Walt Whitman’s Siblings
Walt Whitman, the renowned poet, was the second of nine children born to Walter Whitman, a house builder, and Louisa Van Velsor Whitman. The eight siblings who shared the home of Walt’s early childhood are George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Helen, Edward, Emily and Thomas Jefferson. The youngest sibling was Jessie, who died tragically and very young.
Walt’s parents were of moderate to modest financial means, and the responsibilities of raising a large family could be daunting. Still, Whitman remained close to his siblings and supported them throughout adulthood. The arrival of a new baby, who would be the ninth family member, nine months after Walt’s own birth may have been a catalyst for his understanding of sibling love and relationships.
To better understand the role and influence of Walt’s siblings on his life, several experts who have conducted research on his life have put forth some general theories. One suggests that he shared a special bond with his brother George, who provided great wisdom and stability to a sometimes chaotic household. Another focuses on the relationship between Walt and his sisters, who may have influenced his writing and poetry. Finally, there is the suggestion that Walt’s fatherhood role to his younger siblings, especially when his parents were away or he was temporarily away at boarding schools, could have been crucial in his shaping of his worldview.
My own insights take the idea of Walt’s relationships with his siblings even deeper. I suggest that because of the wealth of siblings, mutual understanding, and lifelong loyalty Walt experienced with his family, he possessed unique insights into sibling relationships. His awareness of familial solidarity, love, and support enabled him to capture something sacred and beautiful in his poems and lyrics.
The influence of Walt’s siblings on his poetry and writings is unmistakable. In some of his earliest pieces, like “Sisters of Day and Night,” the themes of familial solidarity, shared history, and sibling love are on full display. Other pieces, such as the popular “Dived in the Well” and “The Loving Shepherdess” explore related themes with a descriptive precision.
Further, Walt’s writings often carry a strong moral message. In this regard, a great deal of his work is likely to have been inspired by his older siblings, who may have served as mentors and disciples to him. His interest in religion and his fascination with ideas such as freedom, justice and patriotism could very well be linked to his brother George, who could provide guidance and direction in these matters.
What His Siblings Personalities Were Like
Given the access to Whitman’s family life researchers were able to understand the dynamics between the siblings. Through their connections with friends and acquaintances, they identified Andrew as a boisterous and independent-minded character. Mary was deemed the shy but tenacious older sister, while Sarah was seen as a level-headed and affectionate family force. Even Edward, the youngest, was speculated as the family’s ringleader, as well as being a smart, witty individual.
These character descriptions offer further insight into the Whitman family dynamics. Several researchers have noted that the people closest to Walt had a strong presence in his writings as inspiration and muses. With Andrew’s influence, Walt’s renowned rebelliousness could be better understood. On the other hand, the sweet disposition of Sarah- the sister Walt would later call “home-blessed” in an 1862 poem- inspired his romantic sentiments.
Walt’s Later Relationships with Siblings
Though Walt Whitman began his career with mostly minimal contact with his siblings, he later revisited his relationships with them. During the mid-1850s, he took his first editorial role with the New Orleans Crescent, and during this time, he was affectionately referred to as the “Second in Command” by the younger children, who added their own journalistic pieces to the newspaper.
After his exhaustive Civil War service, Walt reached out to many of his siblings. He wrote his oldest brother Andrew, who had crossed the Oregon Trail, a lengthy letter to catch up. Drawing upon some of his Civil War experiences and Andrew’s time in Oregon, Walt catalogues and reflects on the familial bond between the brothers: “We brothers must be great friends in spirit”, he writes.
Walt and Mary, his shy sister, maintained a deep connection for the rest of their lives. Through their correspondence, it is described how Walt would complain about the minutia in his brother and sister’s lives, joking how “everything was their fault and his nothing” Yet, in their love for each other, Walt would write of his desolate feelings in his brother and sisters’ abodes, as he often noted how he “cringed with a near-pang of homesickness for them”.
Legacy of his Sibling Relationships
Though Walt wrote of his siblings and his desire to connect with them, it may be easy to overlook the mentorship and support he has provided in his lifetime. His promotion of his brothers and sisters in their careers, younger and older, is truly remarkable. His profound adoration and support for Andrew, Mary and Sarah, through his letters and visits, have been noted by numerous biographers. His very close relationship with his late sister Jessie has also been praised, as he once wrote that “warm affection and sympathy (were) between [her] and me”.
It would be remiss to not mention the most obvious legacy of his relationships with his siblings: his writings. Through the characters of his poems and the expression of his love for his family, Walt Whitman’s siblings feature heavily in his works. Their close relationship, fluid personalities, and lifetime loyalty to one another were integral pieces of inspiration for his literature.
Conclusion of Sibling’s Impact on His Writing
Ultimately, Whitman’s siblings provided invaluable lifelong resources for him in many ways. Their familiarity and love for each other were central in guiding Whitman’s creative works and tremendous insight into life through his writings. Biographers have noted several aspects of Walt’s life and intellect to be shaped by his strong relationship with his siblings, and these relationships no doubt inspired a great portion of his work.
Conclusion of His Depiction of Sibling Relationships in His Work
Through poems such as “Seven Years of a Poet” and “The Laughing Party”, there is clear illustration of the positive bonds between siblings in Whitman’s work. Even in his arguably most popular poem, “Song of Myself”, Walt includes lines which parallel the familial anchor of brotherly affection and bond.
In conclusion, the loyalty and mutual understanding between Walt and his siblings has had a tremendous influence on his work, and his life. From their shared wisdom to their constructive criticism, his siblings were integral in prompting his intellectual development, something that clearly shows in his writings. One could even argue without them, there would be no Walt Whitman.
