Walt Whitman's Writing Style

Walt Whitman's writing style is very wise and noble(Connors, Judith). He is considered one of the most important transcendentalist writers. In his stories, he usually takes on a more political side of things, which is typically democratic(Connors, Judith). Overall he incorporated many aspects of life into all of his poems. For instance, he combines political aspects with spirituality, and then adds in philosophies on the important things in life. The subject matter was bolder than the other writings of the time period(Connors, Judith). The quote that really sums up his plan for writing is "This new poetry would be, according to Polley, "Transcendental in tone, rhythmic without being metrical ... the beginning of a new mode of expression." The quote shows that he wanted his work to be different from the other writers of his time period. He believed that the subject matter should flow and have expression, but it would also be a harsher subject matter. In his poems, Whitman used a tool called free verse, which is a kind of poetry that does not follow a certain poetic form. So, in his poems, they do not always rhyme or have a particular order. 


In Whitman's poems and writing overall, he had a very strong sense that nature helped make humanity beautiful. He saw this because he thought nature was very pure and had external and internal beauty and he thought hat if nature could be like this, then humanity could too (Whitman, Walt). His writing was very influential to many people. He had different styles that he incorporated in order to give his poems a unique edge that no one else had. He had powerful views on man itself and you can see when he incorporates nature, how man and nature are somehow connected.


One thing I find interesting about his poems is he always gives some kind of life lesson or tries to provide some kind of lesson to shape American and the people. For instance, in his poem "On the Beach at Night" there is a quote that says, "Somewhere there is (with my lips soothing thee, adding I whisper, I give thee the first suggestion, the problem and indirection) Something there is more immortal even than the stars, (many the burials, many the days and nights, passing away,) something that endure longer than the lustrous Jupiter, longer than any sun or revolving satellite"(Internal.org Poets) In that quote, the father is calming his daughter down while they are standing by the ocean. He is comparing life to nature and it is helping the little girl feel better. It is a very powerful poem because it also just has many life lessons. You can tell that he believes in a higher power and that everything in the end is going to turn out okay. I find the poem very inspiring.


Overall, Whitman's writing style paved the way for future writers. He was the first to really veer off from the normal poetry formations and create his new style that inspired many people. He had important views on life itself and also tied many things into nature. He was a rational person. He had his views on things and he expressed them very well.


Whitman, Walt. "Internal.org Poets." On the Beach at Night. Internal.org. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. <http://www.internal.org/Walt_Whitman/On_the_Beach_at_Night>. 



Connors, Judith. "Whitman, Walt." In Bloom, Harold, ed. Walt Whitman, Bloom's BioCritiques. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BCWWh02&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 20, 2012). 


"Walt Whitman." The American Romantic Movement. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. <http://montanaacademy.tripod.com/id7.html>