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Sergej Pucar

Mrs. Vanita Pettey

English 13023

30 March 2010

Social class in the Whitman’s Poems

Walt Whitman was a great American writer who revolutionized American poetry by

introducing new ways of writing and relating on the subjects that were actual and very popular at

the time. He was also introducing new style of writing. “The language of Walt Whitman's 'Song

of Myself caused problems for its first readers and for later critics” (Lawson, page 1). How

deeply and with what level of devotion do we need to go into the poems’ writing in order to

revolutionize the 19th century? Walt Whitman had a major impact on American Literature in the

nineteenth century. He was born in a working class family and his work through his life was

considered brilliant. Whitman tried through democracy and equality among American citizens to

incorporate all classes in his writing. The modern critic considers him one of the most important

creators in the history of American Literature. Whitman’s Leaves of Grass changed American

poetry, as Pearce stated “the history of American poetry could be written as the continuing

discovery and rediscovery of Whitman, an on-going affirmation of his crucial relevance to the

mission of the American poet”(Pearce,365). He was always writing and trying to help with

current problems in United States. Writing on the current problems of that time made him write

about social classes, because that was the problem of that time. . One of the main ways in which

he influenced American citizens in that period is by consciousness of class differences.


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In his poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, he metaphorically explains flood-tide as a

movement of people. While he says “Cross from shore to shore, countless crowds of

passengers!” (Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, page 165). he actually gives us a picture of

circulation all over the world. So many people are going to different places and seeking a better

life. His point in this metaphor is to encourage all members of the lower classes never to stop

seeking for what they want to accomplish. Whitman presents a very useful quote for the lower

classes: “don’t look back”; go and fight for your rights (Crossing Brooklyn Ferry). In

flowing water we can also see a picture of consistency. Just like people who cross the Brooklyn

ferry every day, social classes will continue to see and feel the same setting for years to come.

He is comparing his repetitions with things that were happening in America at that period such as

Civil War and slavery. Nothing has been changed and people were suffering through life

conditions over and over again. Additionally Whitman uses river as metaphor “Just as you are

refresh’d by the gladness of the river and the bright flow, I was refresh’d” (Crossing Brooklyn

Ferry, page 160). The Rivers bring life and hope, hope that through democracy and

brotherhood Americans can solve any problems and sufferings. As we can see in his quotes “The

men and women I saw were all near to me; I too lived… I too walk’d… among crowds of

people”, Whitman is expressing all these issues based on his connection with people from

everyday life (Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, 158-167). He is also critical about the people

around him whose negative behavior and mood is caused by difficult conditions at that period of

time.

One of the most important contrasts between people suffering through life but also

seeking hope and inspiration for a better future is expressed by Whitman in his poem “Song of

Myself”: “There was never any more inception than there is now, nor any more youth or age than
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there is now, nor any more heaven or hell than there is now” (Song of Myself, third section).

He wants people to find inside themselves that powerful, positive figure which is going to push

them to solve all kinds of problems. Whitman’s positive attitude is nicely and deeply described

in the fourth section of “Song of Myself”: “The sickness of one of my folks or of myself, or ill-

doing or loss or lack of money or depression. Battles, the horrors of fratricidal war, the fever of

doubt news, the fitful news; These come to me days and nights and go from me again” (Song of

Myself, fourth section). Section eight is his description about things inside the social class

that he saw and experienced. It probably happened somewhere in his environment (Brooklyn).

Whitman is showing, to his readers, a clear picture of madness. Cold weather, killers, criminals,

people who are starving, bloody floors, all of these things are making us see a picture of horror.

Through good description he is actually trying to explain the tough lives of people in his

environment who are punished by nature and destiny to go through hard times. While Whitman

is expressing all of these things, he is in a specific mood where he is saying that he minds and is

sorry for that social class of people. He feels the burdens of all classes flowing through him.

Whitman also in some way feels responsibility to help those classes to go through their burdens,

and excellent descriptive writing style is definitely his ally in accomplishing this responsibility.

Whitman’s poem “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” typically represents how

Whitman sees life in America before and after President Lincoln’s death. Whitman is expressing

very deep sadness for Lincoln’s death because he knows that it can influence even the worst

position for social classes in America. Whitman feels that the president had a lot more things to

do to improve the position of slaves and the lower class. In Whitman’s point of view, President

Lincoln was a man with a vision of a better future. What he meant with better future, was

actually better living conditions for slaves, working and middle class. Whitman was verbally
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fighting for democracy and equality among social classes, which Lincoln was also doing, but on

the state level as a president. The progressiveness which President Lincoln expends and develops

suddenly passes into the darkness after his death. For Whitman, President Lincoln became a hero

of all dependent and subservient people. He simply became a reflection and soul of the American

idea and spirit. President Lincoln is just a representative of a million Americans who died in the

Civil War. In his “noiseless dreams” (When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d), Whitman

sees how the entire lower social class suffered under the war conditions. Members of the army,

mothers, children, wives are portrayed in total destitution with no hope for a better future until

America gets a new Abraham Lincoln or at least someone who has similar ideas. The certain

thing for Whitman is that future Americans should definitely follow President Lincoln’s

example. Lincoln ascended the social and political ladder and became a president from humble

origins, but in same time tremendous ambition to incorporate all classes. His devotion and desire

to achieve these things should always be kept in the minds of American citizens.

Walt Whitman was very closely connected to all social classes, especially the working

and middle class. The best identifier of my statement definitely was Whitman’s time and effort

that he devoted to the Civil War helping wounded people. As one critique said, “For three years

during the Civil War he ministered to injured soldiers in and around Washington, D. C. He wrote

about warriors and wounds, close-up, in poems that have an obvious public dimension, such as

"Reconciliation" and "Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field One Night" (Lehman, par.1). Of course

the majority of those wounded people were from lower social classes and that’s why Whitman

describes these classes in most his poems. He feels and understands their position in society and

this is the reason why Whitman cares about those unfairly treated citizens. Through his positive

attitude, expressing and showing his liberal view, Whitman is definitely giving hope to those
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people who are suffering. Walt Whitman as a writer and as a member of Democratic Party was

fighting for the disappearance of class differences. Democracy, equality among the people and

liberal attitudes made this writer one of the famous in history of American Literature. Moreover,

the proof of greatness of this revolutionary man was a public funeral with a thousand men who

were there just to give their last respects to an amazing writer – Walt Whitman.
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Works cited

Hart , James David . The Oxford Companion to American Literature   . fourth . New

York, USA : Oxford University Press, 1965. 918-919. Print.

Lawson, Andrew. "'Song of Myself and the class struggle in language."  Textual

PracticeAutumn2004: 1. Web. 22 Mar 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com>.

Lehman, David. "The Visionary Walt Whitman."  American Poetry

Review Jan/Feb2008: p11-13. Web. 22 Mar 2010.

<http://web.ebscohost.com>.

Miller, James E. Walt Whitman. 1st . New York, USA : Twayne Publishers, Inc,

1962. 38. Print.

Pearce , Roy Harvey. Poetry Criticism. vol.3 . Detroit, USA: Gale Research Inc.,

1991. 365. Print.

Whitman, Walt. “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.” The Selected Poems of Walt Whitman .

1st . New York: Classics Club, 1942. 158-167. Print.

Whitman, Walt. "Song of Myself." Poetry Online. Poetry Online.org.uk, 1

November 2003. Web. 29 Mar 2010. <http://www.poetry-online.org

/whitman_song_of_myself.htm>.

Whitman, Walt. "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd."  Poet's Corner. Poet's

Corner, 2009. Web. 29 Mar 2010. <http://theotherpages.org

/poems/whitm01.html>.

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