Walt Whitman's Ethos America
The poetry and thoughts of Walt Whitman are compelled by a great need to bring together the conception of a soul that is disembodied with its own veneration for human physicality. Whitman considers that an abyss or gap has been formed between these two aspects and is determined to bring them together. In essence, he is of the belief that the metaphysical aspect of humans is completely detached from the physical aspect. It is these convictions, applied to the United States that made him the greatest poet. The thesis of this research paper seeks to elucidate the unity that Whitman desires through his different poems.
The notion of an ethereal soul and the presence of a pure, imperceptible spiritual world have triumphed in countless philosophical and religious civilizations during the course of history. In accordance to Plato in the Republic, the soul is distinguished into three specific parts, which are Logos for reason, Eros for desire and Thumos for spirit or emotion. However, the soul comes about as a result of the combination of each of these elements and is deemed to be a separate entity within the human being. In particular, Plato acknowledges the probability of an extra-sensible activity that makes preparation for the soul for rational and sound judgment. Plato imitates the power of literature in the society. He makes literal thoughts, the precondition to logos, which is speech or sensible account, because of its capability to objectify in the soul the very ethos essential for sound judgment. Literature and Poems have the capacity to accomplish this because they generate modifications in the state of the soul itself.
In the poem "I hear America Singing," Walt Whitman acknowledges the disparities between the different kinds of people in America, taking...
Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" continues to evoke strong emotions because of the paradox inherent in the juxtaposition between egotism on the one hand and selfless idealism on the other. The poem therefore encapsulates what it means to be an American, which is why other American poets -- and indeed poets from around the world -- have responded to "Song of Myself" poignantly. When Whitman penned "Song of Myself," the
But the value and meaning of life and love described by Casy is manifested by the outsiders, the Okies, the rejects, the wanderers, the strangers, and the oppressed. They are the socially marginal characters of a self-satisfying culture. They are the ones Steinbeck admires in his novel for they are the ones who "wander through the wilderness of hardships, seeking their own Promised Land" (Shockley 87). They await the
Essay Topic Examples 1. The Role of Nature in the American Renaissance Romantic Period: Explore how nature is characterized and glorified in the works of American Renaissance Romantic writers. Discuss the symbolic and thematic significance of the natural world in the context of societal progress and the individual's spiritual journey. 2. Transcendentalism and Its Influence on American Romantic Literature: Analyze the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism and its impact on the literature of the American
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