Song of Myself
by
Walt Whitman
(Question
& Answers)
1.
Who wrote the poem, Song of Myself?
-
Walt Whitman wrote the poem, Song of Myself.
2.
When was it first published?
-
It was first published, untitled, in the
collection, Leaves of Grass in 1855, but its current title, Song of Myself, was
given to it in 1881.
3.
How many sections and lines are there in
the poem?
-
Song of Myself, poem has 52 sections and some
1,300 lines.
4.
Why social conservatives denounced the
poem, Song of Myself?
-
Social conservatives denounced the poem as
flouting accepted norms of morality, due to its blatant depictions of human
sexuality.
5.
What is the literary style of the poem?
-
The poem is written in free verse style. The
words used in the poem are as simple as grass. Whitman forgoes standard verse
and stanza patterns in favor of a simple, legible style that can appeal to a
mass audience. There is a strong Transcendentalist influence on the poem. In
section 32, for instance, Whitman expresses a desire to "live amongst the
animals" and to find divinity in the insects. In addition to this romanticism,
the poem seems to anticipate a kind of realism.
6.
Who is the narrator in the poem?
-
From the very first stanza, Whitman makes it
clear that the narrator of “Song of Myself” is
not an individual, but a common voice for the people; he is
“of
old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise”.
Throughout
the poem, the idea of a common soul uniting all people is prevalent and Whitman
encourages his readers to embrace this unity with one another. However, Whitman
also touches on the Transcendental belief that each individual has their own
personal connection to the universe. “Song of Myself” implores the reader to
seek out this relationship with the universe through their own sensory
perceptions. The narrator may inhabit the role of the Poet, a voice for the
people, but the reader is encouraged to rely on their own senses to learn about
the world.
7.
Who is the speaker and how old is he?
-
The poet himself is the speaker in the poem.
He is thirty-seven years old.
8.
What has formed the speaker’s blood?
-
The blood of the speaker has been formed by
the same soil and the same air that everyone breathes. There is no difference
between his blood and the blood of others.
9.
What does the poet want to do with
creeds and schools?
-
He wants to do away with all the creeds and
schools of the world because they create divisions among us. He has scant
regards for the them.
10.
What is the theme of the poem?
-
The theme of the poem is universal
brotherhood. While talking of himself, he embraces all selves. He identifies himself
with every item of the universe. Nature and man are one. Even the simple grass
grows open to him the gate of Heaven. The poem celebrates the self of the poet,
but his ‘self’ awakens and mingles with the soul of the world.
The
other themes are:
· Identity
· Visions
of America
· Friendship
· Spirituality
· Sex.
11.
What symbols are used in Song of Myself?
-
The major symbols, used here are 'I', 'the
grass', 'the journey', 'body', 'soul', 'plants', 'animals', 'heavenly bodies',
etc. The 'I' or self is the most important symbol in 'Song of Myself'
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