Transcendentalism In Walt Whitman's O Me ! O Life !

Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the eastern United States. Individualism. A core belief of transcendentalism is in the inherent goodness of people and nature, which is what Walt Whitman gives the reader through his writing.Walt Whitman was one of the most influential poets in American history who was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views into his works, including in his poem, “O Me! O Life!”- When times get hard, we look to find an explanation. He discusses his way of independence for his theme in form of a Transcendentalist ideology referring to the idea that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, yourself, and other important matters, one must transcend (to go beyond)everyday human experience in the everyday world. It has become common today to dismiss purpose of life, which is why it’s important to go back to …show more content…
Whitman believes that we have an opportunity to "contribute a verse", he explains that everyone has something to give to the world. In today's world, we increasingly get swept up in the chaos, in the responsibilities of daily life , we go to school to get a job to support a family. It is easy to get lost in the present, and to forget the bigger picture: That you are here , that life exists and identity. My interpretation of this line in the poem makes me feel that Whitman was practically saying "I don't know for sure what we are on this earth to do, but just the fact that we have the opportunity to do something is enough". Poetry is in all of us, art is all of us. We humans are capable of many things, that we yet have not come to