Who is Walt Whitman and Why is He Important?
Whitman & His Literature
Walt Whitman, often referred to as the "Bard of American Democracy," was a poet, essayist, and humanist who left an indelible mark on American literature. Whitman, born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, New York, emerged as an important figure of the 19th century, challenging conventional poetic norms and embodying a distinctly American voice. His magnum opus, "Leaves of Grass," which celebrates individualism, nature, and human experience, has become a defining work.
The environment and the time in which he was living influenced his first life. He saw America's rapid urbanization and industrialization when he was growing up in a working-class family. His experience has given him a strong sense of empathy and a deep understanding of what people are going through. Whitman's education was mainly informal, and he developed an appetite for reading in his leisure time, drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, including Shakespeare, the Bible, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Whitman had created a new rhythm based on free verse, unexpected line breaks, and sweeping imagery that matched the vastness of America itself. The collection was met with both acclaim and controversy, as some found his frank depictions of sexuality and celebration of the human body to be scandalous. But readers seeking distinctive American literary voices were deeply impressed by Whitman's passionate embrace of the self and his democratic vision.