FREE ESSAY ON WHITMAN'S SONG OF MYSELF

WHITMAN'S SONG OF MYSELF

Explication
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. What is known I strip away...I launch all men and women forward
with me into the unknown. The clock indicates the moment...but what does eternity
indicate? Eternity lies in bottomless reservoirs...its buckets are rising forever and
ever, they pour and they pour and they exhale away. Whitman is simply stating that he
wants to tell the purpose of his madness. The madness that Whitman expresses is that of
power and self-confidence. Whitman has written this based upon his experiences in life.
Through these experiences, he has grown to know certain things about life and tries to
pass them down to the reader. Throughout the beginning of the poem, Whitman takes the
reader by the hand and demands that he follows Whitman and his ideas, because based on
his own life Whitman holds the answers to the reader's questions. But now, he asks the
reader to erase everything that he has previously said - forget the past. Why don't we
try something new? We have to focus on the present, not on the past, but also to focus on
what we are going to experience in the future, what can we expect? Well, there's no
telling what will happen. All we can do is move forward and see what happens. 
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. Births have
brought us richness and variety, and births will bring us richness and variety. I do not
call one greater and one smaller, that which fills its period and place is equal to any.
Whitman says thinks that all we know about the future so far is that the seasons will
continue to change, just as in the past. Nature will run its course regardless of the
situations humans bring upon themselves. He also feels that everyone born, is born for a
reason, and has something to offer to society, in some way or another. This is the least
that we can expect. Whether a person is born into a poor family or a wealthy one, it does
not make either better or worse than the other. Whitman feels that everyone is equal, and
should be treated equally without discrimination, regardless or social or physical
attributes.
In the third stanza, Whitman writes: Were mankind murderous or jealous upon you my
brother or sister? I am sorry for you...they are not murderous or jealous upon me; All
has been gentle with me...I keep no account with lamentation; what have I to do with
lamentation? I am an acme of things accomplished, and I am an encloser of things to be.
My feet strike an apex of the apices of the stairs, on every step bunches of ages, and
larger bunches between the steps, all below duly traveled-and still I mount and mount.
Here is a direct statement towards minorities. He apologizes on his own behalf for the
discrimination for which they have been plagued. Why should I feel the grief that you
feel? I am a pinnacle of things achieved, and I still possess the ability to achieve
more. He goes on to explain that he has climbed to the top of the mountain. As he has
climbed, he has grown, both physically and spiritually. 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. 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. 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.
The following stanza, Whitman describes the climb to the top by stating: Rise after rise
bow the phantoms behind me, Afar down I see the huge first Nothing, the vapor from the
nostrils of death, I know I was even there...I waited unseen and always, and slept while
God carried me through the lethargic mist, and took my time...and took no hurt from the
foetid carbon. Long I was hugged close...long and long. Immense have been the
preparations for me, faithful and friendly the arms that have helped me. Now Whitman
begins to explain the journey to the climax of his peak. As he looked behind him, past
everyone's praise, he could remember when he was in his or her shoes, at the bottom of
the mountain, eagerly waiting to climb to the top. The floating fog grew thicker, and it
made it harder to see those behind him. Whitman was anxious to see what the journey along
the way would bring to him. As he proceeded to climb, God and his spirits were there to
guide Whitman through every obstacle that he faced along the way. The lethargic mist is
an image Whitman uses to symbolize God taking him by the hand, guiding him through the
unknown. This mist was slow moving, and thick, making it difficult to see what lied ahead
of him. He shut his eyes and let his faith in God control his destiny. Nothing could
affect him while in this state of mind, not even the highly offensive smell of the
carbon. As he learned, he progressed to the next level, taking his time, consuming all
the knowledge around placed around him. He worked hard to get to this point, and not a
soul could take this moment away from him. Whitman was also gracious that everyone around
him was able to see the desire to succeed that he had possessed, and offered help towards
his success.
Concluding section #44, Walt Whitman writes, Cycles ferried my cradle, rowing and rowing
like cheerful boatmen; for room to me stars kept aside in their own rings, they sent
influences to look after what was to hold me. Before I was born out of my mother
generations guided me, my embryo has never been torpid...nothing could over lay it; for
it's the nebula cohered to an orb...the long slow strata piled to rest it on...vast
vegetables gave it sustenance, monstrous sauroids transported it into their mouths and
deposited it with care. All forces have been steadily employed to complete and delight
me, now I stand on this spot with my soul. In this final stanza, Whitman sums up the
section by telling the reader that throughout his journey, a spirit had watched over him,
and as previously mentioned, people were willing to lend a helping hand so that he could
achieve greatness. He was guided throughout his early periods of life. Whitman also seems
to feel that great people existed in his past generations. Hard work and determination
runs through his blood, and that his ancestors gave him the power to accomplish
greatness. Nothing could destruct what he had so carefully constructed. He imagined
himself as a bright spot, a nebula, out in space stuck to a heavenly being. But the
spirits carried him to this place and he stands now, with all of his body and soul,
knowing that neither can be touched.
In Song of Myself #44, Walt Whitman uses a variety of literary devices. His use of
powerful rhythm and the multiplicity of metaphors and images set the realistic tone of
the poem. He often contradicts himself throughout the entirety of the poem, specifically
in section #44 when he tells the reader to listen again to what he has to say. This is
what he tells the reader at the beginning of the poem, to follow him, then, as the poem
progresses, Whitman becomes unsure of himself, until #44. It's the use of these literary
devices, as well as a free verse style that contributes to Whitman's unprecedented
technique. This poem was drastically liberal compared to previous and current writers of
his time. This never before seen method, although highly controversial to social
boundaries of the time period, willingly opened the doors and allowed future writers to
cross the invisible line, set by previous writers, and express themselves in way that
they saw fit.