Walter Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819 - March 26, 1892) was an American poet,
Essayist and journalist. Whitman, famous as a humanist, combined Turkism and realism in his writings.
Whitman is one of the most influential American poets. He is also called the father of free verse. [1] His writings caused considerable controversy at the time.
In particular, his anthology Lives of Grass has been accused of excessive obscenity.
Whitman was born on Long Island. In addition to publishing his own poetry, he also worked as a journalist, teacher, government clerk, and volunteer nurse during the American Civil War.
Early in his career, he wrote a novel, Temperance, entitled Franklin Evans (1842). In 1855 he published his main book, Lives of Grass, in his own words. The purpose of this poem was to compose an American epic that could be read by the common people.
Prior to his death in 1892, he had enlarged and refined the poem in various ways. He moved to Camden, New Jersey, after suffering a heart attack once in the latter part of his life.
He died there at the age of 72. Many ordinary people took part in his funeral.
Along with Whitman's poems, his sexuality is also much discussed. Although there is controversy among biographers about his sexuality, he is usually described as gay or bisexual.
Although there is disagreement among his biographers as to whether Whitman had sexual experience with a man. Whitman was politically conscious throughout his life.
He was a supporter of Wilmot Proviso and generally opposed the spread of slavery. His poems reflect the views of egalitarian society on ethnic groups. At one point he called for the abolition of slavery.
But later he began to see the anti-slavery movement as detrimental to democracy.
Life and literary work
Early life
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in the West Hills, in the town of Huntington, Long Island. His father's and mother's names were Walter and Lucia von Wellesler Whitman. They were followers of Kwakar thought. Whitman was the second of his parents' nine children.
Immediately after naming, his nickname was kept in Vault to distinguish his name from his father's.
Walter Whitman Sr. named three of his seven sons after U.S. leaders Andrew Jackson, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. His eldest son was named Jess and one son died just six months before he was named.
His sixth and youngest son was named Edward.
At the age of four, Whitman moved with his family from West Hills to Brooklyn. Here they had to change their residence frequently due to financial reasons.
Whitman also paints in his memoirs a troubled and depressed childhood due to poor financial condition.
However, he also told about a happy moment of his childhood. He was once airlifted to Brooklyn on July 4, 1825, and Marquis de Lafayette kissed him on the cheek.
Whitman completed his formal education at the age of eleven. He then started working to support his family. At first he worked as an office boy for two lawyers. Then Samuel E. named Patriot. Clements worked as an apprentice and painter's devil at the Long Island weekly newspaper.
It was here that Whitman taught the work and typesetting of the printing press. This time he will also compose some sentimental bits to fill the pages of some numbers.
] Clementus and two of his friends got into an argument while digging Elias Hicks' grave to make plaster mold on his head.
Shortly afterwards, Clements quit his job at Patriot, probably because of the controversy. : !! ►►
Very informative article. Thank you.