In two of Whitman 's poems - 'Virginia - The West ' and 'The Centenarian 's Tale ' - he deviates from his established perspective in the collection, in which "his war scenes could be anywhere, North or South; his heroes are the masses of ordinary soldiers" through presenting the dominant figure of George Washington as central. This approach is one utilised by Melville throughout his own collection of Civil War poetry, as the majority of his poems focus on the factual and historical narratives of pre-eminent figures in the war, such as Generals Grant and Lee. Most notable, however, are Melville 's two poems concerning the injury and death of one of the South 's most venerated commanders, Stonewall Jackson - whilst Melville supported the abolitionist
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( 'Stonewall Jackson, Mortally Wounded at Chancellorsville ', lines 11-12.)
Despite the ideological differences between Melville and Jackson, the poet asserts Jackson 's innate moral honesty through the repetition and rhyme of 'true ' and 'due '; from Melville 's perspective, both North and South were equally convinced of the ethics and integrity of their cause, which is one reason why Melville includes poems celebrating and mourning Southern leaders in a collection dedicated to the Northern cause.
"Fortune went with the North 's elate," "Ay, but the South had Stonewall 's weight, And he died in the South 's great war." ( 'Stonewall Jackson, Mortally Wounded at Chancellorsville ', lines …show more content…
Amputations and maimings, both spiritual and physical, are common themes throughout the poetry in Drum Taps and it is clearly the most troubling example of the brutality of war to Whitman. Amputations were a concerning reality in the Civil War - Whitman continually refers to the heap of severed limbs he was greeted with upon first arriving in his brother 's camp, and it was common for soldiers to prepare themselves for potential amputation in the weeks leading up to great battles by writing with their non-dominant hand, Charles Russell Lowe and Robert Gould Shaw being two prominent examples.2 'The Wound Dresser ' is the clearest example of Whitman 's harrowing obsession with amputation as both a literal and figurative
( 'Stonewall Jackson, Mortally Wounded at Chancellorsville ', lines 11-12.)
Despite the ideological differences between Melville and Jackson, the poet asserts Jackson 's innate moral honesty through the repetition and rhyme of 'true ' and 'due '; from Melville 's perspective, both North and South were equally convinced of the ethics and integrity of their cause, which is one reason why Melville includes poems celebrating and mourning Southern leaders in a collection dedicated to the Northern cause.
"Fortune went with the North 's elate," "Ay, but the South had Stonewall 's weight, And he died in the South 's great war." ( 'Stonewall Jackson, Mortally Wounded at Chancellorsville ', lines …show more content…
Amputations and maimings, both spiritual and physical, are common themes throughout the poetry in Drum Taps and it is clearly the most troubling example of the brutality of war to Whitman. Amputations were a concerning reality in the Civil War - Whitman continually refers to the heap of severed limbs he was greeted with upon first arriving in his brother 's camp, and it was common for soldiers to prepare themselves for potential amputation in the weeks leading up to great battles by writing with their non-dominant hand, Charles Russell Lowe and Robert Gould Shaw being two prominent examples.2 'The Wound Dresser ' is the clearest example of Whitman 's harrowing obsession with amputation as both a literal and figurative