Song Of Myself Analysis

“Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman is a great American poem that reflects the nation’s ideals such as freedom, equality, and unity. These ideas were much needed at the time of its first publication in 1855, ten years before the American Civil War. The poem was published again 1n 1891 just before the poet’s death. “Song of Myself” should serve as an American epic because of its representation of American tradition, culture, and ideals. It also strives to include all of the country’s extremely diverse population, which is a difficult task. According to Lauri Honko, culture is how people see, think, and interact with the world. He also defines tradition as the physical materials that make up culture1. It is critical to understand both culture and tradition when attempting to identify an epic because an epic must represent both of these aspects. “Song of Myself” captures American culture and tradition in its catalogues found throughout. By listing things such as day to day activities of people from different walks of life, Whitman unites himself with them. By describing their actions, he shows that he understands them, their traditions, and their culture. By becoming a part of the people he is describing, they become a part of the poem, and the themes of the poem open up to include them. This engages the

The poem is not written in traditional epic style such as The Odyssey or The Aeneid, but instead adopts a free verse style. Whitman’s choice of how to write the poem reflects on his thoughts of the country. Since America is unlike any country before it, its epic should not be limited to the same traditional style. Instead its style should be as free as the country which it represents, and propose a revolutionary set of ideals which will one day become an example for others to