In your opinion, what is Walt Whitman's message regarding America and Americans - Essay Example

Whitman . Walt Whitman, Epic bard of America as Auden called, can be regarded as the father figure of American poetry. Born at West Hills Long Island, he inherited from his parents’ love of democracy and an urge for freedom of consciousness. Whitman lived in a time when new economic social and philosophical ideas in America were remolding the traditional concept of society and religion. He felt this “Storminess” in American situation when he wrote to Emerson in an open letter included in the second edition of “Leaves of Grass”(1856) “Always America will be agitated and turbulent.

This day it is taking shape not to be less so, but to be more so stormily, capriciously on native principles with such was proportions of parts…..”There were many cross currents, many new approaches transforming the fabric of America thought. Whitman reflected all the richness of life in American his poems. “ leaves of Grass is highly praised by Connor. “ Behold in Leaves Of Grass the immense and absolute rise. It is all our own. The nation is in it. To understand Greece study Iliad and Odyssey.

Study ‘The Leaves of Grass’ to understand America.’ The leaves of Grass’ is the epic of America” Whitman delights in giving us catalogues of the variety of professions followed in America. He does not shrink from picturing prostitutes and butchers. The whole wide range of the American physical scene is brought before us. He succeeded in conveying to the readers, a broad panoramic grasp of America‘s spaciousness, her opulence and her veritable and multitude ness of life. Whitman’s’ Song of Myself contains plenty of catalogues of characteristic phenomenon of America.

In “A Song for Occupation ‘he praises the divine average. Thieves’ prostitutes and drunkards are regarded by the poet with as much sympathy and love. No human being is treated with content. Whitman identified himself with all the political and social movements that did good to America, The circumstances that led to outbreak of the civil war and the verge of dissolution and chaos, caused acute agony to the poet. He was pained to think that the country might go to pieces. In this poem” To a President” the poet attacked the corrupt and corrupting holders of office in America.

He was worried because there was no worthy leader to lead the country through crisis to peace and prosperity. The appearance of Lincoln on the scene brought peace to the poet, as it did to millions of Americans When Lincoln was assassinated the poets agony knew no bounds. It has expressed in poems like “When Lilacs Last in’ The Dooryayrd Bloomed’, ‘Today’ and ‘O captain My Captain’. The peace and unity that America Came to enjoy after the civil war is reflected in the poems of Whitman such as “Proud Music of the Storm and “Passage to India”.

Walt Whitman is a poet having optimistic view and welcomes the new religions, science and democracy. Richard Chase described him as the poet of American optimism and pragmatism, rhapsodist of our material and spiritual resources, ‘the unabashed celebrant of the self in an open dynamic universe’. From all these analysis of the works of Whitman I consider him as the poet who admired the richness of his nation and always speaking it aloud to the world.