Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of myself” touches on many points that may not be obvious to all readers. One of these points is the concept of death, and surviving through a material object. Whitman describes death as the “bitter hug of mortality.” This shows how he accepts death as the end of his conscious being, and his time in the living world. David Lehman argues in his article that Whitman was actually creating a piece of work that he could live through after his death when writing “Leaves of Grass.” Lehman argues that we can see how Whitman tried to achieve this by looking at his writing style. You can see in his poems that he ends without actually having an ending, what Lehman refers to as “stopping short.” The conclusion drawn is that it will continue in another time, possibly after Whitman’s death even. This point is further proven when Whitman actually states that “I do not talk of the beginning or the end” (24).
Throughout “Song of myself” there are many references to death. In part 6 Whitman states that “to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier” (28). In this quote you can see Whitman’s understanding of death, and that he thinks of it in a different way than most. He even goes to compare being born “just as lucky as to die.” Through these quotes we can see that he does not consider death an end, but a beginning to a new period in his life cycle. Throughout “song of myself” we can see how Whitman is trying to make sense of death in a way that it is not something to be feared by people. He believes that he is there temporarily, to “come and depart” and then reappear in another form at another time (30).
Works Cited
Lehman, David "The Visionary Walt Whitman." American Poetry Review 37.1 (2008): 11-13. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec. 2009.
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Bantam Dell, 2004
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Song of My Country (Whitman)
The poems created by the American poet Walt Whitman were something truly original and progressive for his time. His ability to form abstract poetic sentences but still maintain concrete ideas created a unique style of poetry that popularized him in the middle to late 19th century. With his collection of poetry titled “Leaves of Grass”, he was able to portray his ideas that stemmed from Transcendentalism and transitioned to realism. One of his most popular works named “Song of Myself”, centers around himself as the speaker, but ultimately had an underlying theme that is meant to connect every person.
Straying away from the notion of classes and titles produced from society, his poem “Song of Myself” steers toward the self and self-realization. Originating from Transcendental ideas, he maintains that no matter what profession or class, these ideas pertain to all. The reader must realize when reading this poem that, often, Whitman’s use of the word “I” is not intended to include solely the author Walt Whitman himself, but everyone and/or anyone. In the first three lines of “Song of Myself”, he sets the tone for the whole 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.”. Using his powerful understanding and mastery of the English language he is able to convey his ideas of unity through the use of examples of science and nature. Whitman wanted the reader to step back from society and understand one’s self as the natural being you were intended to be, and to let one understand the world that they live in more fully.
Using his ability of the English language, Whitman created a collection of poems that pushed his ideas into mainstream America in a compelling and different way. As Andrew Lawson states, “Whitman famously described Leaves of Grass to Horace Traubel as ‘only a language experiment’.”.
Works Cited:
Lawson, Andrew. 'Song of Myself and the class struggle in language’. Textual Practice; Autumn2004, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p377-394, 18p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Kinnell, Galway. ‘Walt Whitman and Negative Capability.’. Virginia Quarterly Review; Spring2005, Vol. 81 Issue 2, p221-227, 7p, 5 bw. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Straying away from the notion of classes and titles produced from society, his poem “Song of Myself” steers toward the self and self-realization. Originating from Transcendental ideas, he maintains that no matter what profession or class, these ideas pertain to all. The reader must realize when reading this poem that, often, Whitman’s use of the word “I” is not intended to include solely the author Walt Whitman himself, but everyone and/or anyone. In the first three lines of “Song of Myself”, he sets the tone for the whole 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.”. Using his powerful understanding and mastery of the English language he is able to convey his ideas of unity through the use of examples of science and nature. Whitman wanted the reader to step back from society and understand one’s self as the natural being you were intended to be, and to let one understand the world that they live in more fully.
Using his ability of the English language, Whitman created a collection of poems that pushed his ideas into mainstream America in a compelling and different way. As Andrew Lawson states, “Whitman famously described Leaves of Grass to Horace Traubel as ‘only a language experiment’.”.
Works Cited:
Lawson, Andrew. 'Song of Myself and the class struggle in language’. Textual Practice; Autumn2004, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p377-394, 18p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Kinnell, Galway. ‘Walt Whitman and Negative Capability.’. Virginia Quarterly Review; Spring2005, Vol. 81 Issue 2, p221-227, 7p, 5 bw. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Natural Whitman
Printer, teacher, journalist, editor, Walt Whitman is known as one of the most important American poets of the nineteenth century. He was born in Long Island on May 31st, 1819. As an American writer he had one unique characteristic of his poetry. Whitman made the decision to use free verse in his poetry which relied on the rhythms of American speech (Allen). He published his first version of “Leaves of Grass” in 1855. As a result, multiple versions of the text were published over his lifespan (Allen). During his life time, Whitman took part in the Civil War as a nurse for the army and was also a correspondent for the New York Times. “Leaves of Grass” was not his only famous poetry he is also famous for “O Captain! My Captain!” which he wrote in 1866. Before his death in 1892, Whitman produced his final “Deathbed Edition” of “Leaves of Grass” (Allen).
Whitman’s poetry is traditionally centered on ideas of democracy, equality, and brotherhood. Whitman also created the theory of nature which explains a sense of unity between the body and soul. That “the idea that no matter how poorly you're feeling or how bad your day has been, just take a walk in the cleansing air and enjoy nature in its element. After that, you can't possibly continue to be down and depressed...the energy of nature will uplift you like a pep rally for your soul” (Kepner 179-183). Diane Kepner reveals that “Whitman thinks we cannot ignore either the body or the soul in the search for what is permanent and changeless about ourselves” (Kepner 179-183). For Whitman, spiritual communion depends on physical contact, or at least proximity. The body is the vessel that enables the soul to experience the world.
From the first couple of lines in section 6 of Songs of Myself, “A child said What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands;” (Whitman 27). The bunches of grass in the child’s hands, Kepner and Albert Gelpi share, becomes a symbol of the regeneration in nature. Gelpi considers Whitman as able to see the grass as the recapitulation of the whole cycle of life, death and rebirth. It is the symbol of the individual, of reproduction, of the new social order of American democracy, of death, and of the new form in which death transforms life (Gelpi 153-216). Both Kepner and Gelpi confirm Whitman’s statement that what is natural cannot be avoided and that we all have something to learn from nature because we belong to it. Subsequently, Whitman reveals that he is both in and of the world, that he has fully immersed himself in nature and therefore understands the world and himself because of it.
Allen, Gay Wilson. The Solitary Singer: A Critical Biography of Walt Whitman. New York: Macmillan, 1955. Reprint, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985.
Gelpi, Albert. The Tenth Muse--The Psyche of the American Poet. Cambridge: Harvard, 1975.
Kepner, Diane "From Spears to Leaves: Walt Whitman's Theory of Nature in "Song of Myself." American Literature 51.2 (1979): 179. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Democracy Becoming Dictatorship?
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in Long Island, New York. He was an American poet, journalist, essayist, and humanist. He was part of the changeover from transcendentalism to realism. He was often called the “Father of free verse” with his influential poems and especially the critically acclaimed “Leaves of Grass.” He worked in the Civil War as a voluntary nurse and was a teacher and journalist throughout his life. Towards the end of his life, his health began diminishing as he had a stroke and later died on March 26, 1892. He was 72 years old. His sexuality was often discussed throughout his time writing poetry. People debated either if he was a homosexual or bisexual. But disagreement overcame biographers. Whitman started getting concern with politics later in his life, like slavery and government, which is why “Leaves of Grass,” especially the chapter, “Song of Myself,” was so popular.
One of the main issues in “Song of Myself” is democracy and how democracy will fail if all individuals are not treated equally. Bo Rothstein says in his article, Creating Political Legitimacy: Electoral Democracy Versus Quality of Government, electoral democracy does not legitimize a government, even if trying to strive for an equal, people-ruled government like democracy. An electoral democracy does not give the people the right hearsay to want they want in office or laws that should be passed. Citizens feel that with the government having electoral votes, their votes do not matter (Rothstein, 311-330). This goes against the idea of what Whitman is trying to say in “Song of Myself.” Whitman thinks that if all individuals are treated equal with equal rights, then a democracy that is formed will strive to success. But that is if individuals are equal with rights. Electoral democracy is none of that. It is the total opposite. This can also be coded for the abolition of slavery, as he wants all individuals to be equal, including blacks. If this type of government keeps going forward, the citizens, feeling like minorities, will rebel against the government and then can probably result in guerrilla warfare.
Works Cited
http://www.biography.com/articles/Walt-Whitman-9530126
Rothstein, Bo "Creating Political Legitimacy: Electoral Democracy Versus Quality of Government." American Behavioral Scientist 53.3 (2009): 311-330. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
One of the main issues in “Song of Myself” is democracy and how democracy will fail if all individuals are not treated equally. Bo Rothstein says in his article, Creating Political Legitimacy: Electoral Democracy Versus Quality of Government, electoral democracy does not legitimize a government, even if trying to strive for an equal, people-ruled government like democracy. An electoral democracy does not give the people the right hearsay to want they want in office or laws that should be passed. Citizens feel that with the government having electoral votes, their votes do not matter (Rothstein, 311-330). This goes against the idea of what Whitman is trying to say in “Song of Myself.” Whitman thinks that if all individuals are treated equal with equal rights, then a democracy that is formed will strive to success. But that is if individuals are equal with rights. Electoral democracy is none of that. It is the total opposite. This can also be coded for the abolition of slavery, as he wants all individuals to be equal, including blacks. If this type of government keeps going forward, the citizens, feeling like minorities, will rebel against the government and then can probably result in guerrilla warfare.
Works Cited
http://www.biography.com/articles/Walt-Whitman-9530126
Rothstein, Bo "Creating Political Legitimacy: Electoral Democracy Versus Quality of Government." American Behavioral Scientist 53.3 (2009): 311-330. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Billy Budd: The Tale of Two Sides
In the fiction piece of sailors and the ocean, Billy Budd, Melville writes in a way that has two sides of everything throughout the reading. Billy Budd himself, can be one side where he is completely oblivious to everything that the other seamen are thinking and doing. Billy Budd is also seen as innocent in everything he does because of the fact that he does not know what is going on. In Joyce Sparer Alder’s writing about Billy Budd, Billy Budd And Melville’s Philosophy Of War, Alder writes about a world of the civilized and the Christian that exist within the world where war and evil is one. Billy Budd fits in this world as the good side or the civilized Christian side (267).
In Billy Budd, the story takes place on a ship. Everyone knows that there are different ranking and different authority levels on a ship. Being the captain, you have the highest authority and can say anything you want. Being Billy, you are not the captain and you cannot. Quickly, we are already given the two sides on the boat, authority and the common. Billy, like many other crewmembers, will do anything and everything that the authority says to do. Being the more civilized, Billy doesn’t backlash or fight against what he is told. Billy never does wrong, and is reminded more not to do wrong when a crewmate gets flogged. Billy thereafter vows not to bring that upon himself.
Another complete contrast Melville writes about is between Billy and the King. Alder analyzes it on page 269, “…to Billy, who cannot say “no” to any authority, a fondling child who wants to be liked by everybody…. To the King… whose war they will serve without question.” Billy would serve the King in a war that Billy himself most likely would not want to fight. Just in nature, Billy Budd cannot say no.
Billy Budd and Melville's Philosophy of War
Joyce Sparer Adler PMLA, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Mar., 1976), pp. 266-278 Published by: Modern Language Association
Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Other Tales. New York: Signet Classics, 2009.
In Billy Budd, the story takes place on a ship. Everyone knows that there are different ranking and different authority levels on a ship. Being the captain, you have the highest authority and can say anything you want. Being Billy, you are not the captain and you cannot. Quickly, we are already given the two sides on the boat, authority and the common. Billy, like many other crewmembers, will do anything and everything that the authority says to do. Being the more civilized, Billy doesn’t backlash or fight against what he is told. Billy never does wrong, and is reminded more not to do wrong when a crewmate gets flogged. Billy thereafter vows not to bring that upon himself.
Another complete contrast Melville writes about is between Billy and the King. Alder analyzes it on page 269, “…to Billy, who cannot say “no” to any authority, a fondling child who wants to be liked by everybody…. To the King… whose war they will serve without question.” Billy would serve the King in a war that Billy himself most likely would not want to fight. Just in nature, Billy Budd cannot say no.
Billy Budd and Melville's Philosophy of War
Joyce Sparer Adler PMLA, Vol. 91, No. 2 (Mar., 1976), pp. 266-278 Published by: Modern Language Association
Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Other Tales. New York: Signet Classics, 2009.
Billy Budd: Two Concepts of Society and Nature
Herman Melville was born in New York City on August 1, 1819, as the third child of Allan and Maria Gansevoort Melville. Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist and poet who are often classified as part of dark romanticism. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and Billy Budd, which were published posthumously.
Melville travelled to New York and secured his place as cabin boy on a ship bound for Liverpool, England. Upon return to New York he held various unsatisfying jobs until he next set sail on the whaling ship Acushnet in 1841. In search of adventures, Melville shipped out in 1839 as a cabin boy on the whaler Acushnet. He joined later the US Navy, and started to have long voyages on ships, sailing both the Atlantic and the South Seas. As a result of his remarkable experience in many ships, most of Melville’s books and works are all related to his journey in the sea. For Melville, there are two types of society and nature.
In a sense, the various ships in the novel represent different types of societies. The first society is the Rights-of-Man which symbolizes a place where individuals maintain their individuality. For example, in choosing to obey law over conscience, Captain Vere commits himself to society at the expense of own individuality. The second type of society is the Bellipotent which represents a military world in which, under the threat of violence. Furthermore, in the article, “Bringing out the beast Melville’s Billy Budd: The Dialogue of Darwinian and “Holy” Lexicons on board the Bellipotent” Eric Goldman argues that nearly every person in the Bellipotent “is likened to a specific animal” (Goldman). In fact, he implies the characteristics of most of these animals are wild, violence and will do anything just to survive. He interpreted that Billy is like an animal that accepts his impressments into military service as an unchangeable fact of his environment while Claggart is like an animal that lives in an irresistible environment (Goldman). Therefore, in the presence of evil and violence, the rules of society impinge upon the individual rights of men.
In his essay, John Noone argues that in Billy Budd’s world there are two concepts of nature. The two types of nature are the good and bad nature. Most importantly, he states that in good nature, people are noble savage, while in bad nature, people are evil. He also says that men are “naturally good” and they are surrounded by peace and happiness (249). In addition, he says that one of the quantities of good nature is when people are working together, which “each character radically sharing the rarer qualities of one nature” (260). In the other hand, bad nature is the place where people are only thinking about themselves and have the mind of war (252). Moreover, Claggart is one the characters who lives in bad nature (state of war) because he was corrupted with a lot of lies, keep his secrets from other people and wants to be better than Billy. As a result of his jealousy from Billy, he has the mind of “war of all against all”. Lastly, all humans are living in a good and bad nature which both controls and justifies what they do.
We can conclude that in our world there are two types of society and nature. Nevertheless, in the book Billy Budd by Melville, Right of Man is the place where people maintain their own identity while Bellipotent is a ship and type of society where people are in military mode and like animals that will do violence in order to survive. Moreover, by allowing ourselves to live in a good nature, it will give us the sense of happiness because of unity. However, if we live in a bad nature, our mind will be corrupted with lies and jealousy, which force us to commit a crime.
Work Cited
Goldman, Eric "BRINGING OUT THE BEAST IN MELVILLE'S BILLY BUDD: THE DIALOGUE OF DARWINIAN AND "HOLY" LEXICONS ON BOARD THE BELLIPOTENT." Studies in the Novel 37.4 (2005): 430-442. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009.
"Herman Melville." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/374228/Herman-Melville>.
Noone Jr., John B. "BILLY BUDD: Two Concepts of Nature." American Literature 29.3 (1957): 249. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009
Melville travelled to New York and secured his place as cabin boy on a ship bound for Liverpool, England. Upon return to New York he held various unsatisfying jobs until he next set sail on the whaling ship Acushnet in 1841. In search of adventures, Melville shipped out in 1839 as a cabin boy on the whaler Acushnet. He joined later the US Navy, and started to have long voyages on ships, sailing both the Atlantic and the South Seas. As a result of his remarkable experience in many ships, most of Melville’s books and works are all related to his journey in the sea. For Melville, there are two types of society and nature.
In a sense, the various ships in the novel represent different types of societies. The first society is the Rights-of-Man which symbolizes a place where individuals maintain their individuality. For example, in choosing to obey law over conscience, Captain Vere commits himself to society at the expense of own individuality. The second type of society is the Bellipotent which represents a military world in which, under the threat of violence. Furthermore, in the article, “Bringing out the beast Melville’s Billy Budd: The Dialogue of Darwinian and “Holy” Lexicons on board the Bellipotent” Eric Goldman argues that nearly every person in the Bellipotent “is likened to a specific animal” (Goldman). In fact, he implies the characteristics of most of these animals are wild, violence and will do anything just to survive. He interpreted that Billy is like an animal that accepts his impressments into military service as an unchangeable fact of his environment while Claggart is like an animal that lives in an irresistible environment (Goldman). Therefore, in the presence of evil and violence, the rules of society impinge upon the individual rights of men.
In his essay, John Noone argues that in Billy Budd’s world there are two concepts of nature. The two types of nature are the good and bad nature. Most importantly, he states that in good nature, people are noble savage, while in bad nature, people are evil. He also says that men are “naturally good” and they are surrounded by peace and happiness (249). In addition, he says that one of the quantities of good nature is when people are working together, which “each character radically sharing the rarer qualities of one nature” (260). In the other hand, bad nature is the place where people are only thinking about themselves and have the mind of war (252). Moreover, Claggart is one the characters who lives in bad nature (state of war) because he was corrupted with a lot of lies, keep his secrets from other people and wants to be better than Billy. As a result of his jealousy from Billy, he has the mind of “war of all against all”. Lastly, all humans are living in a good and bad nature which both controls and justifies what they do.
We can conclude that in our world there are two types of society and nature. Nevertheless, in the book Billy Budd by Melville, Right of Man is the place where people maintain their own identity while Bellipotent is a ship and type of society where people are in military mode and like animals that will do violence in order to survive. Moreover, by allowing ourselves to live in a good nature, it will give us the sense of happiness because of unity. However, if we live in a bad nature, our mind will be corrupted with lies and jealousy, which force us to commit a crime.
Work Cited
Goldman, Eric "BRINGING OUT THE BEAST IN MELVILLE'S BILLY BUDD: THE DIALOGUE OF DARWINIAN AND "HOLY" LEXICONS ON BOARD THE BELLIPOTENT." Studies in the Novel 37.4 (2005): 430-442. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009.
"Herman Melville." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
30 Nov. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/374228/Herman-Melville>.
Noone Jr., John B. "BILLY BUDD: Two Concepts of Nature." American Literature 29.3 (1957): 249. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009
Law: The Anti-Nature
Herman Melville was born in New York, 1819. His family went bankrupt and his father died when he was 12 years old. Then, after leaving school, Melville went to work many jobs including one in Liverpool as a cabin boy. Melville also spent 18 months on a whaling ship, but was jailed for mutiny, then was able to escaped to the Marquesas Islands; he spent time with cannibals until his rescue. He lived in Tahiti and returned home to his mother in 1844. Melville's stories are influenced greatly by his adventures at sea; his most famous was Moby Dick. In 1855, Melville stopped writing for 20 years. In Melville’s last novel Billy Budd, Billy represents good in a case against the evil Claggart, but the judgment lies in Captain Vere to carry out justice. “Necessarily crude and imperfect, the law cannot adequately assess a pure nature such as Billy's--or a purely evil one, such as Claggart's. Hence the tragic dilemma of Billy Budd: the law, though indispensable, may in the rare case destroy a representative of the very "Spirit" it was instituted to protect” (Shaw). The law cannot fully bring justice to everyone and in fact violates nature itself.
The character Captain Vere must rely on the law to bring justice to the case of Billy Budd and Claggart. “How can we adjudge to summary and shameful death a fellow creature innocent before God, and whom we feel to be so?—Does that state it aright?” (Melville 79). Vere put Billy to death by the Articles of War despite his feelings. In law, there is no justice for everyone because law is not natural. For Melville and transcendentalism, Billy is the essence of nature itself, but in the end, Vere must confine in the law and sentence Billy to death. By application of the law, humans are going against nature.
In the end the law controls and justifies what humans do. “…in receiving our commissions, we in the most important regards ceased to be natural free agents” (Melville 79). Vere as a human and sailor is a part of nature but at the same time must confine in something so unnatural as the law. Law takes away free will to make our own decisions. This can also criticize the act of war according to Melville because in war the law says humans fight then they fight regardless of the violent outcome. They fight regardless of their own feelings on the matter. In sum, when law is involved, human free will is of no effect.
While law claims to bring justice, it actually always brings violence to those it initially intended to protect. The laws of nature no longer hold when law is applied.
"Herman Melville." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009.
Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Other Tales. New York: Signet Classics, 2009.
Shaw, Peter "The fate of a story." American Scholar 62.4 (1993): 591. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009.
The character Captain Vere must rely on the law to bring justice to the case of Billy Budd and Claggart. “How can we adjudge to summary and shameful death a fellow creature innocent before God, and whom we feel to be so?—Does that state it aright?” (Melville 79). Vere put Billy to death by the Articles of War despite his feelings. In law, there is no justice for everyone because law is not natural. For Melville and transcendentalism, Billy is the essence of nature itself, but in the end, Vere must confine in the law and sentence Billy to death. By application of the law, humans are going against nature.
In the end the law controls and justifies what humans do. “…in receiving our commissions, we in the most important regards ceased to be natural free agents” (Melville 79). Vere as a human and sailor is a part of nature but at the same time must confine in something so unnatural as the law. Law takes away free will to make our own decisions. This can also criticize the act of war according to Melville because in war the law says humans fight then they fight regardless of the violent outcome. They fight regardless of their own feelings on the matter. In sum, when law is involved, human free will is of no effect.
While law claims to bring justice, it actually always brings violence to those it initially intended to protect. The laws of nature no longer hold when law is applied.
"Herman Melville." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 30 Nov. 2009
Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Other Tales. New York: Signet Classics, 2009.
Shaw, Peter "The fate of a story." American Scholar 62.4 (1993): 591. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2009.
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