Walt Whitman

1
Walt Whitman

• Click to listen to audio clip

2
Influence of Emerson

• Drew upon ideas from Emerson
• American Individualism intuitive faith
  spiritual potential belief and trust in
  democracy and common people
• Whitman was, as he later said, simmering, and
  Emersons ideas brought him to a boil
• A man that speaks for himself speaks for us all
• I celebrate myself, And what I assume you shall
  assume

3
His poetry

• Whitman argued poetry must embrace every aspect
  of life
• Celebrated and criticized post war age
• Valuable expression of American nationalism
• Deplorable materialism that corrupts democratic
  values
• Language of his poetry was vivid and confusing
  with its rapid shifts from abstractions to
  personal revelations
• Voice of poetry was democratic---individuals
  speak out freely and directly to the audience

4

• New poetry
• Discarded traditional form and structure (favored
  free verse)
• Emphasizes all of the senses, especially touch

5
Leaves of Grass

• On-going collection of poems throughout Whitmans
  life
• 1855 originally published expanded edition in
  1856
• Some of the new poems reflected his experiences
  caring for wounded soldiers and his reaction to
  the assassination of Lincoln

6
Song of Myself

• What are the themes (one from each selection)
  that illustrate transcendental influences?

7
When I Heard the Learnd Astronomer

• This poem reinforces an idea from Thoreau (and
  Emerson too).
• What is it?

8
Beat! Beat! Drums!
What is Whitmans attitude about the Civil
War? Look especially at lines 2, 9, 17-21