"Song of Myself" Literary Analysis:
Who, What and Why?
The 1855 publication of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass began a life-long process of adding, subtracting, revising, formatting, editing, and evolving (among other things) for the American poet. Whitman spent the entirety of his life working with a single collection of poems that began with a mere twelve and ended with a diverse collection. Perhaps the most striking, challenging, and all-encompassing literary piece from this publication is "Song of Myself." For an English student seeking to understand Walt Whitman and the time period during which he is developing as a writer, this is the place to start.
I am, as of January 30, 2016, studying Whitman closely for an upper level undergraduate English class - one of the basic requirements for the class is the ability to analyze literary works from selected authors (Whitman and Dickinson). This blog post is the first of several that will focus attention on the work of Walt Whitman, attempting to connect ideas while enlightening readers with my own personal interpretation of his poetry. This post could never be complete enough to cover every facet of "Song of Myself," but my goal for the post is to share a few interesting thoughts about the poem which form an informal interpretation.
The most obvious starting point is one of Whitman's most ambitious, most crucial poems.
Atop, you will see an image of Whitman from this initial publication. To give credit where it is due, the image is taken from newnownext.com, "Professor Rediscovers Lost Whitman Poem" by Alex Jung. The image itself is representative of the time period, representative of one of Whitman's favorite topics - namely, the common man - and representative of the bard's stylistic decision to group himself with said "common man."
The poem begins by addressing the relationship between speaker and reader:
"I CELEBRATE myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you" (Whitman 188; Section 1, lls. 1-3)
This introduction is both strikingly egotistic and intimately involved. These two descriptions of the "voice" of the poem are nice ways to anticipate what Whitman wants to do with the time he has with the reader. "Song of Myself" acts as an individual's journey of self-discovery, sometimes venturing into personal conflict and agenda, as well as a conversation with any who are willing to listen. At some points, Whitman (the speaker) is a mentor. At others, the speaker is a preacher. At others, the speaker is a warrior, adventurer, and/or lover. The speaker does not limit himself/herself to what he/she is. Toward the end of the poem when the speaker assumes the orator persona, he/she addresses the audience as if they constitute a congregation, encouraging them to stand and take control of the journey. Still, the speaker intends to guide, ensuring safe passage.
Unfortunately, we cannot know who, precisely, the speaker is. That's the point. Whitman's voice cuts through as all voices. The reader is just as much the speaker as Whitman is (perhaps not as longwinded but just as culpable).
Moving on. The WHAT. What is this long mess of a poem that talks about battles, sinking ships, slavery, politics, religions from all corners of the world, people, and, of course, grass? Well, the poem is Whitman's claim to the role of THE American poet. Who can better sing the story of the country while challenging its inhabitants to adopt the culture and reform described than Whitman? No one and everyone, according to him. Beginning with internal conflict and ending with universal harmony of the soul for the speaker, "Song of Myself" is the ultimate coming-to-terms with polarity song. In the end, the intention is recognizing the immediate value and equality of human beings, recognizing that it is okay to live and to die.
In the 44th section of "Song of Myself," Whitman questions the result of the journey:
"What is known I strip away,
I launch all men and women forward with me into the
Unknown.
The clock initiates the moment -- but what does eternity
indicate?" (238; Section 44, lls. 2-4)
Perhaps what "Song of Myself" wants for the reader is not only completion but also comfort in knowing that no one truly knows what comes with the end of things, not even the wizard-behind-the-curtain poet himself.
One of my favorites to conclude - the WHY. Why does Whitman need to say all of these things to a reader of his time period or any time period? Surely, he intends for the Leaves to continue evolving, even after his death. I, personally, would like to think that these poems ("Song of Myself," in particular) not only contribute to the work of the American Transcendentalists and reform of the nation but also to the heartbroken young adult male, a the victim of rape, the conservative churchgoer whose best friend announces homosexuality, the teenage mother working at McDonalds, the proud feminist, the veteran actor who cannot seem to grab an Oscar, and all in between.
The central themes of "Song of Myself" are not limited to the upper class, educated, successful white males of the 19th century. Whitman was thinking ahead - he considered what the world would be like years later and what the reader may or may not need and drew from his own personal experiences. Reconciliation of opposites - birth and death, light and dark, peace and violence, rich and poor, acceptance and racism, free and enslaved - is something that humans from all points of history must face if they desire consolation. Just as songwriters seek success by pulling from experience and novelists craft stories and create characters utilizing information they have gathered from life experience, the poet, here, offers his conflictions and methods he uses to confront them.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt, and John Hollander. "Song of Myself." Leaves of Grass: The Complete 1855 and 1891-92 Editions. 2nd ed. New York: Library of America Paperback Classics, 2011. 188-247. Print.
