Walt Whitman

1819-1892

“Whitman was a curious mixture of the homespun and the theatrical; he had the earthy spirit of the born democrat and the self-dramatizing disposition of the artistic dandy” (326).

At times, he was seen wearing unpressed pants and rolled up sleeves; other times, he was an artist in a slouch felt hat and flowing silk ties.

Whitman’s LifeBorn on May 31, 1819, to parents of Dutch and English

descent.They lived on a farm in West hills, Long IslandHe had 8 brother and sistersHe moved to Brooklyn in 1823 with his family; he went

to school until he was eleven and then worked as an office boy and printer’s assistant, and for a time he taught school.

He never became a scholar- never went to collegeHowever, he enjoyed reading Shakespeare, Dante, Homer

Whitman as a journalist Before the age of twenty he was led into

journalism He worked for the Crescent in New Orleans He returned to New York to become the editor of

The Freeman While doing this, he began to compile a

collection of poems that would one day transform his life and change the course of American literature.

Whitman as a poet Much of it is very simple- simplicity of

folk literature Catalogues- long listings of things, names

and activities found in ancient epics and sagas

However, the greater part of his poetry escapes all categories.

Leaves of Grass Published at his own expense in 1855 The book was boldly new and strange and failed

to win the attention of reviewers; its publication went unnoticed.

So, he sent samples to people whose endorsements might be useful- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson called it “the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yest contributed.”

Leaves of Grass was a masterpiece which was revised and expanded through many editions.

The ninth, “deathbed” edition was published thirty-six years after its first edition- 1891

This is an epic- the hero is the poet, and he is a hero of the future- a journey that the speaker takes to become a poet.

Nothing quite like this had ever been done before.

Whitman was described as having the “theatrical flair of a con man and the selfless dignity of a saint; the sensibility of an artist and the carefree spirit of a hobo; the blustery egotism of a braggart and the demure shyness of a shrinking violet.”

Whitman’s poetry modified the diction of the “King’s English” and abandoned traditional rhyme schemes in favor of natural rhythms and free verse.

The result was poetry that could speak of “anything under the sun”

His form is loose enough to allow for long lists of details; it is also flexible to allow delicate moments of lyricism

He brought the vernacular to literature: farmers, steel workers, house wives

“He brought a humanizing touch that unites poetry as an art with poetry as an aspiration that runs through the life of every person.”

Explication (commentary)

Analyze and develop (an idea or principle) in detail. In terms of its form, a poetry explication takes

readers through the poem under discussion, explaining what the poem is about (narrative and plot), its "meaning," and the way in which poetic structure (outer form, grammar, rhythm, rhyme, and tropes) shape the relation between what the poem is about and its meaning.

Explication (commentary)

The poetry explication has a thesis about the poem's meaning and about the way in which the formal features of poetry

The explication is in an important sense a process paper, a guided tour through a poem that unfolds in time.

The explication is also an argument, since the "guided tour “serves to defend a particular interpretation of the poem's meaning. 

The voice you hear may be that of a character, or of the poet speaking directly, or of a “speaker” very similar to the poet.

Persona: Someone else’s voice or a created character.

When reading poetry you should ask: who is speaking?

Tone embodies or expresses a “stance,” attitude, or feeling toward the subject, the listener, even the speaker.

EXAMPLES HOW CAN YOU TELL? (INDICATORS)

Playful Serious Exaggerated Straight forward Angry Sad

Word choice Phrasing Repetitions Overstatement Figures of speech

Stanza: A number of lines of verse forming a separate unit within a poem.

Quatrain: A verse of poetry consisting of four lines, especially one with lines that rhyme alternately.

Blank Verse: Unrhymed poetry that has a regular rhythm and line length, especially iambic pentameter.

Metaphors: A comparison of two things that are not alike without using “Like” or “as.”

Simile: A comparison of two things using “like” or “as.”

Images or actions that suggest or mean something in addition to themselves.

Denotation: Words dictionary definitions

Connotation: Words intended or secondary definition.

A regularized beat created by a repeating pattern of accents, or of syllables, or both. Iamb: A pair of syllables in which an

unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable.

Iambic Pentameter: A common rhythm in English poetry, consisting of five iambs in each line.

i AM bic ME ter GOES like THIS

weak STRONG / weak STRONG / weak STRONG / weak STRONG / weak STRONG

da DA / da DA / da DA / da DA / da DA

Approaching PoetryWhen reading a poem:

1.Look at the poem title and look for clues as to what the poem is about

2.Read the poem straight through without stopping

3.Read the poem again much slower and look for meaning (annotate if possible)

4.Read the poem again focusing on each of the following poetic elements

5. Put it all together and develop

Approaching Poetry Poetic Elements:

Speaker Tone Form and Structure Figurative Language Symbolism Patterns or Themes

Whitman Explication Practice

In small groups you will read “I Hear America Signing” and “Beat, Beat, Drums ” and complete the questions on the handout