An Analysis Of Walt Whitman And Emily Dickinson - 1567 Words

How does â€Å"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you† relate to â€Å"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all†? For starters, both are quotes from Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, who are considered to be the greatest American poets in history. Whitman, who was born in 1819, wrote many poems and essays heavily influenced by transcendentalist writers, and Dickinson, who was born in 1830, also wrote several poems influenced by them, but was considered more of a Romantic writer. Nonetheless, their poems introduced new ideas and meaningful outlooks in the twentieth century, perhaps changing the world of poetry in the process. Although they both were successful, their poems were very distinct from each other in a unique way: their writing styles. Whitman’s writing style expresses many similarities with Dickinson’s writing style, such as thei r poetry themes and shifts from realistic to metaphoric reflections, but also contradicts with her’s through the structure and straightforwardness of each poem. As mentioned earlier, Whitman and Dickinson introduced new ways to create poetry with their works. This is because the Civil War was going on during the peak of their career, giving them new material to work with. A similarity is introduced with this: both Whitman and Dickinson typically incorporated Civil War themes (death, war, etc.), as well as other modern ideas, inShow MoreRelatedDeath Is Death And The Idea Of Death1290 Words   |  6 Pagesheaven, so, the male character doesn’t cry out to her in her death (Poe s Poetry summary and analysis). The male character also accuses others for her death stating that everyone wished her illness and effectively killed her by her. Guy de Vere’s anger stems from the idea that Lenore died much too young by referring to her as the â€Å"dear child† who â⠂¬Å"died too young† (Poe s Short Stories summary and analysis). It is worth noting that there is a contrast between â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"Lenore† where in â€Å"Lenore†Read MoreAn Inexplicable Nature of the American Identity Essay1242 Words   |  5 Pagesthe American identity means. Even when authors such as Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickinson navigate the American identity, their ideas, although similar in many respects, offer various nuances and perspectives on the topic. By investigating the various idiosyncrasies of their language and the focus each emphasizes, the complexities of the American identity can truly be highlighted. In the case of linear movement, Whitman brings forth a distinct perspective of time as he disregardsRead MoreComparison of Whitman and Dickenson Poems856 Words   |  4 Pagesperiod, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman created similar poetry. Dickinson s Hope is a Thing with Feathers and Whitman s O Captain! My Captain! share many qualities. br brHope is a Thing with Feathers and O Captain! My Captain! contain a similar scansion. Both have a predominantly iambic meter. The unaccentedRead MoreTranscendentalism : The And The Movement1027 Words   |  5 Pagesgeneral state of intellectualism. During what years did the movement occur? The Transcendentalist movement occurred during the 1820s, and 1830s. List 5 major authors associated with the movement Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Explain what Transcendentalist believed about each of the following topics: Human Nature They were to live independently, all you need is your mind, knowledge is born with. They also believed that an institution isn t necessary, andRead More Whitmans O Captain! My Captain! And Dickinsons Hope is a Thing with Feathers860 Words   |  4 Pagesnation apart. During this tumultuous period, two great American writers captured their ideas in poetry. Their poems give us insight into the time period, as well as universal insight about life. Although polar opposites in personality, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman created similar poetry. Dickinson’s â€Å"Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and Whitman’s â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† share many qualities. Hope is a Thing with Feathers† and â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† contain a similar scansion. Both have a predominantlyRead MoreEmily Dickinson Review and Interpretation of Poems #449, #465, and #7121476 Words   |  6 PagesEmily Dickinson Emily Dickinsons poetry mostly reflects her feelings towards death and the projected events after death. As a poet, she was a very inward, and wrote about feelings that came from deeply within her--unlike other poets of her time whose societies were directly shown in their poetry (i.e.-Walt Whitman). Of course social and historical values shaped her personality, but in her poetry alone little can be derived about either the time period she lived in or the political and societalRead MoreEmily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop For Death1249 Words   |  5 Pages Emily Dickinsons most famous work, Because I Could Not Stop for Death is generally considered to be one of the great masterpieces of American poetry (GALE). Dickinson experienced an emotional crisis of an undetermined nature in the early 1860s. Her traumatized state of mind is believed to have inspired her writing. In this particular poem, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death,† the deceased narrator of the poem reminisces about that material day when Death came seeking for her. In stanza oneRead MoreAnalysis Of Walt Whitman s I Hear America Poem1314 Words   |  6 Pagesothers not so much. We rewrote the Declaration of Independence, Walt Whitman s I Hear America poem, and argumentative essays, like out The Raven analysis. We also gave speeches– that was the hardest for me, in my previous English classes, none of them made me go in front of the class and present–, made infograph, and even a multigenre project. We also can’t forget the books we’v e read in class, like poems from Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, and novels from F. Scott Fitzgerald, and weRead More Theodore Roethke Essays1040 Words   |  5 Pagesform of his verse that was important, but the message being delivered and the overall theme of the work. Roethke was a deep thinker and often pondered about and reflected on his life. This introspection was the topic of much of his poetry. His analysis of his self and his emotional experiences are often expressed in his verse. According to Ralph J. Mills Jr., â€Å"this self interest was the primary matter of artistic exploration and knowledge, an interest which endows the poems with a sense of personalRead MoreThe United States1445 Words   |  6 PagesThe history of the United States tends to be understood through analysis of periods of conflict. From the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, both World Wars, the Cold War (and its affiliate proxy incidents), and finally modern day. What this ske letal description misses are the individual struggles of people who spent their lives marginalized due to societal stereotypes and discriminatory legislation. Groups have been affected due to identities that include but are not limited to: race, religion