(ThyBlackMan.com) On May 31, 1819, Walter “Walt” Whitman was born to change the world through words. He was an internationally renowned humanist, journalist, essayist and poet who became part of the wonderful transition of realism and transcendentalism. These two ideas were genuinely incorporated in his works. Walt Whitman is one of America’s influential poets such that he was called the Father of Verse. Although his works were actually controversial, his Leaves of Grass revealed obscenity and overt sexuality.
The Years of Beginning
Walt Whitman was born in West hills somewhere in Long Island. His parents were Louisa and Walter Whitman. He was second in all nine children and was therefore named after his father. His brothers were
named after great American leaders like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. At six years old, Walt moved to Brooklyn with his family. Somehow, his family’s economic and financial problems have caused all of them to be restless and unhappy.
When Walt Whitman was eleven years old, he ended his formal schooling and he looked for a job. He worked as an office assistant for two attorneys and later became their apprentice. He also worked for the Patriot which is a Long Island newspaper. It was the job that introduced him to typesetting and the printing press. He somehow wrote some sentimental bits.
Walt Whitman moved from that old printing press to Erastus Worthington which is located in Brooklyn. Then his family returned to West Hills. He was given a chance to work as editor for the weekly newspaper named Whig or the Long Island Star. He also had his first attempts for teaching when he went back to New York.
Poetry and Life
Walt Whitman himself claimed that he tried hard to compete for the ordinary rewards yet he pursued his attempts to become a famous poet. He was able to write the Leaves of Grass and he paid for its publication. He even managed to ask a local printing company to publish for him during their breaks. Leaves had a total of more than nine hundred copies produced.
During the Civil War in America, Walt Whitman published the Beat! Beat! Drums, as a way of advocating for patriotism in the North. It was his brother George who has given him the idea of battles because he joined the army.
Whitman’s works were all a deviation of the traditional boundaries that surrounded poetic form. He was able to introduce unusual images and even symbols that can be composed of debris, straw and leaves. Walt Whitman has always left the world in awe with his poetic theories like no other. When he wrote the Leaves of Grass, it was revealed how he believed in the strong connection between the society and poetry.
He said whatever that connection is; it is definitely vital and symbolic. This connection was further emphasized in a narration through Song for Myself. Another notable deviation of Walt’s write-ups was his refusal to use heroes. He focused his writings to the lives of ordinary people.
Staff Writer; LadyK
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