How Did Walt Whitman Influence Poetry

Walter Whitman, more commonly known, as Walt Whitman, was one of America’s most important, significant, and influential poets of the nineteenth century. Walt Whitman wrote about the common American person throughout his writing, while being very controversial. Although, his writing did not appeal to everyone, it certainly made its mark on the history of poetic writing in the nation of America. He celebrated democracy, nature, and love. His monumental works praise the body parallel to the soul. Walt Whitman influenced literature through his various themes, distinct social and political viewpoints, and unorthodox style of writing. Whitman’s literary work, shown in his multiple themes, was influential because of him capturing the proud democracy of America and his ideas on the celebration of the human mind, body and soul. The patriotism exhibited by Whitman influenced numerous people of diverse social classes. As many thought Whitman exceptionally “captured the proud and confident tone of a young nation announcing its commitment to a democratic way of thinking that included the equal acceptance of everyone.” (Padgett 137) …show more content…
This was something far from Walt Whitman’s time gaining him lots of attention. Free verse is defined as poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter and so that is what he did. It was “new, unusual kind of poetry-stripped of rhyme and meter flowing in a free verse.” (Padgett 139) This poetry he invented himself, “he is acknowledged as the innovator.” (Martin 39). As one critic writes describing his poetry, “a short line, or series of short lines. With no suspicions of meter, is suddenly followed by a long jumble of rough, jagged words, thrown higgledy-piggledy together without rhyme and often without reason” (Bloom 178) This type of poetry struck the nation of America as shocking and