Walt Whitman & Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Walt Whitman is arguably one of the best known poets in American Literature. In a certain sense, WhitmanÆs poetry offered a true definition of the American spirit, and his masterpiece Leaves of Grass may be considered a tribute to the American people and their way of life. When evaluating WhitmanÆs status as a writer and an artist, it is important to consider both the strengths that one may observe in poetry, as well as his weaknesses, as a thorough contemplation of WhitmanÆs skills as poet is the only true way to determine his place in the pantheon of American Literature. Ultimately, it becomes obvious that Whitman is one of the most significant figures in American Literature, on par with the likes of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and even surpassing the importance of early American writers such as William Bradford and Michael Wigglesworth. When evaluating WhitmanÆs strengths as a poet, his ability to tap into the essence of a uniquely American spirit must certainly be placed at the top of the list. In many ways, Whitman may be considered the first truly American poet, and as a result, his work reflects the democratic character of the nation itself. Thus, WhitmanÆs poetry is the poetry of the common man, and perhaps more importantly, the individual. This is best exemplified in ôSong of Myself,ö whose title alone indicates WhitmanÆs intentions within the poem. The idea of the importance and power of the individual is central to American culture, as it is a democracy where
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iterature than either William Bradford or Michael Wigglesworth, whose writings still closely reflect an English sensibility. Like Hawthorne, Whitman is a writer who embodies a distinctly American character, making him all the more significant.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Penguin, 1980.
Question 2
In many of Nathaniel HawthorneÆs short stories, the writer demonstrates a keen interest in studying the character of men of ideas, namely artists, philosophers, and scientists. While Hawthorne ultimately seems to view the artist in a favorable light, he often portrays scientists and doctors in a decidedly scornful manner. HawthorneÆs regard for the artist is on display in ôThe Artist of the Beautiful,ö while his disdain for scientists is best exemplified in ôRappacciniÆs Daughterö and ôThe Birthmark.ö
Unlike the doctors in ôRappacciniÆs Daughterö and ôThe Birthmark,ö Owen Warland of ôThe Artist of the Beautifulö is not undone by his craft. Instead, he is ultimately able to find enlightenment through his art, despite the fact that his greatest achievement is destroyed by a child. Indeed, when Owen crafts his mechanical butterfly, he hopes to imbue the mechanism not only with beauty but spirit
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Indeed Owen, Indeed Hawthorne, America Whitman, Michael Wigglesworth, Grass Whitman, Nathaniel HawthorneÆs, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Artist Beautifulö, Professor Baglioni, Leaves Grass, ôthe birthmarkö, ôrappacciniÆs daughterö, american literature, short stories, whitmanÆs poetry, hawthorneÆs short, hawthorneÆs short stories, ôthe artist beautifulö, artist beautifulö, ôthe artist, ôrappacciniÆs daughterö ôthe, daughterö ôthe, stories york, daughterö ôthe birthmarkö, york vintage 1955,
Approximate Word count = 1452
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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