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Analysis of walt whitman song
Whitman as a transcendentalist
Whitman as a transcendentalist
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Walt Whitman’s beautiful poem, O Me! O Life!, argues that “life exists” and builds upon the ideas of transcendentalism to emphasize individualism. He structures his poem into two stanzas in order to produce a question and answer style mimicking how an individual would deal through their consciousness with the dilemmas present in life. Throughout the first stanza, he depicts how the individual believes that he is the most “foolish” and “faithless” in a world flooded with those specific characteristics that have come to define society. This part especially touched me as I often am my own worst enemy, lambasting myself for my mistakes and thinking that no one could make as dumb of mistakes as I have. Moreover, I fail to lift up my head and notice
Poetry is a universe of subjectivity. When two poems are set up, side-by-side, to create discussion, results may vary. But it is clear in Sherman Alexie’s two poems, “Defending Walt Whitman” and “How to Write the Great American Indian Novel”, where the discussion must go. Alexie explores Native American culture and the effect that the Europeans have had on the native people of the United States. This feat is accomplished through the thoughtful use of several literary devices, including tone, simile, allusion, and metaphor.
Throughout history LGBT literature has been growing and changing for the better. What was once something shadowed in ambiguity and covered up by society’s perception is now something that is overwhelming prevalent even celebrated. This literature can take a variety of forms such beautiful flowing poetry, as in the case of potential closeted writer Walt Whitman, outspoken activist Audre Lorde, or intense author Allen Ginsberg. It can be packaged tell all in a biography as it is for youtuber Tyler Oakley, AIDS activist Paul Monette, or songwriter Laura Jane Grace. It can be a novel related to their own identity as it is for authors Julie Ann Peters and David Levithan. Or it can in a variety of other literary mediums or reasons as it is for authors
...’s reevaluation and extolling of the flesh body, it is not difficult for us to conclude that the essence of “Song of Myself” is a passionate praise for life. The poem fully expressed Whitman’s celebration of the force of life, which drives the universe to move forward. The life spirit is the key concept to summarize and outline this American poet and his poems. To display the life spirit, each “myself” must experience and encounter the world and the nature from both the physical and spiritual level. Body and sexual love deserve as much as praising as the soul. “God” is also no longer the one in a strictly Christian sense, but the universe itself driven by life spirit, the full and complete realization of each “self” in the universe. Correspondingly, the way to discover and meet “God” is to return to “myself” through embracing human nature and every aspect of life.
Walt Whitman an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works.
O Me! O Life! by Walt Whitman illustrates the true meaning of life, and how living a fuller life should be one's primary goal even in the midst of difficult times. Whitman reflects on the “poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds” he sees around him. In the first stanza, Whitman includes the essence of the “sordid” crowd to indicate its sorrowful factors. By focusing on the evil’s that surround him, Whitman is asking himself if his life is even worth living. In the second stanza, Whitman dares to answer his own question by exhibiting how the “play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” Revealing his answer to the question entitles the people to know that even though difficult times surround them, their lives will continue and
Poems by Walt Whitman and Hanshan feature strong enlightenment ideals and prevalent references to nature as a way to achieve these ideals. Though the two men lived in very different times, their works carry similar messages. Following the path to enlightenment generally refers to the Buddhist Eightfold Path, though it has been adapted over time to refer to the state of understanding a person reaches, both of oneself and his or her surroundings, as well as of that beyond what can be sensed. Relying solely on one’s talents and denying society and worldly possessions are typically seen as characteristics of an enlightened person, as seen in the writings of both Whitman and Hanshan.
Through the clever use of anaphora, well-chosen appropriate diction, and varied sentence structures, Whitman was able to emphasize and effectively portray to the reader how learning from the astronomer was boring and useless while learning from nature was superior. By doing so, Whitman was able to extend the ideal of transcendentalism that true knowledge is gained from first hand experiences from nature and not from traditional learning practices and reading books.
Whitman, Walt. “Song Of Myself.” Retrieved from: Norton Anthology of American Literature. 2013. Print: Pages 24-66
Although Whitman's and Dickinson's poetry contained many similarities through ideas of transcendentalism, the contents of their writings are what separates them from one another. Many of Whitman's writings included the subject of nationalism. Through nationalism, Whitman have written some of his works portraying himself as everyone in America. In one of his Poem, Song of Myself, whitman stated that he is not different than everyone else, and everyone else is just like him as well. “For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.” (Whitman). Whitman stated in this line that each and everyone are the same, that everybody in this country should be classified with the same identity and nothing more. By providing nationalism in his works,
Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is a vision of the American spirit, a vision of Whitman himself. It is his cry for democracy, giving each of us a voice through his poetry. Each of us has a voice and desires, and this is Whitman's representation of our voices, the voice of America. America, the great melting pot, was founded for freedom and democracy, and this poem is his way of re-instilling these lost American ideals. In this passage from "Song of Myself" Whitman speaks through his fellow man and speaks for his fellow man when his voice is not socially acceptable to be heard.
According to the critics, Walt Whitman is one of America's most inspiring and imaginative poets. Taking ordinary thoughts, Whitman develops ingenious and beautiful stanzas that capture the attention of readers to this day. "Re-examine all that you have been told... dismiss that which insults your soul" (ThinkExist). Taking everyday moments, Whitman provides descriptive, yet intriguing ideas pertaining to the human soul.
Society shapes human beings into what they think is perfection. People in today’s society follow the world’s rituals as they continue to conform to fit in to the latest trends. Today, implants, plastic surgery, and weight loss treatments are the reason people have money set aside in their savings accounts. The pressure of others claims to be the main reason people change their hair, skin, and size, and often forget about their own special characteristics. There is a reason Walt Whitman, writes “I Celebrate Myself, and Sing Myself,” to show the importance of loving yourself and cherishing your own personal qualities as a human being. He speaks of himself, hoping to grab his readers’ attention. Throughout the poem, “I Celebrate Myself, and Sing
In “Leaves of Grass” Song of myself section six, the poem expresses author Walt Whitman's transcendentalism views, and emphasizes Life’s role and effect on one's mentality. The speaker is Whitman, who is confronted by a child with a question, and throughout the poem responds with incomplete thoughts instead of a direct answer for the child. The speaker wishes to achieve the answer to the question himself . Through Whitman’s syntax and symbolism he establishes a revelatory tone deeply tied to transcendentalism.
Walt Whitman used free verse in “Song of Myself” in order to connect with the common man and his American readers. In this first person narrative, Whitman deconstructs the “self” into many different sections that all are a part of the celebration of the individual. Some of the topics he breaks the “self” into are self- identity, and human exploration (including the human body and sexuality). In the poem, Whitman uses a speaker to exclaim that for individuals to grow they must discover themselves spiritually, physically, and mentally. The speaker in the poem
Originally published in 1855, Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” is a classic piece of narrative poetry. Whitman is known for using a multitude of stanzas with varying lengths, without having a formal rhyme scheme or structure. In “Song of Myself,” we see that there is no rhyme scheme. Looking at Whitman’s style at composing poems, “Song of Myself” is no exception to Whitman’s ability to construct smooth, free flowing poetry. There isn’t really a form being shown, he simply writes as if he were telling a story, which he is. However, Walt uses several literary devices while doing so. You can see that Whitman uses repetition in three of his lines all beginning with “It may be…” Other things that you may notice are metaphors that he includes in this section.