Whitman1
Through a multitude of literary devices and techniques, Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of Myself," is one of his most famous contributions to American literature. He uses simile and metaphor, paradox, rhythm, and free verse style, to convey his struggle between the relation of the body and soul, the physical and the spiritual being. He continues to disobey all social restrictions of the romantic time period. From the beginning, Whitman begins by stating, "What I shall assume, you shall assume, for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you," proposing that the reader listen to him, for he possesses all of the answers to life. The setting is somewhat naturalistic, and offers an image of the speaker, relaxing, possibly sprawled out across a blanket, philosophizing about life, while in the middle of a peaceful meadow. As the poem later shifts in tone, and setting, Whitman starts to think about the answers to life he has come up with, based upon the past, and decides that the reader should hear him out, one final time, as his ideas have changed. This brings us to #44 of "Song of Myself." In section #44 of, "Song of Myself," Whitman's first stanza begins: "It's time to explain myself...let us stand up.
" Whitman is simply stating that he wants to tell the purpose of his madness. its buckets are rising forever and ever, they pour and they pour and they exhale away. I launch all men and women forward with me into the unknown. This sense of superiority correlates to his theme of equality because he had to earn his way to the top of the mountain, and feels that everyone, if not already, has or should have the ability to climb to the top as well. He moves on into the next stanza by writing: "We have thus far exhausted trillions of winters and summers; there are trillions ahead, and trillions ahead of them. I waited unseen and always, and slept while God carried me through the lethargic mist, and took my time. Then he would not be as superior; however, he insists that ambition is the reason for his superiority, and each person is equal in that they can control their own ambition to become more powerful. " Here is a direct statement towards minorities. The further Whitman climbs, the closer he comes to greatness, and the separation between him and the people below him is expanding, the further people are from his greatness. All we can do is move forward and see what happens. Whitman also seems to feel that great people existed in his past generations.
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