass "the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed" saved Whitman 's self-published first edition from sinking into obscurity. Yet even more important, Emerson 's work as a whole helped to prepare readers for the liberal, post-Christian spirituality that pervades Leaves of Grass. (Insert my source). Whitman wants to bring…

    • 3042 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman was a renowned American poet, known worldwide for his influential literature. He was born on May 31, 1819 to his father Walter Whitman, a carpenter and farmer, and his mother Louisa Van Velsor. Despite his education only going to the extent of elementary school, Whitman's first real job was as a teacher in Long Island. After this, he began his writing career in journalism as an editor in 1842 for a paper called the New York Aurora. Subsequent to this he worked for many papers and often incorporated his own political views into his work. Whitman was even said to be fired from his job at the Eagle in 1848 because his opinion of a widely debated piece of legislature, the Wilmot Proviso, did not align with that of the owners of the newspaper. Walt Whitman's political views mixed with his experience in the Civil War…

    • 1468 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    according to the text Whitman's purpose of righting "song of myself" is about explain hes own life he rout this because he wanted to explain what his life was about so then he rout this "I celebrate myself, and sing myself, and what i assume you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belong to you" this quot explains about Whitman's life it musty saying that what all hi has it belong to him/her as well. from the reading, i know that Whitman is trying to express his emotion about his life so that he rout this "song of myself" telling everyone that has read his book is not about other people that he rout kings, prince, princes, etc. this book is about himself. for instance... "i wish could translate the hints about the dead young…

    • 213 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Song of Myself

    • 1998 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Written in 1881 by Walt Whitman, “Song of Myself”, is known to “represent the core of Whitman’s poetic vision” (Greenspan). To many people, this poem is confusing and complex because of the wordplay and symbolism. This poem “requires a large perspective; you must not get your face too near the book. You must bring to it a magnanimity of spirt, a charity and faith equal to its own.” (Burroughs) Whitman starts out by introducing the subject the poem, himself, and continues to celebrate this topic. He uses terms such as “I”, “myself” and his inner soul to create a sense of being and description in certain parts of the poem. Although the main theme seems to be himself, himself is actually a symbol for the American humanity as whole. Whitman believes that everyone, even animals, share each other’s experiences. For him, there is no single person that stands alone with their own thoughts and feelings. “No single person is the subject of Whitman’s song, or can be; the individual suggests a group, and the group a multitude, each a unit of which is as interesting as every other unit, and possesses equal claims to recognition. Hence the recurring tendency of his poems to become catalogues of person and things” (qtd. in Mason) Overall, he believes that everything and everyone shares an understanding and connection. Throughout “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman connects himself with others by using his own identity as a symbol for the American people, making everyone equal in every sense of their being, and the form of friendship.…

    • 1998 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays