The “Great’s” of the 19th Century
During the mid 19th century, America was blessed to have two power house poets doing groundbreaking work. Poetry was making a name for itself as a literary force, and the rules were being tested by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. Coming off of the high of Emerson and Thoreau which focused on the connectivity of nature throughout ones world, Whitman and Dickinson chose to channel that Transcendentalism in a different direction. While both authors broke the poetry mold in their decades, Whitman and Dickinson had very distinct characteristics that made them unique within themselves.
Whitman started really coming into his own around the late 1850’s when Leaves of Grass was being compiled. With all of the disorder and chaos in America during this time, and a civil war around the corner, Whitman was convinced that this compilation of poems would bring about a uniting of not only government, but the two opposing sides of the nation, and even more on a micro level, individual experiences. He was considered a humanitarian and truly believed that everyone was good at heart. Whitman was a fierce observer of human behavior and these daily life transactions of strangers frequently made it into his poetry. He thrived and needed to be among people, observing social situations; it is how he found clarity. For example, in his poem, “Songs of Myself”, Whitman illustrates a few contrasting, yet connected, New York lives. He writes,
“The conductor beats time for the band and all the performers follow him,
The child is baptized, the convert is making his first professions,
The regatta is spread on the bay, the race is begun, (how the white sails sparkle!)
The drover watching his drove sings out to them that would stray,
The pedler sweats with his pack on his back, (the purchaser higgling about the odd cent;)
The bride unrumples her white dress, the minute-hand of the clock moves slowly” (Whitman,15).
He does this to show America that though we all live our own lives, we are all connected. He had this wonderful way of putting himself in other’s shoes and trying to experience what their life must be like. Whitman’s style of writing challenged that of the past in that he almost writes in mini stories. One or slightly more — lined stories, that captivate the reader. He found genuine love in others for who they were, and had an understanding of God’s presence within all humans, a hard concept for most people at that time considering slavery. He had a peaceful solace and acceptance about death, even stating, “ I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,/If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles“ (Whitman, 52). Like Transcendentalists of this time, Whitman believed in the transition between an Earthy body and that of ever lasting regeneration, because he or she would become one with the Earth and just keep contributing to life. Whitman was unfortunately criticized for this style of writing and his use of sexual and uncomfortable topics. But to Whitman, all of these scenarios were beautiful and happening simultaneously all around us. This was life, and every aspect was important.
Although also considered a “Great Poet” of the 19th century, Dickinson had stark differences from Whitman. Dickinson’s approach to poetry came in a more self centered manner, focusing less on the welfare of humanity and taking a slightly darker turn on her hopes for society. And unlike Whitman, she was more of a recluse, withdrawing from social situations more and more as she got older. Her structure of writing is what made her known for her “out of the box” thinking, making it hard for readers to follow, often cutting lines short or incomplete. Educated well in the areas of science and math, Dickinson had a very analytical and puzzle like way of creating poetry. She was very clever in her phrasing and a great deal of thought went into intentionally and deliberately choosing a certain word to get her point across. Her writing structure was truly revolutionary, and hard to unravel. Unlike Whitman who aimed to unite, Dickinson’s themes tended to center on personal love, rebellion from religion, rejection of the “wife’s” role in the “household, and interestingly — the concept of death”. For Example, in her poem titled, “The Bustle in a House”, Dickinson describes the morning after a loved one passes as becoming almost “business like”. She writes,
“The Bustle in a House
The Morning after Death
Is solemnest of industries
Enacted opon Earth –
The Sweeping up the Heart
And putting Love away
We shall not want to use again
Until Eternity –“ (Dickinson, 1108).
She may have deliberately chosen the word “industries” to express this idea of a business. The aftermath of death has become more business like than anything else and it is the saddest of business to have to follow through on. It takes the personal grieving out, suppressing those hurt emotions, and instead the person is left with no other option but busy work. She may even be referring to her distain of womanly expectations of this era here. The “business” after a death, would inevitably involve the cleaning of the house to make it presentable to all of the visitors that will be coming over to pay their regards. There is no time to let oneself feel the pain of loss, because as is the woman’s responsibility, the household must be prepared for entertainment. It becomes a household chore. The phrase, “And putting Love away “ invokes an image of folding the deceased’s shirt, putting it in a drawer, and closing it. Not wanting to experience love again until the afterlife.
Both poets had unique styles that helped them stand out against the traditionalists. More interestingly though, is that both authors did not have their work nationally recognized until years after their deaths. So while editors were refusing to publish their works in the mid- late 19th century due to nonsensical writing structure or explicit material, they would eventually become famous through the legacy they left. When America comes across people like Whitman, Dickinson, or even Melville, who have such revolutionary ideas on how to take literature a step beyond, it is usually met with some resistance. It clearly takes Americans a few years to catch up with these brilliant and forward thinkers. But just like the evolution of music history in America, there will always be a new fresh face, bringing something exciting to the table that will challenge everything.