Dominant Themes In Whitmans Poetry Essay - 711 Words

The dominant themes that are more pervasive in Whitman’s poetry are democracy, life/death cycles, individualism, and nature. These themes play major roles in some of his more notable poems such as â€Å"Songs of Myself† or â€Å"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.† He used democracy as a theme to bring society together, and unite everyone based on their general beliefs. He depicted life and death cycles to merge society together on a spiritual level. Despite his eagerness to unite society he also embraced individualism, and is also a persistent theme in most of his poetry. Nature was an important concept that Whitman used to convince people who there were more important things to life than class structure. He used nature connect us all, and encourage people to†¦show more content†¦This contradictory statement would go against Whitman’s beliefs because he believed society should act as one, and by lying to one another it leads to feelings of deception as well as betrayal. Misleading one another is not the right way to build foundations with one another. Whitman always wanted people to be genuine, and being honest is a significant aspect of unifying society. Although Dickenson goes to write that â€Å"success in circuit lies,† this will still not sway Whitman. Dickenson is basically writing that the truth will come around sooner or later. Whitman believes that people who just do the right thing the first time will be true to themselves as well as to others. You either tell the whole truth, or you don’t. Without being honest people cannot progress in their relationships with one another, and in then end will fail to unite. Another example where Whitman would disapprove would be when Dickenson writes â€Å"They shut me up†¦as when a little girl..they put me in the Closet†¦.Still! Could themselves have peeped† Here Dickenson is talking about how the little girl was put in solitary only because she spoke her mi nd as well as implying a hypocrisy occurring. Whitman would definitely disapprove because he believes that everyone is entitled to their perspective, and should not be punished for expressing their unique outlook. Whitman is for a democratic society, but to be aShow MoreRelatedThe Most Uneven Great Poet By Tenney Nathanson1102 Words   |  5 Pageswas a taboo subject not to be discussed in public. Many of his poems centered on his private and public life as well as sexualizing men, women, and objects. Whitman’s poems shaped history by bringing the discussion of sexuality as a natural part of life to mainstream America and paving the way for future authors to do the same. Whitman’s writing career started when he became an apprentice in the printing industry in 1831 (Nathanson 390). Whitman worked as the editor for a Brooklyn newspaper. Read MoreEssay about Allen Ginsbergs A Supermarket in California1722 Words   |  7 Pagesspecifically expresses a tone of wistfulness or even sadness: What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman (Ginsberg, 1). The evocation of Whitmans name is an obvious symbol of optimism or even idealism. Due to the wide-ranging nature of Whitmans own writings, the sense of idealization is meant to extend to philosophy and politics as well as poetry. The opening line sets up the poems central tension by contrasting idealization with cynical reality. The tone is established even before theRead More walt whitman Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pages†Everything on earth has the divine spark within and thus is all part of a whole.†(web.pg2trans.) This philosophy of individualism led to an optimistic emphasis on society. Because Whitman immodestly praised the human body and glorified the senses, â€Å"Walt Whitman’s poems assert the worth of the individual and the oneness of all humanity.† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Walt Whitman was an American poet who was born on May 31, 1819, near Huntington, N.Y. He was the second of a family of nine children. His fatherRead MoreWalt Whitman and Emily Dickinson808 Words   |  4 PagesWalt Whitman and Emily Dickinson both had different and similar views, which influenced how they wrote their poetry. Their social context, life experiences, and gender are reflected in their poetry. Emily Dickinson focused a lot on death and her struggles of being a woman during her time. Her poems often described the inner state of mind. Waltman attempted to combine universal themes with individual feelings and experiences, such as his personal experiences with the Civil War. Whitman and DickinsonRead More Whitman and Neruda as Grassroots Poets Essays1812 Words   |  8 Pagesstudies which illuminate certain artistic purposes and themes. Thinking of Whitman and Neruda as grassroots poets can deepen our understanding of their personas and their work, and especially indicate a similarity of purpose between the two poets who employed different structural styles of writing. First and foremost, the term â€Å"grassroots† hinges on a sense of community. It implies a political motivation from the bottom up. Neruda’s and Whitman’s common search for identity, both on a personal andRead MoreInterpretation of the Text13649 Words   |  55 Pagesimagined. What we have, then, is an independent little world made of words: a world of forms, images, and sounds that are all designed to work together. This does not mean that works of literature have nothing to do with reality. On the contrary, Walt Whitmans poems often address the reader directly; Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn has everything to do with the history of American slavery; and when Emily Dickinson writes, 1 never hear the word escape Without a quicker †¢blood, she is surely expressing herRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagescharacter – characterization by telling – include the following methods: 1. CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH THE USE OF NAMES. Names are often used to provide essential clues that aid in characterization. Some characters are given names that suggest their dominant or controlling traits, as, for example, Edward Murdstone (in Dickens’ David Copperfield) and Roger Chillingsworth (in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter). Both men are cold-hearted villains their names suggest. Other characters are given names that reinforce