Walt Whitman, a highly renowned poet during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, was, according to Richard Bucke, a somewhat arrogant man. His poetry often revolved around himself (Bucke). This writing style was rather different for the the time period, which ultimately caught the attention of society. Whitman used his poetry to search for his self intuition. He did not feel he was better than everyone else, but he did feel as if his writing showed his understanding of divinity in every human being (Bucke). Many critics (whether professional or not) have labeled Whitman as a man very caught up on his writing and talents. This mindset ultimately lead him on the path to success that defined his own era quite different from that of Realism or Modernism.
When looking for first hand examples of this arrogant-styled writing, one needs not look far. Whitman often entitled his works to fit perfectly with his attitude. His poem "Myself and Mine" reflects his feelings with society and highlights their imperfections (Whitman). It is interesting to read and see almost first hand how Whitman actually feels about life because this poem is coming from his thoughts directly and not hindered by some indirect or offset character. His writing style is very unique in this sense.
Throughout history, critics have often characterized Whitman's writing style as somewhat odd and indifferent, but in actuality, he wrote about his genuine feelings. "Myself and Mine" strongly shows this philosophy. "Let me have my own way. Let other promulge the laws - I will make no account of the laws," (Whitman). This statement is very bold. Whitman clearly allows society to see that he is not going to be like everyone else. The realism period was very big on facts and definite answers, whereas Whitman simply felt he would do things his way, whether, in this case, they were right (lawfully) or not. According to Richard Burke, Whitman's writing was very straightforward and kind of simplistic (Bucke). But Whitman felt he was rightfully better than society throughout the aspect of literature and social standards (Bucke). It can be inferred that Whitman was not only arrogant in his philosophical ideas, but also in that of society and literature.
Overall, the general writing style of Walt Whitman consisted of a very arrogant and conceited lifestyle. His cockiness can further be seen throughout "Myself and Mine", as well as countless other works by the prominent author. His writing style, very different from realism, helped create and direct an entirely new "era" of literature that left many authors with a very unique style and voice. Because he did not hold back his feelings, he allowed society to open up about theirs as well. Not only did he impact the literature world, but he also left a mark on society as a whole.
By far the most accurate and exemplifying critic of Whitman is that of himself. He is able to analyze his own feelings and thoughts throughout his literature. It is said that prior to becoming famous, he wrote for a newspaper and published articles talking about his own writing (Longabucco). This allowed to anonymously open up to not only himself but also to a society that would later be the ultimate critic.
Bucke, Richard Maurice. "The Man Walt Whitman." In Re Walt Whitman, eds. Horace L. Traubel, Richard Maurice Bucke, Thomas B. Harned, 1893: 59. Quoted as "The Man Walt Whitman" in Bloom, Harold, ed. Walt Whitman, Classic Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2007.Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
Longabucco, Matt. "'The Proof of a Poet'—Walt Whitman and His Critics." In Bloom, Harold, ed. Walt Whitman, Bloom's BioCritiques. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment