Poetry Comparison of Dickinson & Whitman

The thesis in this essay is, then, that both of these poets explore the ôtranscendentalö nature of human consciousness and write poems to educate us in the nature of the human spirit. This involves several separate ôlessons.ö First, both poets are interested in how they might immerse themselves so wholly in the ônowö that it becomes a ôforever.ö Secondly, both poets concern themselves with the nature of death and the possibility of immortality. Hence, in spite of their great personal differences as individuals in the world, Dickinson and Whitman show a distinct similarity in asking questions about the nature of living a life of the

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e grave. These ôtranscendentalö concerns make WhitmanÆs poetry rhapsodic and inviting. It carries us away to a place where we can contemplate, along with the poet, what the nature of death is, itself. In Whitman, mortality is contrasted to immortality, but they are not held in opposition. In fact, they exist simultaneously, and are, finally, one and the same. DickinsonÆs view of death is probably more down to earth, as suggested above in the analysis of ôI like the look of Agony.ô But, like Whitman, Dickinson focuses us on the unfolding moments of ônow.ö Thus, again and again, she wants to explore, through the metaphors she uses, the nature of human consciousness, and how perceptions are shaped by opposing realities, including the realities that go beyond the physical. Another example of how Dickinson uses opposition to explore spiritual life is in ôMuch Madness is divinest sense,ö (#435), where she says: Much Madness is divinest Senseù To a discerning Eyeù Much Senseùthe starkest Madnessù Tis the Majority In this, as All prevailù Assentùand you are saneù DemurùyouÆre straightaway dangerous And handled with a Chain-- (Lines 1-8) Here, Dickinson contrasts sanity and madness, and by doing so against the backdrop of the ômaj
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Approximate Word count = 2439
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

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