12. Discuss the poetry of Walt Whitman, with special emphasis on his Leaves of Grass.

Walt Whitman (1819–1892) is considered one of the most influential American poets, and his work,
particularly "Leaves of Grass," is a cornerstone of American literature. Whitman's poetry is often
celebrated for its celebration of individualism, democracy, and the human experience. Let's delve into
the poetry of Walt Whitman, with a special emphasis on "Leaves of Grass":
1. Leaves of Grass:
- Publication and Evolution:
- "Leaves of Grass" was first self-published by Whitman in 1855, and he continued to revise and
expand it throughout his life. The final edition, published in 1892, contained over 400 poems.
- The title, "Leaves of Grass," signifies the organic and interconnected nature of the poems, akin to
the leaves of a plant.
- Themes:
- Celebration of the Individual: Whitman's poetry exudes a celebration of the individual,
emphasizing personal experience, identity, and the body.
- Spiritual Connection with Nature: He sought a spiritual connection with nature and believed in the
interconnectedness of all living things.
- Free Verse:
- Whitman is known for his innovative use of free verse, rejecting traditional poetic forms in favor of
a more open and expansive style. This allowed him to capture the natural rhythms of speech and
reflect the democratic ethos he celebrated.
2. Major Themes in Whitman's Poetry:
- Humanism and Democracy:
- Whitman celebrated the common man and the democratic ideals of equality and individual
freedom. His poetry reflects a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
- Nature and the Body:
- Whitman had a profound connection with nature, and he often celebrated the physical body as a
manifestation of the divine. His poems are filled with sensual and vivid imagery.
- Spirituality and Transcendence:
- While not adhering to any specific religious doctrine, Whitman expressed a spiritual outlook,
finding divinity in the everyday and the human experience.
3. Key Poems within "Leaves of Grass":
4. Legacy and Influence:
- Whitman's poetry had a profound impact on subsequent generations of poets. His free verse,
celebration of individualism, and exploration of spiritual and transcendental themes influenced many
modernist and contemporary poets.
"Song of Myself":
- „Song of Myself" is a central and expansive poem within Walt Whitman's collection "Leaves of
Grass." It is a celebration of the self, an exploration of the interconnectedness of all life, and an
expression of Whitman's democratic and transcendental beliefs.
The poem is written in the first person and begins with the famous line "I celebrate myself, and sing
myself." Whitman, through the persona of the speaker, embarks on a journey of self-discovery that
expands to encompass the entirety of humanity and the natural world.
The speaker declares his unity with nature, people, and the cosmos, expressing a sense of oneness
with all existence. Whitman embraces the diversity of human experience, celebrating the common
man and elevating the individual to a sacred status.
The poem is characterized by its vivid and expansive imagery, with Whitman using free verse to
capture the rhythms of natural speech. It encompasses a wide range of themes, from the physical to
the spiritual, and from the personal to the universal.
Themes:
Celebration of the Individual:
Whitman celebrates the uniqueness and dignity of each individual. The poem asserts the idea that
every person, regardless of background or circumstance, is worthy of celebration.
Connection with Nature:
Nature plays a significant role in "Song of Myself." Whitman sees nature as a source of inspiration and
a reflection of the divine. The poem explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and the
natural world.
Transcendentalism:
The poem is deeply influenced by transcendentalist philosophy, emphasizing the inherent goodness
of people, the importance of self-reliance, and the spiritual connection between humanity and the
universe.
Democracy and Equality:
"Song of Myself" reflects Whitman's democratic ideals. The poem champions the equality of all
individuals, rejecting social hierarchies and celebrating the diversity of the American experience.
Spiritual Exploration:
While Whitman is not aligned with a specific religious doctrine, the poem explores spiritual themes.
The speaker experiences moments of transcendence, seeing the divine in everyday life and affirming
the interconnectedness of all living things.
Structure:
Free Verse:
"Song of Myself" is written in free verse, a hallmark of Whitman's poetic style. There is no consistent
rhyme scheme or meter, allowing for a natural and unrestricted flow of language.
Sections:
The poem is divided into 52 sections, each exploring different facets of the self, nature, and humanity.
These sections contribute to the overall mosaic of themes and images.
Cataloging and Lists:
Whitman often uses catalogs and lists to create a sense of abundance and inclusivity. These lists
encompass a wide range of experiences, professions, and identities, emphasizing the diversity of
human life.
The poem remains a testament to Whitman's innovative and influential contributions to American
poetry
Summary:

Whitman’s grand poem is, in its way, an American epic. Beginning it loosely follows a quest
pattern. “Song of Myself” has much in common with classical epic. Since for Whitman the
birthplace of poetry is in the self, the best way to learn about poetry is to relax and watch
the workings of one’s own mind.

There are three key episodes that must be examined. The first of these is found in the sixth
section of the poem. A child asks the narrator “What is the grass?” and the narrator is forced
to explore his own use of symbolism and his inability to break things down to essential
principles. The bunches of grass in the child’s hands become a symbol of the regeneration in
nature. But they also signify a common material that links disparate people all over the
United States together: grass, the ultimate symbol of democracy, grows everywhere.
The grass reminds Whitman of graves: grass feeds on the bodies of the dead. Everyone must
die eventually, and so the natural roots of democracy are therefore in mortality, whether
due to natural causes or to the bloodshed of internecine warfare. While Whitman normally
revels in this kind of symbolic indeterminacy, here it troubles him a bit.

The second episode is more optimistic. It can be found in the eleventh section of the poem.
In this section a woman watches twenty-eight young men bathing in the ocean. She
fantasizes about joining them unseen, and describes their semi-nude bodies in some
detail.The lavish eroticism of this section reinforces this idea: sexual contact allows two
people to become one yet one not. As the female spectator introduced in the beginning of
the section fades away, and Whitman’s voice takes over, the eroticism becomes
homoeroticism. Again this is not so much the expression of a sexual preference as it is the
longing for communion with every living being and a connection that makes use of both the
body and the soul.

The third key episode, at a moment where speech becomes necessary. In the twenty-fifth
section he notes that “Speech is the twin of my vision, it is unequal to measure itself, / It
provokes me forever. Having already established that he can have a sympathetic experience
when he encounters others (“I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself
become the wounded person”), he must find a way to re-transmit that experience without
falsifying or diminishing it.
“Song of Myself” thus ends with a sound—a yawp—that could be described as either pre- or
post-linguistic. Lacking any of the normal communicative properties of language, Whitman’s
yawp is the release of the “kosmos” within him, a sound at the borderline between saying
everything and saying nothing. More than anything, the yawp is an invitation to the next
Walt Whitman, to read into the yawp, to have a sympathetic experience, to absorb it as part
of a new multitude.