WALT WHITMAN

1. WALT WHITMAN Poetic Influences and Themes

2. SPIRTUALITY • Whitman underwent some sort of spiritual experience in the 1850’s that was transformative to his life • When Whitman referred to spirituality, he was referring to his belief that every human being was part of the One – a concept that reflected transcendentalist influences

3. EMPHASIS ON THE BODY • Whitman saw the human body as God’s greatest creation • He celebrated the human body and emphasized its goodness, cleanliness, and purity

4. CELEBRATION AND PRAISE • Whitman viewed his poetry as a celebration of humankind • His poetry praises the American spirit and embraces life • He saw this spirit in the working hands of Americans – the bricklayers, the carpenters, the ditch diggers, the knife sharpeners, etc.

5. LOVE FOR ALL THINGS GOOD & EVIL • Whitman’s poetry explored and celebrated the goodness of life and evilness of life in equal terms • Whitman’s poetry showed love and compassion equally for those who were good and those who were evil

6. EQUALITY • Whitman was known as a democratic poet • His poetry emphasized the equality of all humans, including Blacks and women • This was not a commonly held view at the time and caused controversy

7. THE CATALOG • Whitman’s poetry often cataloged, or listed, a multitude of images or examples • These images and examples were described in great detail • These images and examples were emphasized equally • At times this cataloging/listing would cover multiple pages

8. SIMULTANEITY OF EVENTS • Whitman’s poetry often expressed chains of related events happening simultaneously (at the same time) • This technique gave his poetry a sense of timelessness • Whitman saw himself standing at the center of time, viewing all events past, present, and future

9. REPETITION • Whitman’s poetry coupled the literary device of repetition with cataloging and the simultaneity of events • The repetitiveness created a cadence, almost like a religious chant

10. REPETITION • He used a literary device called anaphora – the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of a line of poetry • He also used a literary device called epistrophe – the repetition of the same word or words at the end of a line of poetry

11. INTIMACY OF ADDRESS • The voice that Whitman expressed in his poetry was warm, welcoming, and familiar • Whitman wanted the reader to become a part of his poem

12. SEXUALITY • Whitman’s poetry was blunt and unashamed in its expressions of sexuality • This sexuality extended to both female and male

13. INDIVIDUALITY • Even though Whitman listed vast numbers of people and occupations, his poetry greatly valued the importance of the individual in a democratic system

14. THE USE OF “I” • Whitman’s poetry is written from the first person point of view – the “I” view • The first person poetic narrator was rarely found in poetry of Whitman’s day • This form of narration personalized and made intimate his poetry

15. MIX OF DICTION • Whitman’s poetry used the common language and expressions of the people of his day • Whitman’s poetry also used the poetic diction of an educated scholar

16. POETRY OF THE CITY • Whitman’s poetry was among the first to explore the vibrancy of city life • Whitman’s poetry reflected the energy below and on the surface of New York City

17. THE LONG LINE • One clear stylistic technique of Whitman’s poetry was the use of the long line • These long lines of verse rolled over the reader like a never-ending series of ocean waves from Song of Myself The married and unmarried children ride home to their Thanksgiving dinner, The pilot seizes the king-pin, he heaves down with a strong arm, The mate stands braced in the whale-boat, lance and harpoon are ready, The duck-shooter walks by silent and cautious stretches, The deacons are ordain'd with cross'd hands at the altar, The spinning-girl retreats and advances to the hum of the big wheel, The farmer stops by the bars as he walks on a First-day loafe and looks at the oats and rye, The lunatic is carried at last to the asylum a confirm'd case, (He will never sleep any more as he did in the cot in his mother's bed-room;) The jour printer with gray head and gaunt jaws works at his case, He turns his quid of tobacco while his eyes blurr with the manuscript; The malform'd limbs are tied to the surgeon's table, What is removed drops horribly in a pail;

18. THE USE OF THE ELLIPSIS… • Whitman often combined long poetic lines with an ellipsis • This punctuation technique intimated, if possible, that Whitman had left some things unsaid or unlisted • It also allowed the reader a pause to take a breath