In this paper the author concentrates on one of Walt Whitman's most important poems: "Song of Myself" ,which is an exploration of the author himself, nature and his surroundings ,especially the symbolism of "grass" in it.
The author starts by classifying Leaves of Grass in American Literature, and to put the title of the book in context with the usage of grass in the poem. In the main part of the paper she is of course going to focus on the grass, how it is used and what it means, spanning themes of individuality, knowability of nature and ecology, also using theoretical approaches by Greg Garrard, W.J.T. Mitchell and Lawrence Buell.
Whitman tries to abstractly answer those questions for himself, especially considering how frail Americans must’ve felt on the brink of the Civil War and over the controversy of the slave trade. The theory brought forward is that the grass in the poem symbolizes humanity and life, but also death and decay, which is in one way a stark contrast. But then again, it also makes total sense after having read the whole poem, because it all connects in the life span of a human being.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Leaves of Grass as a ground-breaking American story
3. The role of grass in Song of myself
3.1 Individuality as a spear of grass
3.2 Knowability of Nature
3.3 Usage of symbols and ecology in the poem
5. Conclusion
6. References
Main Objectives and Topics
This paper explores Walt Whitman's major poem "Song of Myself," focusing specifically on the multifaceted symbolism of grass as a representation of individuality, the knowability of nature, and the cycle of life and death.
- Classification of Leaves of Grass within American literature
- The symbolic meaning of individual grass spears and meadows
- Walt Whitman's poetic treatment of the knowability of nature
- Ecocritical analysis utilizing theories from Greg Garrard, W.J.T. Mitchell, and Lawrence Buell
- The interplay between life, death, and infancy as major thematic pillars
Excerpt from the Book
Individuality as a spear of grass
One first comes across the term “spear” in the fifth line of Song of Myself: “I lean and loafe at my ease….observing a spear of summer grass.” (Whitman 1). I argue he is observing the grass because it shows the parallels to the actions and thoughts of human beings. He is pondering the meaning of humans and especially his own purpose on earth. This expression is also used at the very beginning of the poem when the author could use a different expression for a single “piece” of grass. In my opinion the word spear is used deliberately – it could also mean the weapon spear. I think it means that the spear is fighting on his own against the “host” of the other spears of grass. This could be the parallel to society and to the individual Whitman is aiming for.
All the single spears of grass together make a meadow– meaning there is always a group of people you can depend on, like your close family and friends. But in the end of the day everybody fights their own fight in life. One can get help from them, but one must live their own life, no one can do it for another person.
If one thinks even more abstract, if a spear of grass gets mown down what happens with the other grass around it? Usually it’s torn down as well because it’s really hard to just cut down one specific piece of grass. In comparison confronted with the death of a best friend or relative a human being gets torn down as well. Usually there’s a grief period (longer or shorter, it usually depends on the relationship between the dead and the mourning person) but most often the person gets over it eventually and in many cases, comes out even stronger. So is the matter with grass, it grows again most times.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Introduces Walt Whitman's significance, sets up the analysis of "Song of Myself," and outlines the paper's structural approach.
2. Leaves of Grass as a ground-breaking American story: Examines the historical and literary context of Leaves of Grass, highlighting Whitman's revolutionary poetic style and multiple publication history.
3. The role of grass in Song of myself: Analyzes the core themes of individuality, the knowability of nature, and ecological symbolism within Whitman's poem.
3.1 Individuality as a spear of grass: Explores the metaphor of the grass spear in relation to human individuality, society, and the human life cycle.
3.2 Knowability of Nature: Investigates the narrator's engagement with the complexities of nature through the questioning framework of the poem's sixth paragraph.
3.3 Usage of symbols and ecology in the poem: Discusses the human-nature relationship, infant symbolism, and ecocritical perspectives by Garrard, Mitchell, and Buell.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings of the paper, emphasizing Whitman's enduring legacy as a democratic and environmental poet.
6. References: Lists the scholarly literature and critical sources utilized throughout the research paper.
Keywords
Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, Leaves of Grass, American literature, symbolism, grass, nature, ecocriticism, individuality, life and death, poetry, Lawrence Buell, Greg Garrard, W.J.T. Mitchell
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself," analyzing in depth the symbolism of grass and its relation to human individuality, nature, and the cycle of life and death.
What are the central thematic fields addressed in the text?
The central themes include the literary classification of Leaves of Grass, human individuality versus society, the perception and knowability of nature, infant symbolism, and ecocritical theory.
What is the primary research objective of the author?
The primary objective is to demonstrate how Walt Whitman utilizes the symbol of grass to explore human existence, mortality, and the deep connection between humans and the natural environment.
Which scholarly and critical methods are applied in the work?
The author applies literary analysis, thematic interpretation, and ecocritical frameworks established by scholars such as Greg Garrard, W.J.T. Mitchell, and Lawrence Buell.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the historical background of Whitman's work, individual interpretations of grass spears, the challenges of describing nature, symbols of rebirth and infants, and detailed ecocritical evaluations.
Which keywords best characterize the publication?
Key terms include Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, Leaves of Grass, ecocriticism, symbolism, individuality, and nature.
How does the author interpret the opening lines of Song of Myself regarding human individuality?
The author interprets the term "spear of grass" as a deliberate metaphor representing both the solitary struggle of the individual against society and the collective unity found in a meadow.
In what way does the work connect the life cycle of grass with human mortality?
The text compares the daily growth and eventual wilting of grass to human aging, arguing that death acts as a natural fertilizer for new life and continuation.
How does the paper evaluate Walt Whitman in relation to ecocriticism?
The paper systematically evaluates Whitman's poetry against Lawrence Buell's four requirements for environmental texts, concluding that Song of Myself qualifies as an environmental text.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding Whitman's literary stance?
The author concludes that Whitman was a revolutionary "poet for the people" whose work transcends traditional transcendentalism, making him an early environmental poet.
- Quote paper
- Teresa Ruß (Author), 2017, Grass As a Symbol For Life and Death in Walt Whitman's "Song of myself", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/459907
