Walt Whitman's View Of Humanity

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Recommended: Walt Whitman as Poet and Person

Walt Whitman
By Ava Machado

One’s view on the world can be impacted greatly when reading the works of someone with a unique perspective of humanity. Walt Whitman had a fascinating way of looking at the human mind, body, and soul. By reading his works it allows one to challenge their preconceived notions about humanity.
Having such a distinctive view on the world is not one that comes without emotional turmoil. "I suffer all the time: I have no relief, no escape: it is monotony—monotony—monotony—in pain." Walt Whitman has had a troubled life since birth and looks back at his childhood as unhappy and tense. His father was extremely strict, had a bad business sense and often drank. His father’s bad investment decisions eventually forced Whitman …show more content…

He believed we should “Be curious, not judgemental.” He was a strong advocate against slavery and believed that all of our souls were the same, and we should not treat others poorly due to their differences. Additionally, he believed that men and women were equals and should be treated as such. “That of the male is perfect, and that of the female is perfect.” This was a very unpopular view during this time period because women were typically viewed and treated as inferiors. There is also overwhelming evidence from his poems that Walt Whitman was gay, which was considered to be scandalous during this period in time. Whitman wrote about men’s bodies in the same way he wrote about women’s bodies and was often criticised for displaying his sexuality so openly in his works. According to the Longman Anthology of Poetry, “Whitman received little public acclaim for his poems during his lifetime for several reasons: this openness regarding sex, his self-presentation as a rough working man, and his stylistic innovations.” He often wrote very descriptive poems about his affairs, such as in the poem Calamus, stating, “The one to remain hung on the other's neck and passionately kiss'd him.” In fact, Calamus was considered so homoerotic that the 1882 version was banned in Boston. Although his sexuality was considered taboo during his time period, in present day he is celebrated as an inspiring writer to those the LGBTQ+

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