Walt WhitmanWalt Whitman

I hear America singing…I hear America singing…

““I celebrate myself…”I celebrate myself…”

Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 on Walt Whitman was born May 31, 1819 on South Huntington, Long Island, New York.South Huntington, Long Island, New York.

He was almost entirely self-education, He was almost entirely self-education, especially admiring the work of Dante, especially admiring the work of Dante, Shakespeare, and Homer.Shakespeare, and Homer.

His mother described him as “very good, but His mother described him as “very good, but very strange.”very strange.”

His brother described him as being “stubborner His brother described him as being “stubborner [sic] than a load of bricks.”[sic] than a load of bricks.”

CareerCareer

Apprenticed to a printer.Apprenticed to a printer. Taught school at 17.Taught school at 17. Editor of Editor of The Brooklyn EagleThe Brooklyn Eagle, a , a

respected newspaper, but was fired for respected newspaper, but was fired for his outspoken opposition to slavery.his outspoken opposition to slavery.

Civil War nurse.Civil War nurse.

Whitman’s PoetryWhitman’s Poetry

Whitman declared his poetry would have:Whitman declared his poetry would have: Long lines that capture the rhythms of Long lines that capture the rhythms of

natural speech.natural speech. Free verse.Free verse. Vocabulary drawn from everyday speech.Vocabulary drawn from everyday speech. A base in reality, not morality.A base in reality, not morality.

Leaves of GrassLeaves of Grass The first version of his masterpiece, The first version of his masterpiece, Leaves of GrassLeaves of Grass, ,

appeared in 1855.appeared in 1855. Emerson praised Whitman’s poetry as “the most Emerson praised Whitman’s poetry as “the most

extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet to contribute.”yet to contribute.”

Whitman used these words, written by Emerson in a Whitman used these words, written by Emerson in a letter to Whitman, in a later introduction to letter to Whitman, in a later introduction to Leaves of Leaves of Grass. Grass. Emerson was not amused.Emerson was not amused.

John Greenleaf Whittier threw his copy of the book into John Greenleaf Whittier threw his copy of the book into the fireplace.the fireplace.

Another critic dismissed it as “just a barbaric yawp.”Another critic dismissed it as “just a barbaric yawp.” Longfellow, Holmes, and Lowell were equally Longfellow, Holmes, and Lowell were equally

unimpressed.unimpressed. Even Thoreau was appalled by Whitman’s poetry, and Even Thoreau was appalled by Whitman’s poetry, and

he was certainly no conformist!he was certainly no conformist!

What’s his deal?What’s his deal?

Why were so many writers shocked by Why were so many writers shocked by Whitman?Whitman?

His lack of regular rhyme and meter (free His lack of regular rhyme and meter (free verse) and nontraditional poetic style and verse) and nontraditional poetic style and subject matter shocked more traditional writers.subject matter shocked more traditional writers.

He also wrote poetry with unabashedly sexual He also wrote poetry with unabashedly sexual imagery and themes, some of them imagery and themes, some of them homoerotic. Examples include the Calamus homoerotic. Examples include the Calamus poems and “I Sing the Body Electric.”poems and “I Sing the Body Electric.”

O Captain! My Captain!O Captain! My Captain!

Whitman wrote poetry in praise of Whitman wrote poetry in praise of Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ““When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”

(an elegy written after Lincoln’s (an elegy written after Lincoln’s assassination).assassination).

““O Captain! My Captain!” memorializes O Captain! My Captain!” memorializes Lincoln’s passing as the death of a great Lincoln’s passing as the death of a great man and the death of the era he dominated. man and the death of the era he dominated. It was used to great effect in It was used to great effect in Dead Poets’ Dead Poets’ Society.Society.

Whitman’s InfluenceWhitman’s Influence Along with Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman stands as Along with Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman stands as

one of two giants of American poetry in the nineteenth one of two giants of American poetry in the nineteenth century.century.

Whitman’s poetry would influence such Harlem Whitman’s poetry would influence such Harlem Renaissance writers as Langston Hughes and James Renaissance writers as Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson.Weldon Johnson.

Whitman influenced Beat poets such as Allen Whitman influenced Beat poets such as Allen Ginsburg.Ginsburg.

Chilean writer Pablo Neruda claimed to have been Chilean writer Pablo Neruda claimed to have been influenced by Whitman.influenced by Whitman.

Whitman’s poetry was a model for French symbolists, Whitman’s poetry was a model for French symbolists, such as Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, and Arthur such as Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Verlaine, and Arthur Rimbaud.Rimbaud.

Modernist poets such as Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and Modernist poets such as Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and W.H. Auden were also influenced by Whitman.W.H. Auden were also influenced by Whitman.

““Out of the Cradle, Out of the Cradle, endlessly rocking…”endlessly rocking…”

Whitman died on March 26, 1892, one Whitman died on March 26, 1892, one year after the final edition of year after the final edition of Leaves of Leaves of GrassGrass was published. was published.

His autopsy revealed his cause of death His autopsy revealed his cause of death as emphysema.as emphysema.

The Least You Need to The Least You Need to KnowKnow

Whitman created new poetic forms and Whitman created new poetic forms and subjects to fashion a distinctly American type subjects to fashion a distinctly American type of poetic expression.of poetic expression.

He rejected conventional themes, traditional He rejected conventional themes, traditional literary references, allusions, and rhyme—all literary references, allusions, and rhyme—all the accepted forms of poetry in the 19the accepted forms of poetry in the 19 thth century.century.

He uses long lines to capture the rhythms of He uses long lines to capture the rhythms of natural speech, free verse, and vocabulary natural speech, free verse, and vocabulary drawn from everyday speech.drawn from everyday speech.