Discovering Identity: Walt Whitman's Song Of Mysel

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Discovering Identity: Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” In the WNYC podcast “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman considered Leaves of Grass a subject about “Americans of all nations at any time upon the earth”. This statement still remains true to this day as Whitman is considered the greatest American poet of the nineteenth century and Leaves of Grass is by far his greatest work described as bold, rash, and controversial by many modern day critics. The high praise that Whitman receives today might surprise people that Leaves of Grass initially received many negative reviews when it was self-published by Whitman in 1855. Leaves of Grass was like nothing that came before it and proved that Whitman was a visionary pioneer in expressing what identity is in a conflicted and changing world. Whitman is described as a “great walker” of the streets of New York and would embrace everything around him and take great pleasure in interacting with strangers in the street. Whitman was experiencing New York during a time of tremendous growth and change and in some aspects, Whitman found his identity at the same time New York discovered its own. New York was starting to become the business capital of the world and was known for a place where people could reinvent themselves and escape from the past. Many critics are astonished that Whitman commanded the English language so well and with such elegance considering that he grew up poor to an alcoholic father. Whitman remained open-minded to the world around him despite his upbringing and even sees the undesired aspects of society with optimism. Whitman would often enjoy sitting next to prostitutes as he experienced the emotion and excitement of the theatre. Whitman empathized with the despised people of society like prostitutes, the poor, prisoners and slaves and gave them a voice through his poetry. Whitman showed a sense of

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