Walt Whitman 惠特曼 文PPT.pptVIP

introduction an American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist a part of the transition between Transcendentalism and Realism The father of free verse LIFE Born in to a working-class family poor＆semiliterate(半文盲)parents, only 5-6 years formal education ,self-educated. Work as an office boy ,printing worker, school teacher, free-lance writer. Supporting slavery abolishing Severed as volunteer nurse during civil war Unmarried all his life Major works Leaves of Grass 草叶集 Drum-Taps 桴鼓集 Song of Myself 自我之歌 I sit and look out 坐观世间 O captain, my caption When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d 最近紫丁香在庭院开放的时候 I hear American singings Leaves of Grass First published in 1855 with only 12 poems 9 editions and last edition includes more than 400 poems written in a new kind of versification called free verse. Celebrates the ideals of equality, democracy, the dignity, self-reliant spirit and joy of common people Grass—the most common thing with the greatest vitality, as a common of rising American The title “Leaves of Grass” A symbol of Whitman’s poems 2. A manifestation of Whitman’s democratic ideas 3. A symbol of new Americans with their American spirit Reception of Leaves of Grass Received harsh criticism because of breaking the poetic convention and its sexuality and exotic and vulgar language (“noxious weeds;” “poetry of barbarism;” “a mass of stupid filth;” Whittier throw it into fire.) Welcomed by Emerson / “the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that an American has yet contributed.” With appearance of the 5th edition, Whitman began received recognition in America and England. Major Themes in His Poetry Equality of things and beings Divinity of everything Multiplicity of nature Self-reliant spirit Death, beauty of death Expansion of America Brotherhood and social solidarity (unity of nations in the world) Pursuit of love and happiness Features of Whitman’s poetry The use of a certain pronoun “I” Two principles Parallelism