Whitman Versus Frost: Structure of Modern Poetry
Structure is a major consideration in poetry and also represents anissue that many critics and poets argue about. For some, a poem is not areal poem without some kind of formal structure. To many of these people,a poet writing without structure should not be considered a true poet. Forothers, structure is viewed as limiting a poem. The question then, is whois right in this argument. Is structure necessary to a poem' Or doesstructure just get in the way of good poetry' A consideration of two majorpoets will show that both unstructured and structured forms are not onlyacceptable, but capable of resulting in poets that are considered among thebest ever. These two poets are Walt Whitman and Robert Frost, each poet onthe opposite of the argument and yet both poets using their oppositeapproach to create effective poetry. This leads to the final answer, whichis that the important point is not whether or not structure is used, butwhether the poet uses either structure or the absence of structure Leaves of Grass was Whitman's first published book and was noticed bycritics mainly because Whitman rejected standard verse form. In sayingthat the work was noticed, it is importan
This is especially effective because the joyful rhythm of thefirst few lines helps set the scene. Edward Garnett notes the effectiveness of Frost's poetry in an essayhe published in The Atlantic in 1915. Frost's blank verse is successful because he uses it effectively to createmeaning. This makes the twophrases "pale and still" and "no pulse nor will" stand out, with thesephrases both describing death. Firstly, they areled by the meaning in the words of the poem. This includes aa rhymes in someplaces, abab rhymes in others, and rhymes within lines in others. The next point that must be made is that while Whitman's structuredoes not follow set forms, his poems still maintain some kind of form. Finally, the poem ends with the final line mirroring thefinal lines of the first two verses, and again emphasizing the word "dead. This intention isdescribed in one text where Whitman's intentions are described in his ownwords. "This draws attention to this phrase, with this effective because it adds tothe sadness due to the fact that the captain died so close to being homesafe and sound. In this final verse, the rhythm is slowed. The reader's understanding that theyare rejoicing and that they are so close to home then becomes crucial tothe poem when it is revealed that the captain is dead. This can be seen in "O Captain! My Captain!" The first verse of the poemreads as follows: O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart! O the bleeding drops of red, Where on the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. It is in these lines that the rhythm has the greatestsingsong quality, with this adding a sense of joy and celebration to thepoem. This occurs inthe fifth line "But O heart! heart! Heart!" In this line, the joyousrhythm is lost, with this leading the reader to the realization bysuggesting that something is wrong.
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Acceptance Essays
