American Influences of Walt Whitman

Living through the 1800’s, Whitman was exposed to a civil war that tore his country apart and aftermath that forever defined the U.S. These events influenced his poetry in that he wrote about the ideas that dealt with democracy and the bonds that connected man. In response to America’s new and ever-changing position in the world, Whitman also tried to develop a poetry that was uniquely American, while at the same time, striving to surpass the poets before him. The U.S poet Walt Whitman is considered one of the greatest poets of all time because he was one of the first to utilize free verse and praise the individual in a democratic society in his poetry collection, “Leaves of Grass”. When Whitman died in 1892, “Leaves of Grass” had since been re-written eight different times and had grown larger with every edition.

American society has been drastically shaped through the strong beliefs of its poets, journalists and all around writers such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Gisnsberg, William S Burroughs and many more. Although each and every one of these writers are brilliant individuals, it is undeniable that they were highly influenced by the great Walt Whitman. Walt Whitman was a bright American individual who consistently crossed the conservative boundaries with his excellent writing skills. Walter “Walt” was an American poet, essayist and journalist. He was a big part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism and both of his views were apparent in his works.

Walt Whitman was looked upon as the forerunner of 20th Century poetry, praising democracy, and becoming a proclaimed poet of American democracy. He was known as the "Son of Long Island," and he loved his country and everything about it. (Current, Williams, Freidel- page 292-293). Whitman lived during the time of the Civil War; a fact that increased his patriotism. Whitman was considered one of the most important American Poets of the 19th Century.

Authors were fascinated by the idea of t... ... middle of paper ... ... Thoreau took the traditional essay and brought romance and passion into its paragraphs, like many other authors in the romantic movement. With a new, frightening, and morphing world around them, American authors and poets began a shift in literature style that would forever leave its imprint on bookshelves in the United States and the world. With such influences as the push westward, an influx of immigrants, and a search for spiritual resolution, it is no wonder that the romantic period was born. This movement brought with it many themes such as nature as a refuge, high imagination, and emotional intensity. Also changed during this early 17th century movement was the medium of literature which included poems, short stories, and essays.

Walt Whitman – Poetic Realist Walt Whitman, one of the great American poets of the 19th and 20th centuries, was inspired to further his passion and talent for writing by what some would refer to as a call to action, by the writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson, known in his time as an “American Transcendentalist” writer, called poets of the mid 1800s into action with his essay entitled: “The Poet.” The fact that Walt Whitman, considered a realist poet, was inspired in part by this transcendentalist perfectly illustrates the constant progression of literary styles of that time. It seems through his poetry that Whitman desired to take his writing a step further than was traditionally done. He stepped successfully into realism, perhaps without readers even noticing at first that he was in part pioneering a new literary movement. To understand how Whitman transitioned into realism, one must first understand transcendentalism.

That’s where the thinking comes in.” That is truly an amazing feat; he would just walk around looking at things and a poem would come into his head. He would write these entire inspirational poems in his head and didn’t even think that it was unusual. The best poet of the 20th century did not write rough drafts! In 1915 he moved to New England and... ... middle of paper ... ... the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. He once stated that his major goal in life was to write “a few poems that would be hard to get rid of.” Well, congratulations Mr.

Paul Lauter.Boston, NewYork: Houghton Mifflin,1998. *Renyolds, David S., Walt Whitman's America-A Cultural Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. *Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered by many to be the central American figure in literacy, His transcendentalism deeply affected his writing, making it his poetic them found throughout his poetry, such as: Brahma, Concord Hyman, and Each and All. Part One: Biography Biographical Facts When Ralph Waldo Emerson first came into this world, a future star of literacy was born. Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803. He was raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He lived a prosperous life full of sadness and success.

Many poets, writers, and composers heeded his call to not be afraid, take risks, and be open to the “Air [that] tastes good to [their] my palate.” (Song of Myself, 24) Poets and writers, D. H. Lawrence, William Carlos Williams, Hart Crane, Langston Hughes and Ezra Pound felt he was America’s poet. To understand America, they said, one had to read Whitman. (Poetry Foundation) Many 20th century composers honored his work by setting his poetry to their music: Ralph Vaughn Williams, Kurt Weill, and Leonard Bernstein to name a few. (American Composers

The Cambridge Companion to Walt Whitman. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995: 27-44. Whitman, Walt. "Beat! Beat!