Bila Lee
English 48B
March 13, 2009
Journal #20 Song of Myself
Quote
“I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul,
The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with me,
The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I translate into a new tongue …” (Whitman 44).
Summary
It is excerpted from section 21 of “Song of Myself.” The poem does not have a specific subject but it diversely touches various issues – some may interpret the poem as how Walt Whitman interacts with the Nature whereas some may interpret it as how Whitman expresses his sexuality. I believe that both interpretations are correct to some extents because free verse, as displayed in this very poem, is Whitman’s literary signature, and I can observe separated connection in between each section. As suggested by its title, “Song of Myself,” I preferably think the poetry is indeed a personal diary of Walt Whitman that he used it to jot down his feelings – and, interestingly, the selected quote reflects how he considers himself as a poet and how he expresses his internal emotions.
Responses
The title of the poem is known as “Song of Myself,” in which I think it intentionally serves as a tribute to the poet himself. Yet, as stated in Spark Note and footnote in our text, it is found that the title has been changed from “Poem of Walt Whitman, an American” in the first edition to “Walt Whitman” and eventually to “Song of Myself” in the final edition. Spark Note critically believes the shift “suggests something of what Whitman was about in this piece” that he “melts from a specific individual to an abstract myself” (Spark Note). Not only does the title bring confusion to the poem but its first sentence, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself,/ And what I assume you shall assume,/ …” (Whitman 30) also confuses me – is Whitman speaking for himself or speaking for everyone? Nevertheless, I think he only speaks for himself when I read the quoted line.
Though Whitman states in the very beginning, “Creeds and schools in abeyance,” (Whitman 30) seems like the poetry has nothing related to philosophy, it fails to deceive me who is currently taking an introductory course to Philosophy. Even more precisely, his poetry concerns something really similar to
Descartes. In section 20, Whitman mentions “I exist as I am” (Whitman 44) which I immediately think the famous philosophical saying, “I think therefore I am.” In addition, the excerpted quote works similar to Descartes’ renowned study, the Body-Mind question. (Note: we discuss the Body-Mind question in Philosophy4 for half of the quarter!) Some philosophers are monist who think either Body or Soul (Mind) exist, but not both; whereas some philosophers like Descartes are dualist who think Body and Mind can co-exist – and Walt Whitman is a dualist in the sense that he is both a poet of the Body and a poet of the Soul. I guess his expression of the twenty-eight young men and twenty-nine bathers in section 11 is a great example of “poet of the Body,” as he openly illustrates as male sexuality and hence we may think he is a homosexual person; his open-mindedness to accept black people and think Negro are beautiful is a great example of “poet of the Soul,” because he jumps beyond the social norm to express what his soul feels right. In both controversial examples, Walt Whitman demonstrates his out-spoken characteristic, in which I think is the key to his literary success.
English 48B
March 13, 2009
Journal #20 Song of Myself
Quote
“I am the poet of the Body and I am the poet of the Soul,
The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with me,
The first I graft and increase upon myself, the latter I translate into a new tongue …” (Whitman 44).
Summary
It is excerpted from section 21 of “Song of Myself.” The poem does not have a specific subject but it diversely touches various issues – some may interpret the poem as how Walt Whitman interacts with the Nature whereas some may interpret it as how Whitman expresses his sexuality. I believe that both interpretations are correct to some extents because free verse, as displayed in this very poem, is Whitman’s literary signature, and I can observe separated connection in between each section. As suggested by its title, “Song of Myself,” I preferably think the poetry is indeed a personal diary of Walt Whitman that he used it to jot down his feelings – and, interestingly, the selected quote reflects how he considers himself as a poet and how he expresses his internal emotions.Responses
The title of the poem is known as “Song of Myself,” in which I think it intentionally serves as a tribute to the poet himself. Yet, as stated in Spark Note and footnote in our text, it is found that the title has been changed from “Poem of Walt Whitman, an American” in the first edition to “Walt Whitman” and eventually to “Song of Myself” in the final edition. Spark Note critically believes the shift “suggests something of what Whitman was about in this piece” that he “melts from a specific individual to an abstract myself” (Spark Note). Not only does the title bring confusion to the poem but its first sentence, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself,/ And what I assume you shall assume,/ …” (Whitman 30) also confuses me – is Whitman speaking for himself or speaking for everyone? Nevertheless, I think he only speaks for himself when I read the quoted line.
Though Whitman states in the very beginning, “Creeds and schools in abeyance,” (Whitman 30) seems like the poetry has nothing related to philosophy, it fails to deceive me who is currently taking an introductory course to Philosophy. Even more precisely, his poetry concerns something really similar to
Descartes. In section 20, Whitman mentions “I exist as I am” (Whitman 44) which I immediately think the famous philosophical saying, “I think therefore I am.” In addition, the excerpted quote works similar to Descartes’ renowned study, the Body-Mind question. (Note: we discuss the Body-Mind question in Philosophy4 for half of the quarter!) Some philosophers are monist who think either Body or Soul (Mind) exist, but not both; whereas some philosophers like Descartes are dualist who think Body and Mind can co-exist – and Walt Whitman is a dualist in the sense that he is both a poet of the Body and a poet of the Soul. I guess his expression of the twenty-eight young men and twenty-nine bathers in section 11 is a great example of “poet of the Body,” as he openly illustrates as male sexuality and hence we may think he is a homosexual person; his open-mindedness to accept black people and think Negro are beautiful is a great example of “poet of the Soul,” because he jumps beyond the social norm to express what his soul feels right. In both controversial examples, Walt Whitman demonstrates his out-spoken characteristic, in which I think is the key to his literary success.
20/20 Yes Whitman rejects mind/body dualism entirely!
ReplyDeleteHe did not reject either. contrary, he stressed that it is impossible to maintain the soul (not the mind btw), without keeping the "hull" or the body.
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