Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson Exemplifies the Essay

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Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson exemplifies the Romantic Movement in American literature

Romantic Movement in American Literature

The Romantic Movement reached America in the 19th century. In America, Romanticism became sophisticated and distinctive as it was in Europe. American Romantics illustrated high levels of moral enthusiasm, devotion to individualism, an emphasis on intuitive point-of-view, and an assumption that the globe was naturally good; however, the reality was that corruption prevailed in human society. Romanticism influenced American politics, philosophy and art. This movement appealed to the radical spirit of America including those aiming to free from the stern religious traditions (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176). In addition, the movement gave rise to New England Transcendentalism, which represented an unlimited relationship between God and the globe. The poetry of Dickinson and the romantic realism of Walt Whitman are typical examples of American Romantic Literature.

Emily Dickson greatly influenced American Romanticism. She did this owing to her imagery, wisdom and questioning of life's meanings, which in turn left a mark on the American Literature. Although she published few poems, after her death, her sister published several of her poems. The subjects of Dickinson's poetry varied from nature to religion, and some of them emphasized the difficulty and necessity of faith. In addition, she used unconventional "nonliterary" methods available for some poetry work; however, she used traditional variations in some other works. For instance, in the poem, "Because I could not stop for Death," the ideas of romanticism are apparent. The subject of humanity mortality is present in Dickinson's poem and discusses the question of what lies beyond death (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176). Clearly, this relates to subjects on Romanticism and reveals that Dickinson desired knowledge and wisdom on what the future and eternity hold.

Dickinson's religious stance contrasts with Melville's fundamentally in her close link to the Congressionalist Calvinism of the Connecticut Valley region where she lived, and identified as a "religious poet." Dickinson's work consistently responded to specific strains of Christian tradition.

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Into the bargain, the historical circumstances of Calvinist New England greatly influenced Dickinson. However, she emerged from the Puritan culture of Edward Taylor and Anne Bradsheet. These religious poems revealed a commitment to the particular religious attitudes. In addition, they revealed a process of ever shifting devotions, unwilling to devote to any of them revealing a religious uncertainty (Shawcross 71-90).

A review of Melville's poems in comparison to Dickinson's poems reveals that in the latter, there is an unmistakable sense of Christian piety. A good example is in "Unto Me'? I do not know you-," in the poem, the poet at the time of her death did not know Jesus. However, she confronts Jesus and asks where his "House" is, in response; Jesus tells her it is in Paradise. This poem does not point out the ambivalence about paradise (Flibbert 129-137). For instance, in Dickinson's letter to Wentworth, where she aims to flee from enchantment, Jesus suggests that the speaker should trust omnipotence; however, she upholds her unworthiness. Jesus replies again, by assuring the speaker that among the occupants of his "House," there is a reverse of worldly hierarchies. In this poem, the divine is gentle and inviting.

In comparison to Elisa The regenerate Lyric, this is among the compelling treatments in the field of Romanticism. This poem aims to trace how poems work through a religious attitude not conventional, but rather speculative, theological, and meditative, and mystical. The poem further focus on the tension between poetic seeing and that idolatry represented by Christian reviles. In contrast to Dickinson, she attaches value to a blind and wandering language as a spiritual instrument. In addition, Dickinson aims at finding a….....

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