Emily Dickinson and Walt Witman Clash

788 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Emily dickinson and walt whitman theme comparison

The definition of poetry, instead of becoming more selective and exact, has become a much more broad and open minded classification of literature. From It's beginning's in romanticist Puritan literature, to its more modernistic function on present society, poetry has become a way to blend the psychological side of human intellect, with the emotional side of human intuition and curiosity. Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were two early poets from the late 19th century. Unlike Walt, Emily liked to write at home, she was a more secluded author who enjoyed to look out the window for inspiration. Walt on the other hand loved to travel. He found inspiration through nature and the diversity of thriving cultures throughout the world. Although these writers found inspiration from two different methods, their poems have distinct similarities in theme, images, and main ideas.
Take Walt's work “O Captain, My Captain” for example, when he says, “My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will” (Whitman, line 14). In this poem, he expresses his feelings on the result of Abraham Lincoln's death. Death seems to be a common in late 19th century poetry, most likely because of its “cause and effect” relationship with sadness. Dickinson also likes to write about the effect of death on the human psyche. This can be seen in her poem, “Because I could not stop for Death.” In the first stanza of her poem, she says, “Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me– “ (Dickinson, line 1). This quote shows how Emily uses personification to show death as a solemn human being who cannot be persuaded. Like Whitman, Emily sees no true positive outcome from death. Both poets illustr...

... middle of paper ...

...h of writing styles from Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, poetry would never be where it is today.

Work Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "Because I could not Stop for Death." Poets.org. Academy of American
Poets, 7 20 2013. Web. 3 Aug 2013. .
Dickinson, Emily. “God Gave a Loaf to Every Bird” n.d Web. 2 Feb. 2014.
Dickinson, Emily. "Success Is Counted Sweetest." Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 7 20 2013. Web.
3 Aug 2013. .

Whitman, Walt. "I Hear America Singing." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 8 10 2013.
Web. 3 Aug 2013. .
Whitman, Walt. “Leaves of Grass” n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.
Whitman, Walt. "O Captain, My Captain." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 7 20 2013.
Web. 3 Aug 2013. .

Show More
Related

  • Essay Comparing Dickinson And Walt Whitman's Poetry

    508 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman had different styles of writing, they did convey the same attitude and acceptance toward death. Both Dickinson’s “712” and Whitman’s “From “Song of Myself” poems showed death was something natural that had to happen and we need to accept it at a certain point in life. Both wrote poems about it as if it were no big deal, but something peaceful. Both poets used much imagery to convey this message very clear to their audience.

    Read More

  • Dickinson Vs. Whitman

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    Walt Whitman published practically all his poetry during his lifetime, but Emily Dickinson only published seven of her poems during her lifetime. Actually, her poetry wasn't published until after her death. Both Whitman and Dickinson were poetic pioneers because of the new ideas they used in their poetry. Emily Dickinson did not write for an audience, but Walt Whitman wrote for an audience about several national events. The forms each poet uses are different as well.

    Read More

  • Comparing Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson

    721 Words  | 2 Pages

    The lives of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson have many similarities and differences. Here, we will focus on the similarities in their lives in order to bring to attention a correlation between Whitman's poem I Saw in Louisiana a Live-oak Growing and Dickinson's poem # 1510. Both poets wrote during the time of Romanticism, even though Whitman was Dickinson's senior by some eleven years. This however did not influence the way the writing styles of many of their poems coincided.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Whitman And Dickinson

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    They are the founders of American poetry, yet they had complete opposite lifestyles. They also include many differences, such as how they view the world and how they were raised as children. Dickinson was restricted to her house when she was younger all throughout her life, she then developed a more depressing tone to her work. Whitman had a life that was completely different compared to Dickinson’s life, for example, Whitman was a traveler and was able to see the world for how it really was. Whitman also believed that people should go out and see the world for how it really is, to go out and live life how they want to. This all can be shown in their poems, Dickinson shows her feelings in her poem “There is a solitude of space” Dickinson writes “There is a solitude of space A solitude of sea A solitude of death,” In her writing she explains how she feels, writing about her loneliness, by using symbolism in her writing. Whitman describes his views on the world through his writing as well, from Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing” Whitman writes “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,” Whitman explains that people should be happy and whatever job they have. Dickinson and Whitman have many similarities, yet in their similarities they share

    Read More

  • Compare The Difference Between Walt Whitman And Emily Dickinson

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    Though they wrote in completely different styles, and regarded their similar themes in alternate ways they both made a risk in tearing down the traditional borders that previously defined poetry. Walt Whitman was raised without many boundaries, and traveled across the United States experiencing new people, places, and important events that formed the identity of the nation. Everything about that demonstrates why he wrote in loose, unbounded manner, and why he wrote about the topics that he did. Emily Dickinson lived the farthest opposite life of Whitman’s as she became a hermit and wrote poetry in seclusion. Her conservative, religious, and solitary life shows through in her poetry as it is more from an observational perspective, and the structure and flow are so neat and proper. Even with their diverse sense of writing, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman helped create the movement toward modern American poetry, and their poems are still held in high regards

    Read More

  • Emily Dickinson: Life and Literature

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    The works of Emily Dickinson will forever be remembered and the connections she made with readers throughout the centuries will be lasting. Her lifestyle was different than the poets of her time, but her isolation in her home and many tragedies in her life led to the beautiful and unique poems and letters she wrote. Emily Dickinson’s works changed American Literature and any of the people that read her work.

    Read More

  • Comparing Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson

    373 Words  | 1 Pages

    During the time in American history known as the, several poets began to stray from the traditional methods of writing poetry. Among these poets were Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. While these writer's led drastically different lifestyles and had drastically different styles of writing, the messages they presented through their writing were often surprisingly similar. Whitman's poem "Song of Myself, No.6" and Dickinson's poem "This quiet Dust was Gentlemen and Ladies" are examples of pieces which, on the surface, appear completely different, but in fact contain several similarities. Indeed, several similarities and differences can be found between these two poems.

    Read More

  • Death and Emily Dickinson

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Death, the end of life: the time when someone or something dies” (Merriam-Webster, 2014). The definition of death is quite simple, the end of life is inescapable. I chose to write about death and impermanence because it is something we all must inevitably face. People often deal with death in a number of different ways. Although it is something that we must eventually face, it can be hard to come to terms with because the idea can be hard to grasp. Some of us fear it, others are able to accept it, either way we all must eventually face it. In this essay I will look at two different literary works about death and impermanence and compare and contrast the different elements of the point of view, theme, setting, and symbolism. The comparison of these particular works will offer a deeper look into words written by the authors and the feelings that they experiencing at that particular time.

    Read More

  • Emily Dickinson Influences

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    Emily Dickinson was a different type of poet that has people thinking of things people would never think about in another author’s work. Dickinson was born and raised with the rich life with only two siblings. Her work was inspired by her much of her childhood and the people she interacted with. An example of Dickinson’s different type of style is, “ So I conclude that space and time are things of the body and have little or nothing to do with ourselves. My Country is Truth,”(Berry) Emily Dickinson did not share hardly any of her writing when she was alive. According to Berry,” With the exception of six poems that appeared in newspapers at various times, and another that appeared in a collection of stories and poems in 1878, Emily Dickinson never published her work,” (Berry) Even though Dickinson wrote differently, does not mean she had a different lifestyle compared to most people today. Dickinson was an outstanding American poet where her childhood, family and friends, religion, and education inspired most of her poetry.

    Read More

  • My Life Had Stood A Loaded Gun

    500 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the course of literature poetry has always continued to evolve in many different themes along with the authors themselves. Time has allowed many readers to explicate the meanings of some poems and share what they think is the true meaning of it. Authors like Emily Dickinson for example had composed many poems that are discussed and analyzed today by everyday people, students, and even other authors.

    Read More

  • Emily Dickinson Regionalism

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all.”(Quotes 1). Hope is what Emily Dickinson had. She did what she wanted to do not what was going on during the time period. Although Emily Dickinson’s writings were not published while she was alive, Emily Dickinson is very influential to the writers of today. Emily Dickinson was affected by her surroundings and the events she endured throughout her life. Emily lived during the Realism and Regionalism periods. Realism is focusing on ordinary people suffering through harsh circumstances and realizing how hard life is. In the regionalism period, writers attempted to depict and analyze the distinctive and unique qualities of geographical locations and the location’s people. Her writings were not published until the Modernist period. Emily Dickinson loved the thought of death and the thought of nature ,as well as, the rise of Realism and Regionalism in the United States, these greatly influenced her writing and poetry.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Works of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman

    1325 Words  | 3 Pages

    In both Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman’s works, they emphasize some differences in their writing. In Dickinson’s works she shows that her works are short and simple poems, while Whitman’s poems and often long and complex. With Dickinson showing that her works are short and simple, while Whitman brings on a more sophisticated style, it truly shows that they use their own unique style of writing. In both Whitman and Dickinson works they have been known for being such unique artist and being original, while people try so hardly to impersonate their style, but they are unable to come close to accomplishing it.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Emily Dickinson And Walt Whitman

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are both considered as the most original poets who has boldly revolutionized the subject and style of 20th-century American poetry. Both the poets come from vastly different backgrounds but they share common inspirations but in a distinctive way. They both lived polar opposite personal lives as Walt was friendly, outgoing and influential, while Emily was very simple, shy, isolate and content. A lot of poems written by them were based on nature, death, and immortality and they focused on the importance of individualism in the society like in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt and “Much Madness is most divine Sense” by Emily. Together, they both have huge hands to shape the American poetry, and their influences

    Read More

  • The Theme of Death in Poetry

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Theme of Death in Poetry Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson are two Modern American Poets who consistently wrote about the theme of death. While there are some comparisons between the two poets, when it comes to death as a theme, their writing styles were quite different. Robert Frost’s poem, “Home Burial,” and Emily Dickinson’s poems, “I felt a Funeral in my Brain,” and “I died for Beauty,” are three poems concerning death. While the theme is constant there are differences as well as similarities between the poets and their poems. The obvious comparison between the three poems is the theme of death.

    Read More

  • Themes of Death and Immortality in Emily Dickinson's Poetry

    991 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout Emily Dickinson’s poetry there is a reoccurring theme of death and immortality. The theme of death is further separated into two major categories including the curiosity Dickinson held of the process of dying and the feelings accompanied with it and the reaction to the death of a loved one. Two of Dickinson’s many poems that contain a theme of death include: “Because I Could Not Stop For Death,” and “After great pain, a formal feeling comes.”

    Read More

More about Emily Dickinson and Walt Witman Clash

Open Document