Introduction
“Song of myself” is written by American poet, humanist, essayist and journalist, Walt Whitman. Whitman is considered famous among American poets and his poetry collection, “leaves of grass” and many of his works were highly controversial during it’s time. (Carew 545) Furthermore, his sexuality was also unclear and it also caused a lot of controversy. (Desmond 678)
Walt Whitman’s “song of myself” is generally believed to be about Whitman’s beliefs about nature and life generally relating to God. The poem at different sections tries to show how nature relates to us and the presence of God right there in the things he has created. Divinity through intuition is clearly shown in the poem. The poet attempts to show how spiritual truths are attainable through love, contemplation and intuition. Grass is the main symbol used to illustrate the theme of the poem. (Desmond 455)
Some sections of the poem deal with themes about nature, life, God and death. This essay will focus on section 22 of the poem “song of myself” by Walt Whitman which deals with the sea and the essay with attempt to relate the theme of section 22 to the entire poem. Furthermore, close attention will be paid to the language, imagery, symbol, metaphor, allusion, irony, versification, diction of the poem. (Walt 874)
Section 22 “song of myself”
Walt Whitman as a teacher tries to teach the world about nature in section 22 of his poem, “song of myself”. In this section, the poet tries to relate the gentility and hostility of the sea to the evil and good sides of man. According to the poet, “sea of the brine of life and yet always ready graves”. This refers to the natural things all around us that symbolize the supremacy of God. Man either benefits or loses at different times from natural things around us. At the beginning of the poem, the poet tries to comprehend what the sea wants and he eventually submits himself to it. He says, “you sea! I resign myself to you also, I guess what you mean”. (Desmond 777)
Furthermore, the poet believes nature is always interacting to us. As shown in section 18 of the poem, where all members of humanity are saluted. He tries to use Grass as an illustration of God’s presence everywhere. (Walt 876) Furthermore, in section 24 of the poem, the poet refers to himself as a “Kosmos” which literally means universe. He portrays himself as the intermediary between nature and man.
In section 22, the poet says “I believe you refuse to go back with out feeling of me, we must have a turn together. I undress; hurry me out of land’s sight”. In this part, the poet is relating with the sea about its desire to interact with him. So he tells the sea to take him away believing that is what it wants. (Walt 345)
The poet concludes that the quest can only be about a mean man or an infidel. Whatever man turns out to be, the creator of the world still dwells in the same world with man. (Carew 122)
Conclusion
The entire poem “Song of myself” is generally about life and elements in the world. Different sections of the poem deal with various forms of life. It deals with life in the city, mountains, sea and country life. (Charles 211)
Also, appreciating nature amounts to appreciation of nature’s creator. This fact is shown in section 22 of the poem where it states; “shall I make my list of things in the house and skip the house that supports them”? If the world is considered beautiful then can we really appreciate the contents of the world without appreciating the pillar of the world which is the creator? (Charles 212) Walt Whitman’s Poem “song of myself” shows all these in various sections of the poem.
Works cited
Charles, Mathew. Critical analysis and comparism: “Song of myself”. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005. Print.
Carew, Goldman. Life and works of American poets:“Teaching towards the 21st century” New York: pocket, 2000. Print.
Desmond, Elliot. The history of the future: “Modern Day thesis”. London: maximillian, 2008. Print.
Walt, Whitman. The effects and advantages to the society: “Poems of Life and Nature” 1900. Web.