Walt Whitmans Song of Myself - Essay Example

? Love Stories Love entails an emotion expressed towards someone or something. In many literature works, the theme of love is often widely used. In this essay, the following love stories written by the following authors will be analyzed: Walt Wiltman, Henry James, William Faulkner and Emily Dickinson. These authors have produced exceptionally stories on love that have managed to surpass their time. In regard to Walt Wiltman’s, “I saw in Louisiana a live-oak growing”, one could be amazed at the poetry used to depict love. The poem provides a description of an oak tree located on the outskirts of Louisiana. The tree stood alone, “All alone stood it, and the moss hung down from the branches” (Wiltman, line 2).What really amazed and attracted the poet to describe the tree more, was the fact that there was no other tree around it, though it looked contended with itself “Without any companion it grew there, uttering joyous leaves of dark green” (Wiltman, line 3). He wonders how such a lonely tree could flourish in a place without friends. As the poem continues, the poet is amazed at the tree to an extent of the sight evoking memories of himself “And its look, rude, unbending, lusty, made me think of myself” (Wiltman, line 4). The poet later went and broke a twig for himself, then twined a little moss around the tree, that symbolized self manly love and freedom it had. The twig he brought home constantly reminded the poet of himself “For I believe lately I think of little else than them” (Wiltman, line 8). The idea of thinking more about self showed manly love the poet had. The poet enjoyed and loved the feeling of being a man, “Yet it remains to me a curious token--it makes me think of manly love” (Wiltman, line 8). The twig reminded him of the solemn tree in Louisiana that glistens alone, in a wide area. That way he meant that the tree had freedom just like men do when they are alone since they love themselves. In Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” people are always left wondering why he called it so. The poem begins by the poet recognizing celebrating his life “I celebrate myself, and sing myself” (Section 1, line 1). The poet enjoys the idea of being alone enjoying what nature unveils to him and marvels at it in a loving manner “I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass” (Section 1, line 5). In section 2, the poet purely speaks of the love for self. He admires every aspect of his body and marvels at it. For instance, he smells the fragrance from his mouth and “It is for my mouth forever, I am in love with it” (Section 2, line 5). The poet appears to be a naturalist as he mentions parts where he is in love with his body and enjoys the freedom it has. At one point he even mentions going to the river ban naked. He points out how he often listens to the sound of his breath, heart beat and passing blood. That depicts that the poet had deep interest in everything that happened in his body. He loved using all his senses to experience what nature brought to him “The sniff of green leaves and dry leaves, and of the shore and dark-color’d sea-rocks, and of hay in the barn” (Section 2, line 8). In Section 3, the author was in love about the idea of seizing the moment he was experiencing instead of talking past or future things “There was never any more inception than there is now” (Section 3, line 3). In stanza 6, a child asks the poet, “A child said What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands; “ (Section 6, line 1). The poet really marvels at the question and describes it in a detailed manner. In that sense, the poet wanted to prove the a poem is usually naturalistic in origin and often originates within self. For a child who did not know what grass was, the poet took his time to carefully describe it to the child. It his description, he gives the grass a sense of life. In the way in which he describes it, passion can be got from it as he personizes it. In the other sections, the common theme that revolves around them is the love of self and power of description of what people commonly refer to as nature. “Daisy Miller” written by Henry James entails an intriguing love story gone badly (James, 2006). The story revolves around Winterbourne, an American that met another rich American girl called Daisy Miller while on a resort in Switzerland (James, 2006). At the very sight of Daisy, Winterbourne became mystified and charmed and took keen interest in her though she was less proper compared to the European women he had encountered (James, 2006). Winterbourne thought of her to be a “little uncultivated” (James, 2006). Winterbourne eventually spends quite some time with Daisy as they went to famous tourist attractions place in the region called, Chillon Castle (James, 2006). As the story continues, Winterbourne manages to go to Rome in the following winter hoping to find Daisy, she discovers she had been taken by the rich men (James, 2006). He later learnt of an Italian suitor named Mr. Giovanelli, though had little known about his background (James, 2006). Winterbourne is perturbed at how the two conducted themselves and thought they were an embarrassment (James, 2006). Winterbourne together with Mrs. Walker try severally to warn Daisy of her behaviour eventually having effect on her reputation, nevertheless she refused to listen (James, 2006). Daisy continued spending more time with the Italian and Winterbourne kept doubt of her character and behaviour, including her relationship with the Italian suitor. Daisy kept on lying about their relationship with the guy (James, 2006). Later on in the story, Daisy became ill, then later died several days later and left a message for winterbourne (James, 2006). The message stated the she cared what Winterbourne thought about her. A year later, Winterbourne regretted ever living in Europe for long and returned to Geneva (James, 2006). Quotes “For love is Immortality” is a quote by Emily Dickson depicting in her story the value of love since it can live forever beyond the physical (Dicison, 2011). “The saddest thing about love, Joe, is that not only the love cannot last forever, but even the heartbreak is soon forgotten” is a quote by William Faulkner (Faulkner, 2011). References Dickison, E. (2011, June 6). Emily Dickison quotes. Retrieved Dcember 7, 2012, from Bariny Quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/emily_dickinson.html Faulkner, W. (2011, March 8). William Faulkner quotes. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3535.William_Faulkner James, H. (2006). Daisy Miller. Harvard: Harper & bros. Wiltman, W. (2011, September 4). I SAW IN LOUISIANA A LIVE-OAK GROWING. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from Poety Archive: http://www.poetry-archive.com/w/i_saw_in_louisiana.html Wiltman, W. (2011, March 12). Song of Myself. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174745 Read More