"On the Beach at Night" by Walt Whitman is a very hard poem to analyze in my opinion. It definitely talks about nature a lot because the author gives praise to stars, the night sky, and the ocean multiple times throughout the poem itself. I think the biggest message being portrayed in the poem is that everyone is connected in some way, very much like the stars referred to the poem time and time again. It also signifies the importance nature plays in people's lives. Throughout the philosophy of both Emerson and Thoreau, nature is found to be extremely important for the two notorious individuals. Emerson believes that nature is something humans will never fully understand, but should never give up trying to connect with the beauty it has to behold (Wayne).
Another idea important to that of Emerson and Thoreau especially is the idea of individualism. I think that the poem emphasis how we are all connected as individuals. We can be seen in the stars, like in the poem, and we can find each other throughout others around us. It all depends on the extensiveness an individual takes to connect with their inner-self. The poem subliminally shows readers how stars, the ocean, and nature in general, plays a vital role in our lives. We are able to see the full extent of the importance of these things. Emerson and Thoreau both tried to get society to see that. I think Whitman used their ideas in his poem because he felt it was something that a blind society needed. If people who were influenced by his poems, they might be interested in the ideas of both Emerson and Thoreau.
As far as this idea being applied to today's society, I think that it would be very eye-opening for people to see the importance of nature. We are so wrapped up in technology that we fail to see the beauty around us. Emerson and Thoreau's ideas were important and significant then, as well as today, if only people would take the time to analyze them like we do.
Wayne, Tiffany K. "'Nature'." Encyclopedia of Transcendentalism. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
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