Early Life
Walter Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island, New York. His family was of Dutch descent, with his father working as a carpenter. In 1823, his family relocated to Brooklyn, New York where his father finally settled on a farm after years of moving around and working various jobs. Whitman himself was deeply rooted to his home and was known to stay in Brooklyn for the majority of his life.
Whitman was the second of nine children, all of whom were mostly self-educated. His mother was very religious and made sure that her children learned Bible passages and memorized various sermons. Whitman himself showed an affinity for writing early on, starting on his first poem, “Hey Diddle Diddle,” when he was only 4 years old.
When Whitman was eleven, he started working as an office boy in a prominent lawyer’s office. By the time he was 17, he had become a Licensed apothecary’s apprentice, studying under prominent chemist and druggist Benjamin Brannan in Brooklyn.
Career
In 1841, Whitman started working as the editor of some magazines and newspapers in New York City including the Long Island Democrat and the People’s Press. He eventually gained command of other newspapers such as the Brooklyn Eagle and the New Orleans Crescent.
Whitman’s career shifted in 1855 when he self-published a book of poems and essays entitled Leaves of Grass. He was heavily influenced by the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson and the text focused on his personal reflections and ideas on democracy, sex, and death. The book was controversial for its nature, but it finally struck a significant resonance with literature fans.
In the next few decades, the poetry of Whitman evolved, focusing on religious and political issues. In 1876, Whitman was appointed to a special investigation of Indian affairs, which took him to different parts of the country. During these travels, he continued writing poems and essays. By the time he was done, Whitman had published over 20 collections of poems and several collections of prose.
Philosophy
Whitman was sometimes referred to as “the bard of Democracy” because he explored the idea of the United States as a grand unity; he wanted all people to be included and accepted without prejudice. Much of his philosophy was centered around understanding the duality of humanity, reconciling the two sides of each person: good and bad, religious and secular.
His Leaves of Grass also talks about celebrating nature, life, and its beauty. Whitman claims that it is better for people to become spiritual rather than just religious; as he wrote in his poem “Song of Myself:
“Divine am I inside and out, and I make holy whatever I touch or am touch’d from,”
He also hinted at the idea that each person was intimate with the universe — that each person is a universe — as he wrote in “One’s-Self I Sing”:
“My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.”
Legacy
Today, Walt Whitman is seen as one of the most influential American poets of all time. He redefined the concept of self-expression and is one of the most-quoted poets of all time. As testament to his influence, he was named the poet laureate of the United States in 1997 and a museum and several monuments have been dedicated to him.
His offbeat writing style and focus on modern themes heavily influenced the works of later artists like Allen Ginsberg, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughes. His contribution, both as a poet and a philosopher, lives on through his works and personal writings.
Influence on Poetry
Walt Whitman’s works represent a prominent feature of American literature. He was one of the first poets to recognize the importance of free verse and to employ it in his writings. His works also showed a characteristic celebration of self and nature, something that inspired the works of many other poets and modernists.
His influence on American poetry was not confined to writing styles. Whitman’s works explored themes such as democracy and acceptance, topics that have become central to American literature. His works often focused on the idea of ”the other”, encouraging readers to explore and understand lives outside their own.
Influence on Pop Culture
Popular culture has heavily referenced Whitman’s works. One of the more notable references was the Bob Dylan song “Walt Whitman’s Niece.” He has been referenced in television shows such as Mad Men, Fame, and Breaking Bad. His works have also been set to music by several famous composers, notably Leonard Bernstein and Philip Glass.
Whitman has also been referenced in literature and is a prominent feature of American high school curricula. He is sometimes called “America’s Shakespeare,” invoking his enormous influence on the country and its literature.
Personal Life
Whitman is famously known to have had several romantic relationships with both men and women. However, it’s suspected that he was never in a committed relationship and always preferred platonic friendships over romantic ones. He self-identified as male, but modern theories suggest that he may have been asexual or nonbinary due to his avoidance of the heterosexual relationships and focus on platonic friendships.
Besides writing, Whitman was also a teacher, a skilled carpenter, and a nurse. During the Civil War, Whitman took a three-month leave of absence from his job as a clerk in the Interior Department and went to Fredericksburg, Virginia where he served as a volunteer nurse.
Death
Whitman collapsed from a stroke on March 26, 1892, and died two days later at the age of 72. He was buried in Harleigh Cemetery, Camden, New Jersey in an unmarked grave. His death was mourned by many prominent figures at the time, with the poet Carl Sandburg claiming that he was “the god-intoxicated man.”
Today, his words live on in the works of literature, film, music, and popular culture. Among his most famous works is “O Captain! My Captain”, a poem about the death of Abraham Lincoln which has been referenced in various works in the decades since.
