There are few poets that captivate, shock, and entertain with the same class, and excellence that Whitman displayed. Whitman emerged during in important, and pivoting era of American cultural philosophy, in a time when a transition was being made from American transcendentalism into American realism. It was in this cultural agenda that the language of Whitman’s now infamous poems was established, and cultivated. Although Whitman was not appreciated until sometime after his death, reading his writings offers a glimpse into the American psyche, and a taste of the emerging ideology of realism.
Realism was an attempt to capture the true vulgarity, and raw essence of day-to-day interactions. Proceeding transcendentalism as the cultural mindset, there is and element of overlap that can be observed. As such, elements from both can be found in the writings, and poetry, that Whitman published. The graphic description of events shadows the use of realism, while the romanticizing of such experiences show the lingering effects of the transcendentalists.
One area of debate in Whitman’s poems is the way in which he describes and uses human sexuality. Many critics of the time pointed to his poems as pornographic, and shunned the legitimacy of such vile literature. This can be used in conjunction with the general population’s reaction to group the style of realism with the idea of progressiveness . Whitman continues to uses this style of progressive thinking for the majority of his lifetime, tackling such taboo subjects as homosexuality.
Whitman uses strong language, which no doubt aids in the solidification of his poetry’s recognition as some of America’s finest. It is truly fascinating the style that emerged from such a unique period of American society. A period in which, society was controlled, while at the same time pursuing personal independence, and social content was meticulously filtered, while there was a demand for raw unfiltered content. It is in this paradigm that Whitman constructed and refined his literary masterpiece.
Whitman’s various poems give us a glimpse of an American society littered with hypocrisy. A society that created false realms of purity, and established controlled gender and social roles. To the culture of the time, Whitman’s style was like a bad glass of milk, it had all the right ingredients, the problem was it was just being consumed at the wrong time. Although it was not admired then, it can be admired now for its unique and interpretive style, a style that could have only come from a developing American Social structure.
Cited
Whitman, Walt. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition [serial online]. October 2009;:1. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 8, 2009.
Transcendentalism. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcendentalism, Accessed December 8, 2009.
Donna Campbel, M. (2008, july 7). Realism in american literature, 1860-1890. Retrieved from http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm, Accessed December 8, 2009.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Whitman and sexuality
Walt Whitman was born in Long Island in 1819. He was a poet, journalist and humanist from the 19th century. During the civil war he worked as a teacher, and a volunteer nurse in addition to publishing poetry. He was part of the transcendentalist movement and realism, his works containing both views. The “Calamus” in Leaves of Grass promotes the manly love of comrades, however it can be seen as homosexual love. The poems are personal and seem to be telling the story between the narrator and a male love. In his works Whitman talks about “comradeship” which of course could be interpreted as a code for homosexual love. Like homosexuality itself Whitman refuses to be shaken off (Tayson 4). I believe from what I have read that Whitman is attracted to men, and enjoys being with them.
In “The Base of All Metaphysics” Whitman says “The dear love of a man for his comrade, the attraction of friend to friend, of the well married husband and wife, of children and parents, Of city fir city, and land for land” (102). I believe this poem to be about relationships, including homosexual relationships, because when he talks about the dear love of a man for his comrade it is not friendship since he talks about it after. Also ““for the one I live most lay sleeping by me infer the came cover in the cool night, In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams his face was inclined towards me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast-and that night I was happy” (103) in “When I Heard at the Close of the Day” seems to be showing the relationship the author has with his lover, another male, and how he worships it. “Calamus” gives the impression to be about Whitman’s interest for men.
Works Cited
Tayson, Richard "The Casualties of Walt Whitman." 79-95. Virginia Quarterly Review, 2005. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8 Dec. 2009.
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004
In “The Base of All Metaphysics” Whitman says “The dear love of a man for his comrade, the attraction of friend to friend, of the well married husband and wife, of children and parents, Of city fir city, and land for land” (102). I believe this poem to be about relationships, including homosexual relationships, because when he talks about the dear love of a man for his comrade it is not friendship since he talks about it after. Also ““for the one I live most lay sleeping by me infer the came cover in the cool night, In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams his face was inclined towards me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast-and that night I was happy” (103) in “When I Heard at the Close of the Day” seems to be showing the relationship the author has with his lover, another male, and how he worships it. “Calamus” gives the impression to be about Whitman’s interest for men.
Works Cited
Tayson, Richard "The Casualties of Walt Whitman." 79-95. Virginia Quarterly Review, 2005. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 8 Dec. 2009.
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004
The Influence of Experience
In 1855, Walt Whitman published his first set of 12 poems in the first edition of Leaves of Grass. He was not widely received, as many people of the time did not understand the points to his writing. One writer, however, Ralph Waldo Emerson, praised it. Whitman then added more poems to his book, including “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.” In 1865, he again added a collection of poems referred to as Drum-Taps, which was influenced by his experience in the Civil War. Towards the end of his life, his poems took a deathly turn, like in “Whispers of Heavenly Death.”
As one may later understand, Walt Whitman’s poems grew and matured as he did, with his experiences influencing his creations like an adult influences his or her child. Ernest Smith suggests that “a reader should resist examining any period of Whitman’s work, or any edition of Leaves, in isolation from other periods or poems” (Smith 228). This is good advice, considering that his poems changed significantly over the course of his life. This transformation is so apparent, that it can be spotted in even the titles of the poems. “Song of Myself” turns to “Drum Taps” which morphs into “Whispers of Heavenly Death.” His first set of poems was influenced by living in Brooklyn(i.e. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry"), while later poems were highly influenced by his involvement in the Civil War, and even later poems could be attributed to his sense of his coming death. Smith describes Whitman in his first “stage” as an “ecstatic poet of body and soul in 1855”, who then, in his second, Civil War era stage, becomes a “doubtful Drum-Taps poet who struggles to comprehend and console in 1865”, and later decomposes into meditative, faltering death poems (228). Smith correctly analyzes and criticizes Whitman’s progression, and makes a case to re-read Whitman’s poems after reading poems from each of his stages in order to better understand each poem and the immense influence his experiences has on them.
Smith, Ernest. "Restless Explorations: Whitman’s Evolving Spiritual Vision in Leaves of Grass". Papers on Language & Literature, Summer2007, Vol. 43 Issue 3, p227-263, 37p;
Whitman, Walt. "Leaves of Grass"
As one may later understand, Walt Whitman’s poems grew and matured as he did, with his experiences influencing his creations like an adult influences his or her child. Ernest Smith suggests that “a reader should resist examining any period of Whitman’s work, or any edition of Leaves, in isolation from other periods or poems” (Smith 228). This is good advice, considering that his poems changed significantly over the course of his life. This transformation is so apparent, that it can be spotted in even the titles of the poems. “Song of Myself” turns to “Drum Taps” which morphs into “Whispers of Heavenly Death.” His first set of poems was influenced by living in Brooklyn(i.e. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry"), while later poems were highly influenced by his involvement in the Civil War, and even later poems could be attributed to his sense of his coming death. Smith describes Whitman in his first “stage” as an “ecstatic poet of body and soul in 1855”, who then, in his second, Civil War era stage, becomes a “doubtful Drum-Taps poet who struggles to comprehend and console in 1865”, and later decomposes into meditative, faltering death poems (228). Smith correctly analyzes and criticizes Whitman’s progression, and makes a case to re-read Whitman’s poems after reading poems from each of his stages in order to better understand each poem and the immense influence his experiences has on them.
Smith, Ernest. "Restless Explorations: Whitman’s Evolving Spiritual Vision in Leaves of Grass". Papers on Language & Literature, Summer2007, Vol. 43 Issue 3, p227-263, 37p;
Whitman, Walt. "Leaves of Grass"
Whitman The Patriot
During the Civil War, Walter Whitman served as a nurse to do his part in securing the sanctity of the nation which he had such high admiration for. By 1871 Whitman had perfected one of his most famous poems called, “Song of Myself”, by removing the word “American" from the verse, "American, one of the roughs, a kosmos" and merging the meaning kosmos with the quote "Walt Whitman am I, of mighty Manhattan the son" to its final form in 1871: "Walt Whitman, a kosmos, of Manhattan the son." Many experts such as Richard Rorty, a writer, openly criticized Whitman as not being a patriot during such a crucial time in the nation’s history. Due to all the atrocities that the Union soldiers had to go through during the bloody Civil War era, Rorty believes Whitman lost his sense of nation patriotism “After the Civil War, the story might go. Whitman saw the rampant greed and materialism around him as profanations of the sacred blood-sacrifice he witnessed so closely in Washington hospitals between 1862 and 1866” (Cushman). Critics can point to the evidence that Whitman had developed a belief that all American’s were greedy and had lost touch with core American values; however, as Cushman proves, Whitman later removes American from his poem because he believes that kosmos and American are synonymous. Whitman regards himself as such a devout patriot that he does not need to explain what he is implying, and that it is understood that his poem is reflecting American values when he uses the word kosmos. In order to understand Whitman’s reasoning we have to look at the revised verse as a whole. Kosmos is used to describe both Whitman and the city, as if they are both cosmopolitan, then the last three words of the revision tie everything together. Whitman is the son of Manhattan, which is the son of America which is a kosmos. In one simple verse Whitman declares his identity, patriotism, and pride for his city and country. Furthermore, more evidence can be drawn from the fact that Whitman never revised the quote which claims "The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem." If Whitman truly became anti-American he would have undoubtedly changed or expunged this verse.
Cushman, Stephen "Whitman and Patriotism." 163-185. Virginia Quarterly Review, 2005. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.
Whitley, Edward "Whitman's Occasional Nationalism: "A Broadway Pageant" and the Space of Public Poetry." Nineteenth-Century Literature 60.4 (2006): 451-480. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.
Misinterpretation
When “Calamus” first appeared in the section of “Leaves of Grass” in the third edition in 1860, there were some controversy during that time about homosexual, or, as Gay Wilson Allen says “homoerotic”. However, the twentieth century thinks that Whitman was celebrating “manly love” and that each poem if just a direct “confession”, according to Russell A. Hunt in “Whitman’s Poetics and the Unity of ‘Calamus’”. Hunt also thinks that “Calamus” has a deeper meaning then just Whitman’s homoerotic tendencies, “consideration of the section can restrict itself to the implications of the clearly homoerotic passages only by ignoring much that is of real importance in determining how those passages are to be understood” (Hunt, 483).
Hunt introduces a theme in “For You O Democracy” is about the social values of “the reader-poet love-relation” (Hunt, 490). Other democratic poems that we have read are “I Hear It Was Charged Against Me” and “I Dreamed in a Dream.” These poems were frequently thought as “Whitman’s way of rationalizing and sublimating his homosexual urges” (Hunt, 490). The interpretations made from these poems are that the stronger the urge, the stronger the society will be.
Even though poems like “We Two Boys Together Clinging” is expressing companionship, because it is placed in the “Calamus,” it is frequently misread. Although there is much homosexual imagery placed in “Calamus,” Hunt thinks that it “represents one of the ways in which Walt Whitman artistically transcended his personality” (Hunt, 494).
It is easy to interpret the “Calamus” as a homosexual poem because of way it written. Many readers would jump to the conclusion it is a poem about homosexuals. Like in “We Two Boys Together Clinging,” it starts of “We two boys together clinging…” sound more than just a hug. The in “When I Heard at the Close of the Day”, “for the one I live most lay sleeping by me infer the came cover in the cool night, In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams his face was inclined towards me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast-and that night I was happy.” It can easily be read as Whitman was with another male figure. There are many instances like this in the “Calamus” making this section of “Leaves of Grass” to be thought as his homosexual interest.
Hunt, A., Russell. “Whitman’s Poetics and the Unity of ‘Calamus’”
Whitman, Walt. “Leaves of Grass: First and ‘Dead-Bed’ Editions”
Hunt introduces a theme in “For You O Democracy” is about the social values of “the reader-poet love-relation” (Hunt, 490). Other democratic poems that we have read are “I Hear It Was Charged Against Me” and “I Dreamed in a Dream.” These poems were frequently thought as “Whitman’s way of rationalizing and sublimating his homosexual urges” (Hunt, 490). The interpretations made from these poems are that the stronger the urge, the stronger the society will be.
Even though poems like “We Two Boys Together Clinging” is expressing companionship, because it is placed in the “Calamus,” it is frequently misread. Although there is much homosexual imagery placed in “Calamus,” Hunt thinks that it “represents one of the ways in which Walt Whitman artistically transcended his personality” (Hunt, 494).
It is easy to interpret the “Calamus” as a homosexual poem because of way it written. Many readers would jump to the conclusion it is a poem about homosexuals. Like in “We Two Boys Together Clinging,” it starts of “We two boys together clinging…” sound more than just a hug. The in “When I Heard at the Close of the Day”, “for the one I live most lay sleeping by me infer the came cover in the cool night, In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams his face was inclined towards me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast-and that night I was happy.” It can easily be read as Whitman was with another male figure. There are many instances like this in the “Calamus” making this section of “Leaves of Grass” to be thought as his homosexual interest.
Hunt, A., Russell. “Whitman’s Poetics and the Unity of ‘Calamus’”
Whitman, Walt. “Leaves of Grass: First and ‘Dead-Bed’ Editions”
Shared Time & Space
"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” is Whitman’s first person view of living and experiencing life in
In the article, “In Whitman's Country”, Meena Alexander describes her new life her in
Though everyone may be doing different things with their life everyone is connected by time. Whitman’s "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, and Alexander’s “In Whitman's Country” are prime examples of this American ideal. No matter where one is from, if you are now living in America then you are now living in this new era of technology, time and space.
Work Cited:
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004
Alexander, Meena "In Whitman's Country." 186-192. Virginia Quarterly Review, 2005. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 7 Dec. 2009.
Evil!
Walt Whitman in all of his poetry refers to emotions that potentially have a different connotation to the American of the present day and age. The belief that everybody has evil inside themselves is not an idea that Whitman came up with by himself in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry 6. The fact that we are all “Actors and Actresses” to hide the emotional “Evil,” Things such as guile, anger, lust, and greed are all things that all humans posses as Whitman stated in his poem. As in “The Killer Inside Me,” depicting evil in the career of the character Ford. The templates that we have for good and evil are templates that we have come up with through an American identity of right and wrong. “The Killer Inside Me illustrates Kant’s notion of the inscrutability of the ground from which we will actions of good or evil and the ultimate insufficiency of reason” (pg 5 Dorthy G. Clark). Everyone has the propensity to be either good or evil, both of these aspects are in all of us as human beings. This is because we have defined what is good and what is evil. We have defined good and evil as emotions that are used in combination such as anger, greed, and envy these emotions not being hidden from the public. These emotions when not hidden grow in intensity and continue on to action. These actions are truly evil, with the intent of the emotions behind them. Whitman's proclamation that he is as evil as anybody else is slightly different coming from an American point of view. Most Americans do not see themselves as evil because of their belief that they are special snowflake. Special snowflake meaning “ There is something unique about everybody and they should be appreciated for their uniqueness... especially me,” This belief along with American patriotism creates an attitude amongst many Americans that they themselves are good and can do little wrong. In reality human beings are not as simple as being totally good or totally bad. The admittance to Whitman's own evil and everyone's evil will is very progressive in human development for Whitman. “Lived the same life with the rest, the same old laughing, gnawing, sleeping, play'd the part that still looks back on the actor or actress,” (pg 136 Whitman.) This is the continued knowledge that people are all actors because they must hide what they are. All people have this evil inside of them, and those that are truly truthful are those that are evil because they are not trying to hide the animal inside. With the paradox being that truth is one thing that people hold in high regards, but those that are really truthful are those that society sees as evil.
Academic Search Premier. December 6 2009.
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell,
Academic Search Premier. December 6 2009
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell,
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