Philosophy

Holding the title of being one of the most influential poets, Walt Whitman is considered as one of the most influential poets that ever lived in the Western hemisphere. His identification and being able to embrace his own imperfections made him unique as a writer and gave him unmatched fame and influence to his readers particularly in the United States. Whitman was able to reflect different sides of American culture and was able to represent the complex human nature through his poems about imperfections. Readers loved his originality in writing because a reader can actually feel freedom in his writings through honest expositions of his thoughts and ideas. During his time, tragic and melodramatic poems were on hype but still his creations stood out and became essential and alternative poems. Aside from these facts of descriptions of Whitman, his peculiarity in his works together with his odd taste for humor and honesty made him interesting to readers.  

The statement The proof of a poet is that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he absorbed It by Walt Whitman proves his stand that poets need not only to represent his ease with words but rather poets should be as transparent as they could in representing the society and all that is included in it. He believes that poets should not only use their expertise in letters and words but also understand and reveal the society whatever form it may take, may it be apparent or not. His principles consider that imperfections of poets should not be excluded in their recognition because he believes that these imperfections are the key for ordinary individuals to find their roles in their own concept of society (Sill, 1984). He supports the idea that good and outstanding traits need not to be bragged but rather a poet should include its imperfections and somehow see it as his own identification that can also serve comparatively as a mirror for individuals to see what their capabilities are.

Understanding Leaves of Grass
Knowing the method or pattern by which Walt Whitman arranges his words is essential in deciphering how he had such an influence to his readers when he made his line describing the blueprint of a genuine poet. At one look with Whitmans poems, a reader may simply imply that the author is referring to contextualizing social acceptance and convention. Unfortunately, it is not enough to have a one look when it comes to Whitmans profound works. Reciprocal acknowledgement, recognition and understanding in terms of the poet ideas and prepositions are more appropriate descriptions of Whitmans poetry rather than analyzing it as a way of social acceptance. The measure of a real poet is through the popularity and fame he or she was able to make and connect with his or her readers. Whitmans measure of a real poet is far different from that description because he believes that a poet is measured through his or her ability to share inclusive subject matters relevant to the society with honesty and assertion.

An assumption that Walt Whitman refers to a more socially included poetry is safer than having the common misconception that poets should be alienated from the society. This principle of Whitman is well seen and felt in his works of poetry that are collectively perceived as poems of politics, practical life and religion. Works of Whitman can never be compared to specific attitudes of poems simply because his poetry has no specific style and pattern of writing. Pattern is not important and applicable in his reflection of the various sides of the facts about society. The poetry of Whitman applies to different faces of life and death, happiness and misery, even modesty and eroticism. The poet was able to reflect all the categories through his masterpieces without having to refrain from his primitive use of language simply because people accept his messages and because of his style in making the people hear his message.

Curiosity will make readers ask if Whitman can pass his own measure and test of a real poet. Yes will be a safe answer not just because it is more appropriate to say but because history as a witness of his greatness in his magnificent craftsmanship of words reflected in his works. Poets succeeded after Whitman slowly adapted to the changes he has made and delivered to the field of poetry. Whitman somehow enlightened the world of literature which made him comparable even to the Declaration of Independence.

People from all categories of life should learn to appreciate and recognize Whitmans works for the simple reason that his messages through his poetry can exceed different paths an individual would pursue. Walt Whitman is not close minded in his belief and perception of society and the role of individuals. He accounts the different perceptions of the society to the participating individuals.

Walt Whitmans endless poetic possibilities
Walt Whitman was categorized as a poet of possibility by Muriel Rukeyser in contrast to the poet of outrage, Herman Melville. These reason why categories are used in the literary world to classify or group poets is still not clear and is vulnerable to misinterpretation. The reason behind the categorization is problematic thus the classification itself is problematic. However, the agenda why the classification was made is more important than the class in which the poet belonged itself.

Unlike Melville who is criticized because of his short-lived works, Whitman is known and highly commended for his use of literature in this case poetry to expose the different walks included in the society and society parse. The process of categorization of poets can be deduced separately from their literal meaning. Thus, this result to the debunking of the concepts delivered and pushed by Rukeyser. The contexts and terms used by Rukeyser in formulating these categories will be discussed in this essay.

The categorization of Whitman as a poet of possibility is appropriate in its own right considering what he has left in the literary world. Better understanding of the society was delivered by the works of Whitman through his various works of poetry that concerns and reflects the different underlying issues present in the society. This contribution of Whitman made him popular and well known. Not just a poet of possibility but Whitman can also be referred to as a symbol of optimism because of his influence to readers that complementarily create a domino effect. His optimism that reflected to the readers is because of his assertiveness in writing his ideas. The poet is known to be more than capable of creating excellent poems due to his faith in destiny. This makes his works even more influential to individuals and dangerous in creating unnatural worlds where individuals take words in his poem as a signification that is more than just a complex combination of letters.

The combination of Whitman and Melville in terms of their attitudes can be seen as almost impossible. However, works of Whitman somehow reflect that different types of being a poet can come into existence. He has a peculiar way in delivering messages to influence his readers. Whitman as a poet was able to rejoice the masses by seeing through the eyes of the people that are the masses (Sill, 1984). Whatever idea Whitman wishes to convey and pertain to, he still sticks to his trademark of being honest and in control of his works in terms of his arrangement and combination of words and thoughts together with his unique technique in establishing and defending the subject matter.