Very cleverly, Walt Whitman has removed upper echelons of societal individuals from his magnum opus. It reflected a pre-mass-media culture in which Americans often entertained themselves and each other. The poetic structure breaks shackles of European adhered poetic standards. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse. Their task can be back-breaking but by singing they lightened their burden and provided themselves respite especially at midday. I Hear America Singing Analysis Stanza 1 I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, As the patriotic poem initializes, Walt Whitman seems fixated with working class of American society.
It is surprising that in such a brief poem so much of WhitmanÂ’s total concept of modern man could be implied. After a stroke in 1873, which left him partially paralyzed, Whitman lived his next 20 years with his brother, writing mainly prose, such as Democratic Vistas 1870. Whitman is celebrating the achievement that is America, built on the backs of everyday men and women. Walt Whitman sees a thriving American society from his happy go-lucky perspective. This is evident in all his works, including this poem.
Via music, he engenders a patriotic anthem for future Americans, appreciating and respecting them loftily. The second, more famous time occurred in around 1908, when the Staffordshire-born poet , without regular rhyme or formal metre. Whitman didn't write the poem just about carpenters or just about mothers. He joyfully celebrates diversity, promise, and hope for the future. Back in the 19th century, when poets explored the Transcendental and Romantic styles of poetry, there entered a man who changed the way we read, understood, and enjoyed the art form. All the singers, Whitman says, have a place - whether it's during the daytime or the night. His style of writing is very descriptive.
He welcomes all and sees himself in others and others in himself. He was known to avoid the clichéd structure of form and meter that was used in poetry, and instead chose to write in free verse, which is seen in most of his works. It transcended from mere pages to hearts and minds of its readers. It's the stories of those people who make America the strong and unique nation that it is. He has specifically dedicated two lines to female populace of thriving America, entailing sewing girl, a wife and a mother. It is the repetition of the first letters of a word.
The mason looked forward to another day of work and he sang along the way. These are highly individualistic men and women. Walt Whitman is till date considered one of Western Canon's Works in the field of Arts and Literature that shaped the Western culture most influential poets, and the Father of Free Verse. Interestingly, the poet has cleverly omitted upper echelons of American society, deeming them unworthy of a place in his legendary poem. He associated work with heavy and song with light.
He loved the bustle of the cities and the expansiveness of the wilderness. He hears the , the , the , and the singing. This also helped to maintain pace and rhythm in work. It makes you think that in America, the people are happy and are able to sing and be merry. The working man is America, whatever his occupation may be. The terms carols and songs refer to their uniqueness of character and work.
His basic premises are the proletariat class, entailing ordinary manual labor work-force working hard in contributing to American society. They are all given equal importance and presented in the same manner as the other. Whitman uses the small variations in individual experiences to crafts a wholesome, honest, and hardworking American identity. I would create an assignment in which the students looked a both works and compared literary terms, overall ideas and theme in a Venn Diagram. He discusses regular people going about their daily activities: mechanics and carpenters, a mason singing to and from work, and even members of a boat crew, varied as they are, going about their jobs and each belting out his own song. From the different people, we come to the conclusion that he focuses on the blue-collar laborers who are the foundation of America, and while each sings their own tune that only pertains to him or her, together their melodies combine to represent the great nation of America. Critical response notes this poem's nonmusicality, its vagueness, sentimentality, and folksy nationalism, yet places the poem in the category of dilation, transport, and amazement.
And so much of our work goes unappreciated. That America could produce such a poet is a testament to America, is high praise indeed. It shows mostly working class people, and how they make up the country. Backed by Fred Waring's orchestra and chorus, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra singly and in tandem deliver a fine collection of flag-wavers. Some of his poetry was controversial because of the nature of its content, but he is believed to be the father of free verse but he did not invent this form of poetry. Whitman pictured them as happy and contented people who put dignity and respect in labor. This poem expresses Whitman's love of America — its vitality, variety, and the massive achievement which is the outcome of the creative endeavor of all its people.
Whitman knows you work hard, and he appreciates your work. This was how he gave in to his feelings of exhilaration, freedom and joy. This poem is composed of a single stanza, entailing eleven verses. He joyfully celebrates diversity, promise, and hope for the future. It also illustrates Whitman's technique of using catalogs consisting of a list of people. And gosh darn it, he's gonna celebrate your voice in his poetry. And suddenly Democracy is, again, filled with hope.