‘Song of Myself’ is one of the most representative verse forms of Walt Whitman. It reveals what Walt Whitman is and what he stands for. In this verse form. the poet discovers himself and gives the boldest look to his true and of all time spread outing poetic-self withstanding all the restrictions. In fact. it is a ocean trip of the ego into the kingdom of imaginativeness in an effort to happen its true nature. The verse form celebrates his joy of happening his limitless and unbounded ego placing with the cosmopolitan spirit. It is a journey from the single ego to the cosmopolitan ego.
The poet expresses himself gleefully with the ‘original energy of nature which is unbridled and in thorough. The gap lines prepare the readers for an unprecedented flight of imaginativeness. “He says. I CELEBRATE myself. and sing myself. And what I assume you shall presume. For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. ” ( Section-1 ) Whitman straight expresses the catholicity of the ego and indirectly suggests the equality of all. He expresses the true nature of the ego. He feels it is common to all and everyone has the same ego. Everyone in the universe has an equal claim on this universe.
He identifies his physical ego and makes a differentiation between the physical ego of the poet and cosmopolitan ego of the poet. In the 3rd stanza he says. … . form’d from this dirt. this air. Born here of parents born here from parents the same. and their parents the same. I. now thirty-seven old ages old in perfect wellness Begin. Hoping to discontinue non till decease. ( Section-1 ) The individuality of the poet is revealed here. He was born to his parents and he was 30 seven old ages old basking robust wellness. These lines throw visible radiation on the personal life of the writer.
With this individuality he starts his journey into the kingdom of freedom and equality where he finds himself absolutely in melody with the existence. He enjoys himself in his physical ego and feels contented. He has neither concerns nor any anxiousnesss. He does non see this life as readying for the following. He is perfectly happy about his life and happy about what he is. The reference of dirt and air clearly reveal that he is witting of the universe where he has come from. The poet is really happy with this beautiful universe. The fresh air breathes new spirit in him. He identifies himself with nature and he wants to be every bit close to nature.
He does non wish anything to come in between himself and nature. He wants to be honest with nature. Here. we find the poet comparing nudity with honestness. He says. “I will travel to the bank by the wood and go undisguised and bare. I am huffy for it to be in contact with me. ” ( Section-2 ) He rejoices himself being close to nature. The propinquity with nature gives him verve and strength. He wholly identifies himself with the dirt. H2O and air. He says. “My respiration and inspiration. the whipping of my bosom. the passing of blood and air through my lungs. The snuff of green foliages and dry foliages. and of the shore.
” ( Section-2 ) The poet celebrates himself for being a portion of such fantastic nature. He is neither disquieted nor concerned about any thing that may go on in future. He is really much concerned with the present. He is down to the Earth practical. and at the same clip. he expresses the wisdom of life in the present alternatively of believing about future and worrying about the yesteryear. He expresses his felicity stating. “I am satisfied—I see. dance. laugh. and sing. ” He has no ailments about the present and his presence in this universe. He says he is non unsighted to the jobs and evil in this universe.
But he does non let them to botch his felicity and his jubilation. His mention to “myself” refers to his psyche. It is the kernel of his personality. He identifies the psyche of the talker is the psyche in everyone. It is the cosmopolitan ego. It is rather untasted by the agonies of the universe. In fact. Whitman identifies the talker of the verse form with the birth of his poetic ego. The freshly born poet discoveries himself joyful and happy. The poet references that the spirit of the poet is a brother of God. He says. “And I know that the manus of God is the promise of my ain. And I know that the spirit of God is the brother of my ain.
And that all the work forces of all time born are besides my brothers. and the adult females and my sisters and lovers. And that a kelson of the creative activity is love. ” ( Section-5 ) Whitman says the new ego of the poet identifies itself with everything in nature. It identifies itself with a blade of grass. He feels the grass represents the same what a adult male represents. The awakened ego of the poet strikes a common cord with the originative forces of the universe. He says: “A kid said What is the grass? bringing it to me with full custodies. How could I reply the kid? I do non cognize what it is any longer than he. ” The grass stands as symbol for equality.
It besides represents the originative spirit in the universe. He so goes on naming the things he has seen in American life. the joys. the concerns. the jubilation of the human race and jubilation of mundane life. He describes the people he has met on his travels. He accepts them all without any ailments against them. Here. the poet shows his adulthood of apprehension and his modestness in accepting everything that life offers him. He does non oppugn anything nor fishy any 1. He describes himself as a lover of life. He says in the subdivision 13 of the verse form. he is a “caresser of life wherever traveling. backward every bit good as forward swerving & A ; .
Absorbing all to myself and for this vocal. ” ( Section-13 ) He strikes a beautiful comparing between his nature and the grass. He says: “This is the grass that grows wherever the land is and the H2O is. this the common air that bathes the Earth. ” As the grass grows every where he besides respects everything and everyone in this universe. He says. “I drama non Marches for recognized masters merely. I play Marches for conquer’d and slain individuals. ” and “I will non hold a individual individual slighted or left away. ” ( Section-18 ) Thus. the talker in the verse form. the new Born poet shows a compassionate spirit and rejoices himself.
The strength in the hunt for the true significance additions as the verse form progresses. He asks in a philosophical tone. “Who goes at that place? Hankering. gross. mystical. nude: How is it I extract strength from the beef I eat? What is a adult male anyhow? What am I? What are you? ” He is non dazzled by these inquiries nor withdraws himself to hush. He expresses himself and answers the inquiries he has raised. He says. “In all people I see myself. none more and non one a barley-corn lupus erythematosus. And the good or bad I say of myself I say of them. ” ( Section-20 ) He besides adds stating.
“I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul. the pleasances of Edens are with me and strivings of snake pit are with me. ” ( Section-21 ) He justly expresses that his poesy is a combination of both organic structure and psyche. There is something for the psyche and there is something for the organic structure. He mixes these things every bit of course as a wood mixes different trees. His poesy is non like a cultivated garden. It is like a jungle. It is full of nature’s premium. It is full of assortment and it is huge. Just like the verse form. the poet’s ego grows to be the cosmopolitan ego and identifies itself with battalion of people and the creative activity in the universe.
The poet’s ego grows beyond any bounds and reaches the boundary lines of huge sweeps. The true ego of the poet is no different from the huge and spread outing universe of his poesy. He grows as a adult male ; his ego grows to be a cosmopolitan ego and his psyche ripens with wisdom and apprehension. holding made the full disruptive journey. He makes it clear that his poetic voice and his realisation of his true ego are non two different things. They are like the twins. He says. “My voice goes after what my eyes can non make. With the kink of my lingua I encompass universe and volumes of universes.
Address is the twin of my vision. it is unequal to mensurate itself. It provokes me everlastingly. it says sardonically. Walt you contain adequate. why don’t you allow it out so? ” ( section-25 ) The poet’s individuality of his voice with his poetic vision is a major spring in the journey. He realizes that the two senses reveal the same world that he finds. He goes on researching farther and he says. “I believe a foliage of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars. ” ( Section-31 ) Here. he realizes the some life force behind all the things in the universe which makes them equal. He feels he is absolutely at place with everything in the universe.
He has no ailments nor any programs for betterment. He enjoys the sight of animate beings which are quiet and self-contained. They are in absolute peace. He wants to populate with them in that status. He spends his clip looking at them for a long clip. He denounces the concerns and defeats of people as meaningless. The poet realizes the singularity of this realisation and dainties it with all the forte and esteem it commands. In the subdivision 39 he begins talking about himself in the 3rd individual. It is an indirect mention to what he has realized in the class of his journey.
In that province of head. wherever the poet goes he is respected and admired. He becomes the most liked individual. He says. “Wherever he goes work forces and adult females accept and desire him. They desire he should wish them. touch them. talk to them. remain with them. ” He assumes the function of a usher and wants to take the people with his realisation. He says. “I launch all work forces and adult females frontward with me into the Unknown. ” Therefore. the poet finds himself in a new function after the journey. He feels the realisation he has. made him alone and this experience will be utile to the people who need counsel amid their turbulent lives.
