Dickinson and Whitman share
some qualities, although a lot of their poetry is looked at as different. Three
of these strong qualities are individualism, intensity, and the mystical
experience of life. Whitman's "Song of Myself", with its fifty-two
different chants, correctly embodies the whole spectrum of Whitman's qualities.
Although just one poem, Whitman shows off his creativity and diversity through
all of the chants.
In chant number one of "Song of Myself",
Whitman shows his sense of individualism. His first line reinforces the sense
of individualism as he proclaims his purpose: "I celebrate myself, and
sing myself. " Here, we receive a strong introduction, and reaffirmation
after the title of the poem to where this is going. By telling his audience that
"every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you," Whitman invites
his reader in without giving away too much. But, he does celebrate the human
form in general with this line. Every good feature that Whitman holds, the
audience does as well. The human form is inherently "good" and
Whitman wants to celebrate the human perfectibility by focusing upon his own
features. This is still his poem, where he starts five of the first fourteen
lines with the word "I". 
Dickinson’s poem “I’m Nobody!” shows her tremendous
sense of individualism. She does not want to be somebody, only nobody. She
wants to be stashed away, far from others. She wants to stay nobody even though
she has found another nobody. Hesitant to be like a frog “to an admiring bog”,
Dickinson urges the other “nobody” to not advertise his or her status.
Dickinson does not want to be noticed. She only wants to continue within her
own existence, exclusive from her fellow man. She seems lonely and unwilling to
share her inner self. This is a different type of individualism than Whitman’s,
but an aspect of individualism nonetheless.
Dickinson’s poem “I started Early – Took my Dog”,
shows Dickinson’s intensity. In this poem, it is the narrator against nature.
The sea looks at her walking, “presuming me to be a mouse.” Yet, she still
feels heralded, citing that “no man moved me.” She cannot be swayed away by
nature. No man can move her, but the impressive power of nature is a force to
be reckoned with. She creates a sense of fear and excitement through her use of
punctuation as the tide follows her up the shore. “And He – He followed – close
behind.” The anticipation builds as if she will be over taken, but she escapes
to civilization, where the sea withdrew, “with a Mighty look”. Dickinson makes
the minor event of high tide more intense through her punctuation.
Whitman’s Fortieth Chant gives us the intensity of
human will. He denies the power of the world in comparison to his own. The
narrator criticizes the sun by telling it “flaunt of the sunshine I need not
your bask.” All the sun does is merely “light surfaces only” whereas he “force
surfaces and depths also.” Human capability is stronger than the will of
nature. He unites with the “cotton field drudge or cleaner or privies”. There
is a sense of human perfectibility within all humanity. The narrator looks to
outdo God and nature as he seizes “the descending man and raise him with
resistless will.” He will battle against death for his fellow man. He offers
his neck proclaiming, “By God, you shall not go down!” Whitman uses real human
emotion and the bond of man to bring intensity to his poem.
Whitman has a mystical experience of life in the
fifth chant. He creates a picture of the process of his soul coming into his
physical body. The soul “settled your head athwart my hips and gently turn’d
over upon me.” The soul is actually entering into Whitman’s body, giving him
the knowledge and peace of the world. As the process concludes, Whitman learns
about God’s promises and the relationship between himself and his fellow
humans. “And that all the men ever born are also my brothers, and the women my
sisters and lovers.” Whitman learns of his inherent connection to all of
humanity through God’s gift of the soul. He would not truly understand this
relationship without the mystical experience of the soul.
In “This is my letter to the World,” Dickinson
speaks about the predestination of Nature. Here Dickinson speaks of the mystical
powers of Nature. A “message is committed to hands I cannot see.” Neither
Dickinson or her audience know the answer to what will happen next, although it
is predetermined by Nature herself. The world has never written to Dickinson,
yet it has written about her. Dickinson realizes how small she is in comparison
to the grandeur of Nature, and begs of her countrymen to “judge tenderly – of me.”
Punishment and reward are a harsh reality in a world where all of our actions
may be predetermined. Dickinson sees this, and gives in to the strength of
Nature by simply begging soft judgment.
Hi Chris, My name is Denise and I chose your blog to comment on. I chose it because it is excellent with thought provoking insight. I opened my blog with an admission of having trouble understanding Emily Dickerson. After reading parts of your blog twice, especially the parts on Dickinson, I realize I’m having more trouble than I thought.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “I started Early – Took my Dog” you related the poem to nature and you wrote, [The poem] shows Dickinson’s intensity. In this poem, it is the narrator against nature. The sea looks at her walking, “presuming me to be a mouse.” Yet, she still feels heralded, citing that “no man moved me.” She cannot be swayed away by nature. No man can move her, but the impressive power of nature is a force to be reckoned with. She creates a sense of fear and excitement through her use of punctuation as the tide follows her up the shore. “And He – He followed – close behind.” The anticipation builds as if she will be over taken, but she escapes to civilization, where the sea withdrew, “with a Mighty look”. Dickinson makes the minor event of high tide more intense through her punctuation.”
The reason I quoted your entire analysis of that poem is that sometimes classmates, me included, do not read entire blogs and I wanted my fellow classmates to enjoy your analysis as much as I did.
In that poem, I made the connection to nature, but I don’t feel that was Dickinson’s primary intent, I looked at the entire poem as a metaphor, as a peek inside Dickinson’s soul, as her desire for a lover, a man to rescue her from her, a man to sweep her away in his arms. When she writes,
But no Man moved Me -- till the Tide
Went past my simple Shoe --
And past my Apron -- and my Belt --
And past my Bodice -- too – (Dickinson)
To me, the above is a very erotic passage, and to you it represents nature. It’s very interesting that you a male and me a female have totally different perspectives on that poem. I can definitely see yours, but I still feel it is a poem about sex and in my opinion it is very erotic. In the line, “But no Man moved Me -- till the Tide” I feel the Tide represents a man and the remainder of the poem is a sexual encounter with that man.
If we examine the last two lines of that poem I feel those lines could represent the climax of a sexual encounter between a man and a woman and this time the man is represented as, “The Sea.” I quote below,
And bowing -- with a Mighty look --
At me -- The Sea withdrew – (Dickinson)
Chris, you definitely have a gift for the written word and I wish you continued success with your studies at Loyola. Denise!
Thank you for this thoughtful interpretation of these two poets. I have enjoyed my fellow students’ blogs throughout the course. Sometimes, however, I am taken aback by my own evident lack of interpretative skill. Your comments present a creative and interesting view of these writers.
ReplyDeleteIn varying degree the writings of both Dickinson and Whitman reflect their transcendental beliefs. They both attempt to explain their world in terms of the individual. In the first cant of Songs of Myself Whitman does celebrate individualism and himself in particular. In effect, he is attempting to make himself heard. Dickinson’s I’m Nobody! Who are you? is difficult to fathom. Is she trying to define her own individuality? Is she also praising herself (“Nobody”) or intimating an eliteness that remains isolated?
There is no doubt that both authors use progressive intensity to enhance the theatricality of their poems. Dickinson uses the ocean tide and its movement in I started Early –Took my Dog. She appears to be enamored with this part of nature and its majestic power. I do not, however, get the sense she is afraid of it or in any way asserts opposition to it. In This is my letter to the World, she embraces Nature and appears to be saying that Nature is her vehicle of communication. Whitman, like Dickinson, uses himself to explain the majesty of nature and the bond existing between nature and mankind. The reader (me) sometimes gets lost in the verbiage whereas, Dickinson’s abbreviated verse and odd punctuation elevate her intended effect.
Dickinson and Whitman’s primary transcendental focus is grounded in mysticism, making direct contact with God or some type of unifying principle of life. In the case of Whitman it is the brotherhood of man. In the case of Dickinson it is fate which she willingly accepts having no other choice.