Diction And Tone In Walt Whitman's O Me ! O Life !

406 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Walt whitman song of life and death

“O Me! O Life!”
Walt Whitman
Diction and Tone
Vainly - unsuccessfully
Plodding - slowly moving
Sordid - shameful In “O Me! O Life!,” Walt Whitman uses a desperate questioning tone to connect the questions that he has of his life to the answer that he comes up with. Whitman uses the questioning tone to set up his true message given off as the answer in the poem: through all the trials of life, one should struggle, for there will be a chance to contribute a verse, to have meaning. Whitman asks about to meaning of life to himself between “endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish” (2). The specific diction such as “endless,” “faithless,” and “foolish” in his poem creates a negative connotation, clearly trying to express

Show More
Related

  • A Discussion of The Wound-Dresser and Leaves of Grass

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the late romantic period, two of history’s most profound poets, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, emerged providing a foundation for, and a transition into Modern poetry.  In its original form, their poems lacked the characteristics commonly attributed to most romantic poets of the mid to late nineteenth century who tended to utilize “highly stylized verses, having formal structures, figurative language and adorned with symbols” (worksheet).  Unique and “eccentric use of punctuation” as well as “irregular use of meter and rhyme” were the steppingstones for this new and innovative style of writing (worksheet).  Even though these two writers rejected the traditional approach, both remained firmly dedicated to their romantic idealism of the glass of water being “half full” opposed to “half empty.” Noted for his frequent practice of catalogs and parallelism, Whitman stirred up much controversy with his first edition of “leaves of Grass” in 1855.  Many critics responded negatively to the ...

    Read More

  • Song of Myself by Walt Whitmas

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself. Dover Thrift ed. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 2001. Print.

    Read More

  • The Value Of Conformity In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

    1240 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whitman claims that “there was never any more inception than there is now…nor any more heaven or hell than there is now.” The remainder of the poem goes on to say that similar to the law of conservation of matter, the impending presence of any aspect of life is constant, driven only by humanities “procreant urge.” Yet rather than lazily labeling the variety of essential human traits such as youth, old age, sex and isolation; Whitman divides the world based upon his soul saying, “Clear and sweet is my soul, and clear and sweet is all that is not my soul.” While at first this may appear to be a weak dichotomy that is far too lenient of evil actions, Whitman continues to write of it that “lack one lack both.” This somewhat ambiguous statement becomes clarified when observed against the larger backdrop of the idea of the self which Whitman is attempting to paint. Essentially, without the awareness or experience of ideas or actions that are decidedly not a part of your soul, it is nearly impossible to construct a genuine personal and moral code. Just as without darkness there is no light, without a definition and example of what is wrong, identifying a correct moral path becomes infinitely

    Read More

  • Walt Whitman's Song of Myself

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    In one of the sections from the poem, “Song of Myself” Walt Whitman starts out with a child asking a question, “What is the grass?” Grass is a symbol of life. God, who created both the heavens and the earth also gave birth to life. When Whitman refers to grass as a “handkerchief of the Lord” (7), as a gift. When people look at the grass, they do not think of it as a creation but rather just a plant. Whitman refers to the grass as “a child, the produced babe of vegetation” (11, 12). Here, the grass is a metaphor for the birth of a child. In often cases, the birth of anything is celebrated because it symbolizes a new life, a new beginning.

    Read More

  • Philosophic Thought in Whitman's Song of Myself

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Heath Anthology of American Literature repeatedly refers to Walt Whitman and his poetry in terms of being American, yet as I read Song of Myself, my thoughts are continually drawn to the philosophies and religions of the Far East. Like the Tao Te Ching ideas are expressed in enigmatic verse and each stanza is a Zen koan waiting to be meditated on and puzzled out. Even Emerson called Whitman's poetry "a remarkable mixture of the Bhagvat Gita and the New York Herald" ("The Whitman Project"). Song of Myself contains multitudes of passages that express Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist thought.

    Read More

  • An Annotation of Section 24 of Walt Whitman's Song of Myself

    1355 Words  | 3 Pages

    Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is a vision of the American spirit, a vision of Whitman himself. It is his cry for democracy, giving each of us a voice through his poetry. Each of us has a voice and desires, and this is Whitman's representation of our voices, the voice of America. America, the great melting pot, was founded for freedom and democracy, and this poem is his way of re-instilling these lost American ideals. In this passage from "Song of Myself" Whitman speaks through his fellow man and speaks for his fellow man when his voice is not socially acceptable to be heard.

    Read More

  • Religion in Walt Whitman's Literature

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Why should I pray? Why should I venerate and be ceremonious?……I find no sweeter fat than sticks to my own bones." (pg 40)Nature and all of her wondrous facets, especially the human body, was Whitman's religion. Walt Whitman was indeed an intensely spiritual man in his own unconventional way. His epic classic "Song of Myself" demonstrates these attitudes of his, and in his view how the proverbial "poet" of his America should believe. Humanity yearns for spiritual fulfillment and Whitman believed that everything around us and even ourselves were walking testaments to what true ethereal life is.

    Read More

  • Walt Whitman Poem

    544 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walt Whitman’s poem Time to Come explores Whitman’s curiosity of what happens when people die. Rather than taking a pessimistic approach, his writing is more insightful about the experience. The title alone introduces an aspect of his purpose; to point out that dying is inevitable. With Whitman captures the reader’s attention and shares his curiosity with vivid images, sophisticated diction, and his use of metaphor and personification in Time to Come.

    Read More

  • The Cycle of Life in Walt Whitman's Song of Myself

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    In stanza six of the poem "Song of Myself", by Walt Whitman, he poses the question "What is the grass?" I believe that grass is a metaphor for the cycle of life. Throughout the poem Whitman points out images that grass could represent. All of these images stem from the life and death that we come to expect in our lifetime. During your life you will experience death, it at times surrounds you, but if you look past the grief and look to the beauty you will see that it is a cycle that keeps our world in balance. The images of flags, tears, children and older people that are torn from the ones they love, but only to soon return to other lost ones are all parts of Walt Whitman's poem.

    Read More

  • Identities and Transcendentalism in Song of Myself by Walt Whitman

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    While reading through the poem Song of Myself by Walt Whitman, what comes to your mind? His deep love for nature? The use of symbolism throughout the poem? Whitman’s questionable homoeroticism that seeps its way throughout the lines? What came to the forefront of mind when reading this poem by Whitman was his deliberately obvious theme of individuality while also maintaining a universal identity. I also think that Whitman throws in a common underlying theme of transcendentalism throughout his poem. At various times throughout Song of Myself, he really seems to show that each individual person has a sort of knowledge about themselves that surpasses their logic and sense but rather, uses their intuition and inner soul. He also shows how each individual person is, in fact, their own person, but that each person is a part of a bigger, universal identity. Whitman’s theme of transcendentalism intertwined with his main theme of individual having both personal and universal identities is what will be explored in this close reading analysis.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Self In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

    731 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walt Whitman used free verse in “Song of Myself” in order to connect with the common man and his American readers. In this first person narrative, Whitman deconstructs the “self” into many different sections that all are a part of the celebration of the individual. Some of the topics he breaks the “self” into are self- identity, and human exploration (including the human body and sexuality). In the poem, Whitman uses a speaker to exclaim that for individuals to grow they must discover themselves spiritually, physically, and mentally. The speaker in the poem

    Read More

  • Literary Devices used in Walt Whitman´s Poem Song of Myself

    1599 Words  | 4 Pages

    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?

    Read More

  • Individuality In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

    210 Words  | 1 Pages

    Everyone is born equal and originates from the same ancestor. As individuals grow, they develop their own beliefs and opinions. Through the Transcendentalist Era, writers and poets valued individuality and personal thought. Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” glorifies the importance of one’s individuality, and how change and acceptance within oneself creates a better life.

    Read More

  • On The Beach At Night Alone By Walt Whitman

    359 Words  | 1 Pages

    Although Whitman uses a great deal of structural ways to stress his ideas, he also uses many other ways of delivering his ideas. First of all, Whitman portrays himself as a public spokesman of the masses. The tone of the poem is a very loud, informative tone that grabs ones attention. The emphasis placed on the word “all” adds to the characterization of Whitman as a powerful speaker. Furthermore, Whitman takes part in his own poem. Participating in his own poem, Whitman moreover illustrates the connection between everything in life. Lastly, Whitman, most of all, celebrates universal brotherhood and democracy.

    Read More

  • Walt Whitman: The American Poet

    1559 Words  | 4 Pages

    As Whitman, the specific individual, melts away into the abstract, “Song of Myself” explores the possibilities for communion between individuals. Whitman addresses the reader in a particularly direct manner. He integrates his reader into the poem, and is freed of the constraints of poetic principle and social etiquette. The poem presents entire body lounging on the ground, leaning and idling. Whitman deliberately conflates natural world and poetical world. “Song of Myself” goes beyond the boundaries of Transcendentalism in the relationship of the physical and spiritual, individual and universal. The self that Whitman cheerily sings and celebrates substantiates a ‘uniform hieroglyphic’: suggestive, multiform, and awash with inconsistency. “It is as much a physical presence as a projected spiritual possibility” (Jason 2). Even as it blatantly and fervently expresses Whitman’s faith in evolution (and therefore in the necessary indivisibility of self-reliance), “Song of Myself” also conveys a separation with the “self,” the poet himself, and the co...

    Read More

More about Diction And Tone In Walt Whitman's O Me ! O Life !

Open Document