Whitmans Mission
The theme of individual freedom and valuing individual, as a center of autonomous decisions and creative development is among central themes in Whitmans Song of Myself. Whitman obviously posits this theme not only in descriptive terms, but as the mission, he will promote during the rest of his life. Individualism is already promoted by Whitmans through the formal structure of his poem.
Whitman puts the self in the center of narration, however, the I, which he portrays, is not only his own personality, but abstract personality, belonging to each American. It is a personality of the American nation in general. It is expressed by Whitman as great, expansive, exploding and always transcending itself I pass death with the dying, and birth with the new-washed babe .... and I am not contained between my hat and boots (section 7).
Hence, Whitmans individualism is individualism of the nation as free and autonomous subject. Such stance obviously certifies to his democratic credentials and views about democratic development. Several examples of this may be characteristic in all people I see myself, none more and not one a barleycorn lessand the good or bad I say of myself I say of them (Section 20).
Whitmans individualism is all-embracing and historical I am large, I contain multitudes. (Section 51). Whitman realizes himself as a small particle of all people, living in the United States For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. (Section 1).
The celebration of Individuality is linked with Whitmans compassion to American people and deep understanding of their problems. In the sixth section of Whitmans poem a little child asks narrator What is the grass.
Through poetically answering this nave question, Whitman understands that grass in childs hands becomes a symbol of national revival. Grass is a sign of nature, which unites disparate Americans and gives them a sense of universality and joint origin. Grass is everywhere and that is why it is an ultimate symbol of democracy, understood as the participation of everyone in common causes and joint resolution of common problems. The image of grass, which often is used in Song of Myself is the sign of mortality and death. Grass grows on the graves of the dead the death is the process through which nation reproduces itself that is why it is equally the sign of democracy.
The theme of democratic communition of nation is vividly seen in famous section with the twenty-ninth bather, in which a woman observes 28 men bathing in the ocean, wanting to join them. She is an invisible 29-th bather. However, this scene includes the flavor of eroticism it is really about the commonality of each member of democratic nation.
Another theme through which Whitman promotes his version of individualism and understanding of democracy is the theme of compassion to others. In the twenty-fifth section he passionately says I do not ask the wounded personal how he feels, I myself become the wounded person.
Whitmans conception of individualism may be discerned in the verse When I Heard the Learned Astronomer. Here, he shows that individual contemplation of nature and world gives much more freedom, than rigorous and strict scientific analysis, breaking individuality of objects in separate particles When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick Till rising and gliding out, I wanderd off by myself, In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Lookd up in perfect silence at the stars. From this quote it is evident that for Whitmans passive contemplation is the best method of understanding nature.
Whitmans discourse of individualism and democracy is all embracing. The ideological nature of Whitmans poesy is radical humanism, based on compassion to American people and understanding of individual Self as a part of collective Self Every kind for itself and its own, for me mine male and female, For me those that have been boys and that love women, For me the man that is proud and feels how it stings to be slighted, For me the sweet-heart and the old maid, for me mothers and the mothers of mothers, For me lips that have smiled, eyes that have shed tears, For me children and the begetters of children. In this part Whitman shows that he equally values every category and group of American society.
Whitmans individualism is also reflected in his understanding of religion and faith as a personal matter.
However such approach goes in line with Protestant tradition, in Whitmans interpretation it appears as the celebration of ultimate and unrestrained individualism I do not despise you priests, all time, the world over, My faith is the greatest of faiths and the least of faiths, Enclosing worship ancient and modern and all between ancient and modern, Believing I shall come again upon the earth after five thousand years.
To sum it up, Whitmans poetry is reflected in two distinct mission, he promoted through his life democracy and individualism. These two missions are strongly dialectically linked. Individuality in Whitmans interpretation has several levels. The first is personal level autonomous subject, endowed with liberty and will. The second is the level of nation, which is understood by Whitman as a Spiritual totality of all people living in the United States. The synthesis of these individualities is the primary precondition for democracy. For Whitman, democracy rests on compassion to other people and promoting common cause of freedom and human dignity. Individualism is also expressed in Whitmans contemplative attitude to nature, portrayed in his verse When I Heard the Learned Astronomer.
Categories:
0 comments:
Post a Comment