Whitman, the democratic poet
WHITMAN, THE DEMOCRATIC POET
When the first edition of Leaves of Grass was originally published in 1855, Walt Whitman 's collection of poems was a slender yet ideologically rich book. Although only fully recognized after his death, Whitman 's body of work has become the emblem of American democracy. If in the beginning he had been scorned, ignored, or misunderstood, slowly and steadily Whitman achieved international fame, and is now arguably one of the most influential American poets of all time. Leaves of Grass drove the public to consider its powerful political and social message; in fact, throughout his poems, Whitman 's strong political view is emphasized to the point that he is considered by many as the poet and prophet of American democracy. The Preface to Leaves of Grass is not simply just a theoretical essay on democracy, but a manifesto, in which Whitman expresses his perspective on American democracy, and in particular the social, public role that the poet must obtain in this new age.
In his Preface to Leaves of Grass, Whitman is not concerned with lyrical style and form, but rather emphasizes the theme of democracy; his ideological vision of equality transpires through his positive attitude towards his country and its people. In 19th century America, part of the population still greatly doubted democracy as a political system; however, in his works, Whitman urges the American people to embrace democracy, underlining his vision of a brotherhood of man that he will never cease believing. In the Preface, in one of his most infamous quotes, Whitman affirms that „The Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth, have probably the fullest poetical nature. The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem“ (Whitman, 2) , underlining the uniqueness and diversity of the vast American population, the „teeming nation of nations“ (Whitman, 29). Whitman regarded America as the symbol of
When the first edition of Leaves of Grass was originally published in 1855, Walt Whitman 's collection of poems was a slender yet ideologically rich book. Although only fully recognized after his death, Whitman 's body of work has become the emblem of American democracy. If in the beginning he had been scorned, ignored, or misunderstood, slowly and steadily Whitman achieved international fame, and is now arguably one of the most influential American poets of all time. Leaves of Grass drove the public to consider its powerful political and social message; in fact, throughout his poems, Whitman 's strong political view is emphasized to the point that he is considered by many as the poet and prophet of American democracy. The Preface to Leaves of Grass is not simply just a theoretical essay on democracy, but a manifesto, in which Whitman expresses his perspective on American democracy, and in particular the social, public role that the poet must obtain in this new age.
In his Preface to Leaves of Grass, Whitman is not concerned with lyrical style and form, but rather emphasizes the theme of democracy; his ideological vision of equality transpires through his positive attitude towards his country and its people. In 19th century America, part of the population still greatly doubted democracy as a political system; however, in his works, Whitman urges the American people to embrace democracy, underlining his vision of a brotherhood of man that he will never cease believing. In the Preface, in one of his most infamous quotes, Whitman affirms that „The Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth, have probably the fullest poetical nature. The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem“ (Whitman, 2) , underlining the uniqueness and diversity of the vast American population, the „teeming nation of nations“ (Whitman, 29). Whitman regarded America as the symbol of
Cited: "Modern American Literature." Google Books. Atlantic, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Whitman, Walt. "Preface to Leaves of Grass, 1855." Bartleby. The Oxford Book of American Essays, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. Folsom, Ed, and Kenneth M. Price. Re-scripting Walt Whitman: An Introduction to His Life and Work. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005. Web. QUESTIONS: 1) Whitman had a very strong, positive view on democracy, although at the time many people believed the US was not ready for it. What historical events influenced this general idea? 2) Similarly to Wordsworth, Whitman believes that the language used by the poet shoud be a simple language used by the common man. What other elements do the two poets have in common, and how are they different? 3) 3) Whitman considers the role of the poet as the spokesman for society. Are there other poets that you are aware of that give this social or political role to the poet? 4) The role of nature is also very important for Whitman. Compare it with the role of nature in other Romantics. 5) How was Walt Whitman innovative for his time? 6) Why do you think does Whitman use a blade of grass to symbolize his poems?