Walt Whitman poetry How do these samples of Whitman’s poetry reflect the ideas about Whitm | Papers Literature

How do these samples of Whitman’s poetry reflect the ideas about Whitman and Transcendentalism

that I have presented to you in my lesson?

Transcendentalism examined humanity as a whole. Transcendentalists believed that the human

senses were incapable of communicating profound truths; they were only able to comprehend the

physical aspects of life. In addition, they believed that human enlightenment comes from the

experience of nature. Last, the Transcendentals believed that humans shared one common over-

soul with God. The common man and nature were among Whitman's fascinations. Walt

Whitman’s use of nature and the common man connects to Transcendentalism in his poems

"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, "Song of Myself”, “A Noiseless Patient Spider", and in "When I Heard the

Learned Astronomer." In the poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" the connection of mankind and the world

is explored. Additionally, it illustrates how everyone in this transient world has the same experience. In

the quote, “Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half an hour high, A hundred

years hence, or ever so many hundred years hence, others will see them, Will enjoy the sunset, the

pouring-in of the flood-tide, the falling-back to the sea of the ebb-tide. it avails not, time nor place -

distance avails not, i am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations

hence.” This expresses that the ferry is not only a place where people share the same experience but a

symbol of this spatial and temporal movement. As a result, it creates a spiritual unity of people who ride

it, who have ridden it, or who will ride it. Transcendentalism is shown here because of the connection

between mankind and nature. In the poem “Song of Myself” the poem reads “A child said What is the

grass? fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more

than he.” Through this he is telling us that even though we are our own entire person, we are equal. No

one is better than anyone. So, when the child asked what grass was Whitman couldn't rely on his sense or

knowledge of grass to help him explain. This showed transcendentalism because for Whitman to reply to

the child he would have to look deep within his soul because at times, it can provide infinitely more

wisdom than a scholar or a book ever could. In the poem “A Noiseless, Patient Spider” Walt Whitman

relates his soul to that of a spider found in nature, “And you O my soul where you stand, surrounded,

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How do these samples of Whitman’s poetry reflect the ideas about Whitman and Transcendentalism that I have presented to you in my lesson?

Transcendentalism examined humanity as a whole. Transcendentalists believed that the human

senses were incapable of communicating profound truths; they were only able to comprehend the

physical aspects of life. In addition, they believed that human enlightenment comes from the

experience of nature. Last, the Transcendentals believed that humans shared one common over-

soul with God. The common man and nature were among Whitman's fascinations. Walt

Whitman’s use of nature and the common man connects to Transcendentalism in his poems

"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, "Song of Myself”, “A Noiseless Patient Spider", and in "When I Heard the

Learned Astronomer." In the poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" the connection of mankind and the world is explored. Additionally, it illustrates how everyone in this transient world has the same experience. In the quote, “Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half an hour high, A hundred years hence, or ever so many hundred years hence, others will see them, Will enjoy the sunset, the pouring-in of the flood-tide, the falling-back to the sea of the ebb-tide. it avails not, time nor place - distance avails not, i am with you, you men and women of a generation, or ever so many generations hence.” This expresses that the ferry is not only a place where people share the same experience but a symbol of this spatial and temporal movement. As a result, it creates a spiritual unity of people who ride it, who have ridden it, or who will ride it. Transcendentalism is shown here because of the connection between mankind and nature. In the poem “Song of Myself” the poem reads “A child said What is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands; How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he.” Through this he is telling us that even though we are our own entire person, we are equal. No one is better than anyone. So, when the child asked what grass was Whitman couldn't rely on his sense or knowledge of grass to help him explain. This showed transcendentalism because for Whitman to reply to the child he would have to look deep within his soul because at times, it can provide infinitely more wisdom than a scholar or a book ever could. In the poem “A Noiseless, Patient Spider” Walt Whitman relates his soul to that of a spider found in nature, “And you O my soul where you stand, surrounded,

detached, in measureless oceans of space”. Whitman reflects on his insignificance and his desire for his life to be meaningful in the poem. As a metaphor, he uses the small, insignificant spider making a web into the unknown. This refers to the idea of the common man and his desire to have a purpose in life. His repetition of “O my soul” stresses the Transcendental belief of having an over-soul. Lastly, in the poem "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" a speaker hears an astronomer talk about math and feels like everything he says is superficial. In the poem the speaker says, “How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick, Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself” Looking up at the stars, he contemplates them. The speaker describes wandering off alone, suggesting that he is undirected and directionless. The idea that the speaker does unstructured things on a whim separates the speaker from the “learn’d” astronomer. This demonstrates the separation of the common man who only thinks creatively. Additionally, this echoes the Transcendental belief that humans should value and learn from nature. The speaker is trying to imply that only nature can enlighten humanity and that human senses are insufficient to do so.

Walt Whitman poetry How do these samples of Whitman’s poetry reflect the ideas about Whitm, Papers of Literature

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Partial preview of the text

Download Walt Whitman poetry How do these samples of Whitman’s poetry reflect the ideas about Whitm and more Papers Literature in PDF only on Docsity!

Transcendentalism examined humanity as a whole. Transcendentalists believed that the human

senses were incapable of communicating profound truths; they were only able to comprehend the

physical aspects of life. In addition, they believed that human enlightenment comes from the

experience of nature. Last, the Transcendentals believed that humans shared one common over-

soul with God. The common man and nature were among Whitman's fascinations. Walt

Whitman’s use of nature and the common man connects to Transcendentalism in his poems

"Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, "Song of Myself”, “A Noiseless Patient Spider", and in "When I Heard the