January 20th‚ 2012 It’s Only Natural: Racial and Gender Equality in Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” In the opening line of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself‚” it becomes immediately evident that his song is not about himself‚ but about the entire human race: “I celebrate myself‚ and sing myself‚ and what I assume you shall assume‚ / for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you”. His poem extols the mundane aspects of everyday life that a traditional poet of his day would not have considered
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Walt Whitman Whitman’s different views of writing Walt Whitman is one of the first great American poets. He was born in 1819 on Long Island and he was one of ten children. Whitman only went to school for a few years until he turned eleven and concluded formal schooling. He then attempted to find work to support his future family. He found a job as an office boy and then moved on to be an apprentice with a local paper where he learned all about the printing press. The following summer he joined
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pioneered his own unique style of writing. Walt Whitman is an idol for being an original and a unique artist. He has a distinctive voice that many have attempted to duplicate and have been unable to do so. Whitman wrote in an epic like proportions; he developed his own rhythmic structure‚ creating complex lines and stanzas. Whitman’s style of free verse becomes synonymous with his name and works‚ and helped distinguish him as a great American poet. By using free verse poetry‚ Whitman tore down the boundary
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Walt Whitman: Sexuality Debate The debate of one’s sexuality has more commonly come into the picture of American society towards the very end of the 19th century. A captious discussion is the lifestyle of Walt Whitman: American poet‚ essayist and journalist. Though modern critics tend to debate his sexuality‚ there is great disagreement as to whether Whitman ever had sexual relations with men‚ expressed alongside his poetry. Walt Whitman was born on Long Island on May 31st‚ 1819‚ just thirty
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Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson both had different and similar views‚ which influenced how they wrote their poetry. Their social context‚ life experiences‚ and gender are reflected in their poetry. Emily Dickinson focused a lot on death and her struggles of being a woman during her time. Her poems often described the inner state of mind. Waltman attempted to combine universal themes with individual feelings and experiences‚ such as his personal experiences with the Civil War. Whitman and Dickinson
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Walt Whitman’s influence on American literature is enormous. His poetry expresses the most revolutionary aspiration of his era; he is truly defender‚ his mission is to promote democracy‚ he heralds the new period‚ where the triumph of the brotherhood takes people’s mind. Walt Whitman’s mission not only to promote the harmony between people‚ but also people’s soul and body. Whitman’s poetry is confessional and frank; he is trying to overcome the distance between reality and its representation in poetry
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Walt Whitman was a man who believed in individuality and self-teaching. This is displayed throughout many of his poem and literary works. In Walt Whitman’s America: A Cultural Biography‚ it is said that Whitman was a teacher of others‚ even though he did believe in a method of self-teaching. (Reynolds) He saw self-education as a very productive and effective way of being taught. While this was one view‚ he also believed being taught by another was beneficial. Walt Whitman’s pedagogy involved the
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Walt Whitman and the Civil War Walt Whitman is considered one of America’s greatest poets. During his lifetime‚ Whitman wrote hundreds of poems about life‚ love and democracy‚ among many others. In particular‚ Whitman’s poetry reflects the spirit of the age in which he lived‚ the Civil War. In taking a closer look at one of his most renowned and brilliant pieces‚ “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”‚ three particular themes are observed; his love for nature‚ the cycle of life‚ as represented
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Walt Whitman “Spontaneous Me” “Walt Whitman revolutionized American Poetry” (Norton 2190). A statement made by many‚ in which the American society can agree upon. His bold style of writing grasps the reader into a world where nature and sexuality meet. Whitman’s collection entitled Leaves of Grass was published in 1855 to a nation barely accepting of new ideas (Oakes). During the time of slavery and great religious value‚ Whitman’s pieces were considered immoral‚ traitorous and were often banned
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Walt Whitman became known as a truly American poet through experiencing and writing about the nation in its early years. Born on May 31‚ 1819 in Long Island. His draw towards writing began in his early childhood when he apprenticed for the Long Island Patriot newspaper. He became a teacher in New York then turned back to newsprint‚ creating his own company The Long-Islander‚ and in 1855‚ published his first poetry anthology Leaves of Grass. Then the Civil War occurred and Whitman‚ in New York hospitals
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