Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman both wrote poems which greatly challenged the traditional view of Christianity and God. According to the traditional Christian beliefs, God is an all-powerful Supreme Being who created heaven and earth, and is to be loved, worshipped and feared. However, they both dismiss that idea while representing human beings as having more power. In her poem, ‘The Brain is wider than the Sky’, Dickinson suggests that human beings and God may be equal, while Whitman proposes that our world is the same, if not better than heaven, in his poem ‘Song of Myself’. In addition, they both believed in the concept of individualism and self-love.
An examination on Whitman’s view on religion indicates that he does not agree with the Christian ideology. This is clear in line 1270 when he says that, “The soul is not more than the body, and I have said that the body is not more than the soul” (Whitman line 1270). He claims that the body and soul are the same. This is against Christian teachings that the soul is more important since the soul is eternal while the body is only earthly. He further challenges the view of God in line 1271 and writes “And nothing, not God, is greater to …show more content…
In lines 1-3, she says, “The Brain is wider than the Sky, For-put them side by side,The one the other will contain” (Dickinson 598 lines 1-3). She claims that human consciousness is equal to God. Her poem indicates that the brain is capable of doing many things which includes understanding itself, life and the universe. In her conclusion, she says that, “The Brain is just the weight of God,For Heft them Pound for pound,and they will differ if they do,as syllable from sound” (Dickinson 598 lines 9-12). This undermines Christian religious views about the status of God. Just like Whitman, her poem also emphasizes on individualism by showing how special and powerful human consciousness and understanding
An examination on Whitman’s view on religion indicates that he does not agree with the Christian ideology. This is clear in line 1270 when he says that, “The soul is not more than the body, and I have said that the body is not more than the soul” (Whitman line 1270). He claims that the body and soul are the same. This is against Christian teachings that the soul is more important since the soul is eternal while the body is only earthly. He further challenges the view of God in line 1271 and writes “And nothing, not God, is greater to …show more content…
In lines 1-3, she says, “The Brain is wider than the Sky, For-put them side by side,The one the other will contain” (Dickinson 598 lines 1-3). She claims that human consciousness is equal to God. Her poem indicates that the brain is capable of doing many things which includes understanding itself, life and the universe. In her conclusion, she says that, “The Brain is just the weight of God,For Heft them Pound for pound,and they will differ if they do,as syllable from sound” (Dickinson 598 lines 9-12). This undermines Christian religious views about the status of God. Just like Whitman, her poem also emphasizes on individualism by showing how special and powerful human consciousness and understanding