Discuss Whitman as a modern poet
Discuss Whitman as a modern poet NU A modern poet can be described as one who writes in the modernist tradition He is different from traditional forms to reflect the culture and realities of the th century Walt Whitman is such an american poet He broke from old traditions He created a new path for modern verse His work is a bridge to the twentieth century He introduced new themes and styles He wrote about the self and the crowd He found beauty in cities and death He truly is the first modern American poet nbsp New Style and Free Verse Whitman broke the old poetic pattern He did not follow rhyme or meter His lines move like natural speech His rhythm grows from feeling not rules His free verse opened a new way He used long flowing sentences full of images He wrote for heart and not for form
The following line in When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom d shows deep pain in simple rhythm O powerful western fallen star nbsp This natural freedom made poetry modern and real Modern View of Death Whitman saw death in a new light He did not fear death like the past poets He accepted it as part of life s flow He called death lovely and soothing He saw death as a door to peace In When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom d he said nbsp Come lovely and soothing death nbsp This line shows calm wisdom His peaceful tone about death sounds modern It gives comfort instead of horror This positive view changed the old tragic idea New Humanism and Equality Whitman s faith in mankind was strong He believed all people share one soul He respected every class race and sex His poems join the self with all others In When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom d he said nbsp Lo body and soul this land nbsp This line shows the unity between man and nation He sang for democracy and brotherhood His wide love for life and people was new Such moral courage marked the birth of modern thought Real Emotion and Direct Speech Whitman spoke with open heart and truth He used simple honest and direct words His tone was warm and full of life He used the power of common language In O Captain My Captain to show deep grief he cried followingly nbsp But O heart heart heart This repetition makes the pain real He wrote not for scholars but for all His style mixed emotion and reality That living language made poetry modern forever Urban and National Spirit Whitman celebrated modern life He included cities and industry in his poetry He wrote about the cities draped in black He described the sparkling and hurrying tides and the ships He saw the beauty in workshops and workmen His work captures a nation's spirit He lists Manhattan Ohio s shores and Missouri This embrace of the urban and national landscape was new It made poetry feel current and alive Besides in O Captain My Captain he used the voice of a simple sailor He said nbsp The ship has weather d every rack nbsp In conclusion Whitman was a truly modern poet He changed the form of poetry with free verse He wrote about real contemporary subjects He used powerful and complex symbols He explored the deep inner self He included the modern world in his work His influence on later poetry is immense He opened the door for all modern writers