“Song of Myself” Analysis
In Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself”, the sporadic writing covers many topics and themes relating to the 19th century, bringing up various issues and pleasures he finds in society. “Song of Myself” transcends time by suggesting themes that are also applicable to modern society. Whitman draws attention to the unity of all living things through using symbolism and parallel sentence structure.
The “leaves of grass” reappear throughout the poem and represent unity of life. For example, Whitman describes the “grass is itself a child, the produced babe of the vegetation”(6). This comparison illuminates that the grass is a symbol for the human self. Just as grass sprouts anew from the earth, humans also start out young …show more content…
Whitman creates an erotic scene with his own soul, which, “parted the shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged [it’s]/tongue to my bare-stript heart”(5). In this section Whitman speaks directly to the soul and describes the unity of the body and soul coming together. The soul is personified to engage in this erotic experience with the body after loafing on the grass together. The body is connected with the soul only after the soul is awakened and un-restrained. Whitman releases his restraint on his soul by experiencing the simple yet astonishing natural world. Whitman proposes that the body and the soul are separate entities. Personifying the body and soul in an erotic experience celebrates the unity of the two forces. Both the soul and the body can travel infinitely after death through the universe, reappearing as another life. The union of the body and soul acknowledges that these forces were once single entities and will separate later in the form of human death and be reincarnated into the natural world. Whitman also has an intimate account with the ocean, expressing his passion to connect with the earth. Whitman flirts with the ocean when he says, “I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me,/we must have a turn together”(22). Just as the body and the soul can unite, man can also unite with nature. Whitman believes the same atoms and materials unite everything on earth. The intimacy with nature creates a sense of oneness with creation and oneness with life. Whitman concludes “Song of Myself” with another personification. Whitman says he “[departs] as air, I [shook] my white locks at the runaway sun”(52). He is departing from both the poem and human form. The air, which is actually Whitman, is personified to be waving at the setting sun. This reinforces the idea that all life is eternal and unified. The chronology of the poem highlights the cycles of life.
In Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself”, the sporadic writing covers many topics and themes relating to the 19th century, bringing up various issues and pleasures he finds in society. “Song of Myself” transcends time by suggesting themes that are also applicable to modern society. Whitman draws attention to the unity of all living things through using symbolism and parallel sentence structure.
The “leaves of grass” reappear throughout the poem and represent unity of life. For example, Whitman describes the “grass is itself a child, the produced babe of the vegetation”(6). This comparison illuminates that the grass is a symbol for the human self. Just as grass sprouts anew from the earth, humans also start out young …show more content…
Whitman creates an erotic scene with his own soul, which, “parted the shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged [it’s]/tongue to my bare-stript heart”(5). In this section Whitman speaks directly to the soul and describes the unity of the body and soul coming together. The soul is personified to engage in this erotic experience with the body after loafing on the grass together. The body is connected with the soul only after the soul is awakened and un-restrained. Whitman releases his restraint on his soul by experiencing the simple yet astonishing natural world. Whitman proposes that the body and the soul are separate entities. Personifying the body and soul in an erotic experience celebrates the unity of the two forces. Both the soul and the body can travel infinitely after death through the universe, reappearing as another life. The union of the body and soul acknowledges that these forces were once single entities and will separate later in the form of human death and be reincarnated into the natural world. Whitman also has an intimate account with the ocean, expressing his passion to connect with the earth. Whitman flirts with the ocean when he says, “I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me,/we must have a turn together”(22). Just as the body and the soul can unite, man can also unite with nature. Whitman believes the same atoms and materials unite everything on earth. The intimacy with nature creates a sense of oneness with creation and oneness with life. Whitman concludes “Song of Myself” with another personification. Whitman says he “[departs] as air, I [shook] my white locks at the runaway sun”(52). He is departing from both the poem and human form. The air, which is actually Whitman, is personified to be waving at the setting sun. This reinforces the idea that all life is eternal and unified. The chronology of the poem highlights the cycles of life.