3.5 American Poetry

Contextualization in terms of the history of American poetry

→ Innovative interpretations: From individual to America (Whitman and Dickinson), often religious or political or sentimental/ideological/ or romantic → collective values

Walt Whitman 1819-1892

• poet, journalist, editor, political essays

• topics: love, nature, city, innovation, linked to New York

• embraced immigratiiion and diversity

One of his central texts: Leaves of Grass

Significance:

• inauguration of new “American” poetry in content and form

Complex production history (a lot of different editions)

• 1855 (12 poems, only 200 copies), 1856, 1860, 1867, 1871, 1876, 1881, 1889, 1892

• Deathbed edition: 1892, over 300 poems

• includes 1,345 line “song of myself”

Reception

• challenge of public poetry of fire sight poetry → Contributed to new American poetry

“Preface”

• poetological statement

• takes literary and cultural nationalism to a climax→ Stress on American superiority

• poet as bard and prophet of democracy

Major features:

• democracy = best political system for individual

• structural aspects and language/register → innovative (free form/verse, vernacular; catalogues) → expression of democratic structures

• autobiographical dimensions and his body

• central symbol: grass → Omnipresence of nature

→ He is an innovator and precursor

Emily Dickinson 1830-1886

General:

• unusual language

• breaks down barriers of poetry and prose

• only 10 poems were published while she was still alive

• secluded, yet engaged with time

• has influence on poets up to present

• innovative poetry in form and content

• Stress on the individual, psychological disposition, introspection and feelings

• Often subject of feminist readings