A New American Poetry:Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson

Lit Book pg. 342

Walt Whitman(1819-1892)

His personality:• Gregarious and outgoing• Self-published, made

himself famous during his lifetime

• Expected fame and glory (and got it)

• Patriotic, celebrate universal brotherhood

• “I celebrate myself, and sing myself.”

His poetry:• Public speech• Extravagant with words• Careless with

repetition, lists, and self-contradiction

• Cadence: long easy sweep of sound

• Free verse: poetry without rhyme or meter

Emily Dickinson(1830-1886)

Her personality:• Shy and reserved• Published few of her

1800 poems during her lifetime

• Expected nothing to come from her poems

• Famous after her death• “I'm Nobody! Who are

you? Are you – Nobody – too?”

Her poetry:• Private observation• Meticulous and

economical• Evoked the feelings of

things (but didn’t always name them)

• Carefully chosen diction• Specific rhyme and

meter (based on hymns)

Did they have anything in common?Yes! Both poets:

• Were born/lived in 19th Century New England• Were close observers of people and daily lives• Were influenced by nature• Influenced future poets with their respective

modes of expression (public speech and private observation)

• Were uniquely American