Modern Poetry Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 563 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1+

Page 1 of 2

Whitman Lens

Walt Whitman -- From a Different Perspective

Walt Whitman was inspired by the Transcendentalist Movement which was something of an offshoot of the Romantic Movement. As such, Whitman was something of a positive character who embraced diversity and especially democracy. In the preface to Leaves of Grass he wrote "The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem." He was unfettered in his ability to tackle some of the more controversial topics of his day; culture, sexuality, beliefs, and religion. In the 1872 preface he writes[footnoteRef:1]: [1: (Harris)]

The people must begin to learn that religion, (like poetry,) is something far, far different from what they supposed. It is, indeed, too important to the power and perpetuity of the New World to be consign'd any longer to the churches, old or new, Catholic or Protestant Saint this, or Saint that. It must be consign'd henceforth to democracy en masse, and to literature.

Stuck Writing Your "Modern Poetry" Essay?

View All Our Example Modern Poetry Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

It must enter into the poem of the nation. It must make the nation.

Whitman was willing to take on the dogmatic remnants of previous generations and remake the world into something better, more egalitarian, and with more freedom.

Whitman's spirit would not find an audience with all worldviews however. Consider the perspective of Chana Bloch who focused on the fact that although our daily experiences might include beauty and connection, it is also punctuated by violence, tragedy and loss[footnoteRef:2]. Her work includes more of the negative aspects of life that were illustrated with the gory detail such as in "The New World"[footnoteRef:3]: [2: (Dresser)] [3: (Bloch)]

My uncle killed a man and was proud of it.

Some guy with a knife came at him in Flatbush….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Modern Poetry" (2013, April 11) Retrieved May 20, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/modern-poetry-101608

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Modern Poetry" 11 April 2013. Web.20 May. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/modern-poetry-101608>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Modern Poetry", 11 April 2013, Accessed.20 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/modern-poetry-101608
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example