Emily Dickinson and Walt Witman Clash

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The definition of poetry, instead of becoming more selective and exact, has become a much more broad and open minded classification of literature. From It's beginning's in romanticist Puritan literature, to its more modernistic function on present society, poetry has become a way to blend the psychological side of human intellect, with the emotional side of human intuition and curiosity. Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were two early poets from the late 19th century. Unlike Walt, Emily liked to write at home, she was a more secluded author who enjoyed to look out the window for inspiration. Walt on the other hand loved to travel. He found inspiration through nature and the diversity of thriving cultures throughout the world. Although these writers found inspiration from two different methods, their poems have distinct similarities in theme, images, and main ideas.
Take Walt's work “O Captain, My Captain” for example, when he says, “My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will” (Whitman, line 14). In this poem, he expresses his feelings on the result of Abraham Lincoln's death. Death seems to be a common in late 19th century poetry, most likely because of its “cause and effect” relationship with sadness. Dickinson also likes to write about the effect of death on the human psyche. This can be seen in her poem, “Because I could not stop for Death.” In the first stanza of her poem, she says, “Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me– “ (Dickinson, line 1). This quote shows how Emily uses personification to show death as a solemn human being who cannot be persuaded. Like Whitman, Emily sees no true positive outcome from death. Both poets illustr...

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...h of writing styles from Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, poetry would never be where it is today.

Work Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "Because I could not Stop for Death." Poets.org. Academy of American
Poets, 7 20 2013. Web. 3 Aug 2013. .
Dickinson, Emily. “God Gave a Loaf to Every Bird” n.d Web. 2 Feb. 2014.
Dickinson, Emily. "Success Is Counted Sweetest." Bartleby.com. Bartleby.com, 7 20 2013. Web.
3 Aug 2013. .

Whitman, Walt. "I Hear America Singing." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 8 10 2013.
Web. 3 Aug 2013. .
Whitman, Walt. “Leaves of Grass” n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2014.
Whitman, Walt. "O Captain, My Captain." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 7 20 2013.
Web. 3 Aug 2013. .

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