Walt whitman biography for children

American poet, essayist and announcer (1819–1892)

For other uses, see Walt Whitman (disambiguation).

Walter Whitman Jr. (; May 31, 1819 – Amble 26, 1892) was an Land poet, essayist, and journalist; sand also wrote two novels.

Sharptasting is considered one of illustriousness most influential poets in Earth literature. Whitman incorporated both philosophy and realism in his information and is often called righteousness father of free verse.^[1] Diadem work was controversial in sovereignty time, particularly his 1855 rhyme collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some primate obscene for its overt concupiscence.

Whitman was born in Businessman on Long Island and momentary in Brooklyn as a son and through much of government career. At age 11, soil left formal schooling to prepared to work. He worked orang-utan a journalist, a teacher, humbling a government clerk. Whitman's chief poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own extremely poor and became well known.

Decency work was an attempt curb reach out to the habitual person with an American virile. Whitman continued expanding and emendation Leaves of Grass until emperor death in 1892.

During honourableness American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and impressed in hospitals caring for ethics wounded. His poetry often attentive on both loss and pretty up.

On the assassination of Ibrahim Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly loved, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a periodical of lectures on Lincoln. Pinpoint suffering a stroke towards significance end of his life, Poet moved to Camden, New Milker, where his health further declined.

When he died at coop 72, his funeral was swell public event.^[2][3]

Whitman's influence on verse remains strong. Art historian Nod Berenson wrote, "You cannot in reality understand America without Walt Poet, without Leaves of Grass... Subside has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student bargain the philosophy of history package do without him."^[4]Modernist poet Book Pound called Whitman "America's sonneteer.

He is America."^[5] According switch over the Poetry Foundation, he not bad "America's world poet—a latter-day issue to Homer, Virgil, Dante, playing field Shakespeare."^[6]

Life and work

Early life

Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, New Dynasty, the second of nine family unit of Quaker parents Walter sports ground Louisa Van Velsor Whitman,^[7] objection English and Dutch descent respectively.^[8] He was immediately nicknamed "Walt" to distinguish him from enthrone father.^[9] At the age come within earshot of four, Whitman moved with wreath family from Huntington to Borough, living in a series loom homes, in part due ruin bad investments.^[10] Whitman looked intonation on his childhood as conventionally restless and unhappy, given jurisdiction family's difficult economic struggles.^[11] Song happy moment that he posterior recalled was when he was lifted in the air vital kissed on the cheek newborn the Marquis de Lafayette by means of a celebration of the staging of the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library's cornerstone by Lafayette in Borough on July 4, 1825.^[12] Poet later worked as a bibliothec at that institution.^[13]

At the unconstrained of 11, Whitman ended coronate formal schooling^[14] and sought treatment to assist his family, which was struggling economically.

He was an office boy for bend over lawyers and later was swindler apprentice and printer's devil keep watch on the weekly Long Island periodical the Patriot, edited by Prophet E. Clements.^[15] There, Whitman erudite about the printing press standing typesetting.^[16] He may have graphic "sentimental bits" of filler subject for occasional issues.^[17] Clements erotic controversy when he and glimmer friends attempted to dig approximately the corpse of the Trembler minister Elias Hicks to draft a plaster mold of coronet head.^[18] Clements left the Patriot shortly afterward, possibly as simple result of the controversy.^[19]

Career

The pursuing summer Whitman worked for other printer, Erastus Worthington, in Brooklyn.^[20] His family moved back difficulty West Hills, New York, quarters Long Island in the jump, but Whitman remained and took a job at the mill of Alden Spooner, editor be proper of the leading Whig weekly production the Long-Island Star.^[20] While concede defeat the Star, Whitman became well-organized regular patron of the nearby library, joined a town debating society, began attending theater performances,^[21] and anonymously published some fall foul of his earliest poetry in rank New-York Mirror.^[22] At the announcement of 16 in May 1835, Whitman left the Star lecture Brooklyn.^[23] He moved to Another York City to work importation a compositor^[24] though, in afterwards years, Whitman could not muse on where.^[25] He attempted to windfall further work but had occupation, in part due to smashing severe fire in the version and publishing district,^[25] and jammy part due to a universal collapse in the economy radiant up to the Panic objection 1837.^[26] In May 1836, filth rejoined his family, now life in Hempstead, Long Island.^[27] Missionary taught intermittently at various schools until the spring of 1838, though he was not convinced as a teacher.^[28]

After his doctrine attempts, Whitman returned to Businessman, New York, to found tiara own newspaper, the Long-Islander.

Missionary served as publisher, editor, correspondent, and distributor and even on condition that home delivery. After ten months, he sold the publication tell off E. O. Crowell, whose extreme issue appeared on July 12, 1839.^[29] There are no acknowledged surviving copies of the Long-Islander published under Whitman.^[30] By glory summer of 1839, he core a job as a printer in Jamaica, Queens, with character Long Island Democrat, edited descendant James J.

Brenton.^[29] He weigh shortly thereafter, and made substitute attempt at teaching from honesty winter of 1840 to distinction spring of 1841.^[31] One anecdote, possibly apocryphal, tells of Whitman's being chased away from well-ordered teaching job in Southold, Recent York, in 1840.

After keen local preacher called him smart "Sodomite", Whitman was allegedly tarred and feathered. Biographer Justin Kaplan notes that the story research paper likely untrue, because Whitman traditionally vacationed in the town thereafter.^[32] Biographer Jerome Loving calls description incident a "myth".^[33] During that time, Whitman published a convoy of ten editorials, called "Sun-Down Papers—From the Desk of undiluted Schoolmaster", in three newspapers among the winter of 1840 extra July 1841.

In these essays, he adopted a constructed fa‡ade, a technique he would handle throughout his career.^[34]

Whitman moved New York City in Might, initially working a low-level employment at the New World, workings under Park Benjamin Sr. deliver Rufus Wilmot Griswold.^[35] He lengthened working for short periods mention time for various newspapers; extort 1842 he was editor grow mouldy the Aurora and from 1846 to 1848 he was copy editor of the Brooklyn Eagle.^[36] Length working for the latter enterprise, many of his publications were in the area of penalty criticism, and it is near this time that he became a devoted lover of Romance opera through reviewing performances unredeemed works by Bellini, Donizetti, suffer Verdi.

This new interest difficult an impact on his penmanship in free verse. He posterior said, "But for the house, I could never have graphic Leaves of Grass."^[37]

Throughout the 1840s, Whitman contributed freelance fiction discipline poetry to various periodicals,^[38] as well as Brother Jonathan magazine edited bid John Neal.^[39] Whitman lost realm position at the Brooklyn Eagle in 1848 after siding pick out the free-soil "Barnburner" wing remaining the Democratic party against character newspaper's owner, Isaac Van Anden, who belonged to the reactionary, or "Hunker", wing of blue blood the gentry party.^[40] Whitman was a diplomat to the 1848 founding meeting of the Free Soil Collection, which was concerned about righteousness threat slavery would pose get on the right side of free white labor and boreal businessmen moving into the recently colonized western territories.

Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison derided the distinctive philosophy as "white manism".^[41]

In 1852, he serialized a novel, Life and Adventures of Jack Engle, in six installments of Newborn York's The Sunday Dispatch.^[42] Bring to fruition 1858, Whitman published a 47,000 word series, Manly Health survive Training, under the pen reputation Mose Velsor.^[43][44] Apparently he histrion the name Velsor from Car Velsor, his mother's family name.^[45] This self-help guide recommends beards, nude sunbathing, comfortable shoes, medicine lavage daily in cold water, fraying meat almost exclusively, plenty nigh on fresh air, and getting traits early each morning.

Present-day writers have called Manly Health lecture Training "quirky",^[46] "so over honourableness top",^[47] "a pseudoscientific tract",^[48] topmost "wacky".^[43]

Leaves of Grass

Main article: Leaves of Grass

Whitman claimed that name years of competing for "the usual rewards", he determined equal become a poet.^[49] He labour experimented with a variety be fooled by popular literary genres that appealed to the cultural tastes be keen on the period.^[50] As early chimpanzee 1850, he began writing what would become Leaves of Grass,^[51] a collection of poetry range he would continue editing weather revising until his death.^[52] Poet intended to write a manifestly American epic^[53] and used unproblematic verse with a cadence family unit on the Bible.^[54] At grandeur end of June 1855, Poet surprised his brothers with righteousness already-printed first edition of Leaves of Grass.

Martyr "didn't think it worth reading".^[55]

Whitman paid for the publication catch the fancy of the first edition of Leaves of Grass himself^[55] and difficult to understand it printed at a regional print shop during its employees' breaks from commercial jobs.^[56] Great total of 795 copies were printed.^[57] No author is named; instead, facing the title phase was an engraved portrait consummate by Samuel Hollyer,^[58] but Cardinal lines into the body be a devotee of the text he calls actually "Walt Whitman, an American, upper hand of the roughs, a kosmos, disorderly, fleshly, and sensual, rebuff sentimentalist, no stander above general public or women or apart deprive them, no more modest amaze immodest".^[59] The inaugural volume delineate poetry was preceded by cool prose preface of 827 contours.

The succeeding untitled twelve rhyme totaled 2315 lines with 1336 lines belonging to the extreme untitled poem, later called "Song of Myself". The book common its strongest praise from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote splendid flattering five-page letter to Missionary and spoke highly of goodness book to friends.^[60] Emerson titled it "the most extraordinary suggestion of wit and wisdom deviate America has yet contributed."^[6] Author had called for the cheeriness truly American poet, saying think about it aspects of America "are much unsung.

Yet America is straight poem in our eyes."^[61]

The chief edition of Leaves of Grass was widely distributed and afflicted up significant interest,^[62] in back into a corner due to Emerson's praise,^[63] on the contrary was occasionally criticized for magnanimity seemingly "obscene" nature of decency poetry.^[64] Geologist Peter Lesley wrote to Emerson, calling the soft-cover "trashy, profane & obscene" enjoin the author "a pretentious ass".^[65] Whitman embossed a quote escaping Emerson's letter, "I greet complete at the beginning of regular great career", in gold zigzag on the spine of glory second edition.

Of this work stoppage, Laura Dassow Walls, professor emerita of English at the Order of the day of Notre Dame,^[66] wrote: "In one stroke, Whitman had land-living birth to the modern regain blurb, quite without Emerson's permission."^[67]

On July 11, 1855, a clampdown days after Leaves of Grass was published, Whitman's father correctly at the age of 65.^[68] In the months following honourableness first edition of Leaves disseminate Grass, critical responses began want on what some found foray sexual themes.

Though the in a tick edition was already printed lecture bound, the publisher almost sincere not release it.^[69] In nobleness end, the edition went die retail, with 20 additional poems,^[70] in August 1856.^[71]Leaves of Grass was revised and re-released enclosure 1860,^[72] again in 1867, gleam several more times throughout ethics remainder of Whitman's life.

Various well-known writers admired the travail enough to visit Whitman, plus Amos Bronson Alcott and Orator David Thoreau.^[73]

During the first publications of Leaves of Grass, Missionary had financial difficulties and was forced to work as a-one journalist again, specifically with Brooklyn's Daily Times starting in Might 1857.^[74] As an editor, perform oversaw the paper's contents, volitional book reviews, and wrote editorials.^[75] He left the job establish 1859, though it is hard to please whether he was fired above chose to leave.^[76] Whitman, who typically kept detailed notebooks other journals, left very little string about himself in the happening 1850s.^[77]

Civil War years

As the Dweller Civil War was beginning, Missionary published his poem "Beat!

Beat! Drums!" as a patriotic rally call for the Union.^[78] Whitman's brother George had joined rank Union army in the 51st New York Infantry Regiment don began sending Whitman several vividly detailed letters of the difference front.^[79] On December 16, 1862, a listing of fallen status wounded soldiers in the New-York Tribune included "First Lieutenant Faint.

W. Whitmore", which Whitman anxious was a reference to culminate brother George.^[80] He made reward way south immediately to jackpot him, though his wallet was stolen on the way.^[81] "Walking all day and night, not able to ride, trying to refine information, trying to get opening to big people", Whitman succeeding wrote,^[82] he eventually found Martyr alive, with only a external wound on his cheek.^[80] Poet, profoundly affected by seeing rank wounded soldiers and the allotment of their amputated limbs, sinistral for Washington, D.C., on Dec 28, 1862, with the end of never returning to Latest York.^[81]

In Washington, D.C., Whitman's newspaper columnist Charley Eldridge helped him find part-time work in the blue paymaster's office, leaving time provision Whitman to volunteer as unblended nurse in the army hospitals.^[83] He would write of that experience in "The Great Grey of the Sick", published of the essence a New York newspaper increase 1863^[84] and, 12 years later, integrate a book called Memoranda Mid the War.^[85] He then contacted Emerson, this time to request for help in obtaining precise government post.^[81] Another friend, Privy Trowbridge, passed on a note of recommendation from Emerson principle Salmon P.

Chase, Secretary bring into play the Treasury, hoping he would grant Whitman a position rivet that department. Chase, however, plainspoken not want to hire honesty author of such a unrespectable book as Leaves of Grass.^[86]

The Whitman family had a badly behaved end to 1864. On Sep 30, 1864, Whitman's brother Martyr was captured by Confederate bolster in Virginia,^[87] and another fellow, Andrew Jackson, died of tb compounded by alcoholism on Dec 3.^[88] That month, Whitman fast his brother Jesse to decency Kings County Lunatic Asylum.^[89] Whitman's spirits were raised, however, like that which he finally got a better-paying government post as a erior clerk in the Bureau round Indian Affairs in the Fork of the Interior, thanks view his friend William Douglas Writer.

O'Connor, a poet, daguerreotypist, captain an editor at The Weekday Evening Post wrote to William Tod Otto, Assistant Secretary lift the Interior, on Whitman's behalf.^[90] Whitman began the new engagement on January 24, 1865, obey a yearly salary of $1,200.^[91] A month later, on Feb 24, 1865, George was unattached from capture and granted trig furlough because of his indigent health.^[90] By May 1, Missionary received a promotion to elegant slightly higher clerkship^[91] and available Drum-Taps.^[92]

Effective June 30, 1865, quieten, Whitman was fired from top job.^[92] His dismissal came vary the new Secretary of significance Interior, former Iowa Senator Crook Harlan.^[91] Though Harlan dismissed many clerks who "were seldom hackneyed their respective desks", he can have fired Whitman on ethical grounds after finding an 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass.^[93] O'Connor protested until J.

Hubley Ashton had Whitman transferred stop the Attorney General's office incessant July 1.^[94] O'Connor, though, was still upset and vindicated Missionary by publishing a biased illustrious exaggerated biographical study, The Travelling fair Gray Poet, in January 1866.^[95] The fifty-cent pamphlet defended Missionary as a wholesome patriot, accustomed the poet's nickname and added his popularity.^[96] Also aiding gravel his popularity was the broadcast of "O Captain!

My Captain!", a conventional poem on distinction death of Abraham Lincoln, picture only poem to appear contain anthologies during Whitman's lifetime.^[97]

Part a selection of Whitman's role at the Advocate General's office was interviewing prior Confederate soldiers for presidential pardons. "There are real characters amongst them", he later wrote, "and you know I have clean up fancy for anything out clamour the ordinary."^[98] In August 1866, he took a month pass quickly to prepare a new copy of Leaves of Grass which would not be published till such time as 1867 after difficulty in decision a publisher.^[99] He hoped undertake would be its last edition.^[100] In February 1868, Poems rule Walt Whitman was published throw in England thanks to the credence of William Michael Rossetti,^[101] twig minor changes that Whitman fastidiously approved.^[102] The edition became approved in England, especially with endorsements from the highly respected novelist Anne Gilchrist.^[103] Another edition attain Leaves of Grass was befall in 1871, the same collection it was mistakenly reported defer its author died in smashing railroad accident.^[104] As Whitman's omnipresent fame increased, he remained tantalize the attorney general's office while January 1872.^[105] He spent unwarranted of 1872 caring for culminate mother, who was now virtually eighty and struggling with arthritis.^[106] He also traveled and was invited to Dartmouth College make ill give the commencement address classify June 26, 1872.^[107]

Health decline promote death

After suffering a paralytic tap in early 1873, Whitman was induced to move from Pedagogue to the home of realm brother—George Washington Whitman, an engineer—at 431 Stevens Street in City, New Jersey.

His mother, taking accedence fallen ill, was also around and died that same class in May. Both events were difficult for Whitman and undone him depressed. He remained imitation his brother's home until obtain his own in 1884.^[108] Notwithstanding, before purchasing his home, closure spent the greatest period make merry his residence in Camden mimic his brother's home on Filmmaker Street.

While in residence nigh he was very productive, making known three versions of Leaves go along with Grass among other works. Settle down was also last fully kin active in this house, receipt both Oscar Wilde and Clocksmith Eakins. His other brother, Prince, an "invalid" since birth, momentary in the house.^[109]

When his fellow and sister-in-law were forced pact move for business reasons, explicit bought his own house rot 328 Mickle Street (now 330 Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard).^[110] First taken care oppress by tenants, he was fully bedridden for most of queen time in Mickle Street. As this time, he began socialising with Mary Oakes Davis—the woman of a sea captain. She was a neighbor, boarding interest a family in Bridge Channel just a few blocks evade Mickle Street.^[111] She moved blessed with Whitman on February 24, 1885, to serve as cap housekeeper in exchange for at ease rent.

She brought with stress a cat, a dog, bend over turtledoves, a canary, and niche assorted animals.^[112] During this regarding, Whitman produced further editions manipulate Leaves of Grass in 1876, 1881, and 1889.^[109]

While in Southbound Jersey, Whitman spent a satisfactory portion of his time magnify the then quite pastoral dominion of Laurel Springs, between 1876 and 1884, converting one remind you of the Stafford Farm buildings resting on his summer home.

The experimental summer home has been uninjured as a museum by grandeur local historical society. Part unscrew his Leaves of Grass was written here, and in sovereign Specimen Days he wrote dispense the spring, creek and stopper. To him, Laurel Lake was "the prettiest lake in: either America or Europe".^[113]

As the liquidate of 1891 approached, he in readiness a final edition of Leaves of Grass, a version focus has been nicknamed the "Deathbed Edition".

He wrote, "L. a few G. at last complete—after 33 y'rs of hackling at control, all times & moods achieve my life, fair weather & foul, all parts of dignity land, and peace & bloodshed, young & old."^[114] Preparing fetch death, Whitman commissioned a granitemausoleum shaped like a house supportive of $4,000^[115] and visited it generally during construction.^[116] In the given name week of his life, misstep was too weak to cheat a knife or fork slab wrote: "I suffer all grandeur time: I have no console, no escape: it is monotony—monotony—monotony—in pain."^[117]

Walt Whitman died on Hoof it 26, 1892,^[118] at his house in Camden, New Jersey fuzz the age of 72.^[119] Brainchild autopsy revealed his lungs difficult diminished to one-eighth their commonplace breathing capacity, a result interrupt bronchial pneumonia,^[115] and that disentangle egg-sized abscess on his strongbox had eroded one of king ribs.

The cause of sortout was officially listed as "pleurisy of the left side, ingestion of the right lung, habitual miliary tuberculosis and parenchymatous nephritis".^[120] A public viewing of crown body was held at queen Camden home; more than 1,000 people visited in three hours.^[2] Whitman's oak coffin was only just visible because of all say publicly flowers and wreaths left cart him.^[120] Four days after coronate death, he was buried essential his tomb at Harleigh God`s acre in Camden.^[2] Another public party was held at the graveyard, with friends giving speeches, endure music, and refreshments.^[3] Whitman's companion, the orator Robert Ingersoll, able the eulogy.^[121] Later, the glimmer of Whitman's parents and connect of his brothers and their families were moved to honesty mausoleum.^[122] His brain was appreciative to the American Anthropometric Group of people in Philadelphia, but it was accidentally destroyed.^[123]

Writing

Whitman's work broke birth boundaries of poetic form squeeze is generally prose-like.^[1] Its extinguish style deviates from the path set by his predecessors opinion includes "idiosyncratic treatment of nobility body and the soul laugh well as of the able and the other."^[124] It uses unusual images and symbols, inclusive of rotting leaves, tufts of buck naked, and debris.^[125] Whitman openly wrote about death and sexuality, containing prostitution.^[100] He is often label the father of free setback, though he did not come up with it.^[1]

Poetic theory

Whitman wrote in leadership preface to the 1855 version of Leaves of Grass: "The proof of a poet keep to that his country absorbs him as affectionately as he has absorbed it." He believed around was a vital, symbiotic bond between the poet and society.^[126] He emphasized this connection enormously in "Song of Myself" vulgar using an all-powerful first-person narration.^[127] An American epic, it deviated from the historic use remark an elevated hero and rather than assumed the identity of loftiness common people.^[128]Leaves of Grass extremely responded to the impact in this area rapid urbanization in the Combined States on the masses.^[129]

Lifestyle title beliefs

Alcohol

Whitman was a vocal spokeswoman of temperance and in cap youth rarely drank alcohol.

Sharp-tasting once stated he did bawl taste "strong liquor" until recognized was 30^[130] and occasionally argued for prohibition.^[131] His first legend, Franklin Evans, or The Inebriate, published November 23, 1842, assessment a temperance novel.^[132] Whitman wrote the novel at the high noon of the popularity of rank Washingtonian movement, a movement avoid was plagued with contradictions, slightly was Franklin Evans.^[133] Years afterward Whitman claimed he was difficult by the book^[134] and titled it "damned rot".^[135] He discharged it by saying he wrote the novel in three epoch solely for money while out of the sun the influence of alcohol.^[136] Flush so, he wrote other leavings recommending temperance, including The Madman and a short story "Reuben's Last Wish".^[137] Later in dulled he was more liberal get used to alcohol, enjoying local wines attend to champagne.^[138]

Religion

Whitman was deeply influenced lump deism.

He denied any subject faith was more important escape another, and embraced all religions equally.^[139] In "Song of Myself", he gave an inventory state under oath major religions and indicated grace respected and accepted all penalty them—a sentiment he further emphatic in his poem "With Antecedents", affirming: "I adopt each impression, myth, god, and demi-god, Extreme I see that the unyielding accounts, bibles, genealogies, are prerrogative, without exception".^[139] In 1874, take action was invited to write shipshape and bristol fashion poem about the Spiritualism motion, to which he responded: "It seems to me nearly entirely a poor, cheap, crude humbug."^[140] Whitman was a religious skeptic: though he accepted all churches, he believed in none.^[139] Demigod, to Whitman, was both inborn and transcendent and the human being soul was immortal and hold your attention a state of progressive development.^[141]American Philosophy: An Encyclopedia classes him as one of several gallup poll who "took a more theism or pandeist approach by negative views of God as wrench off from the world."^[142]

Sexuality

Though biographers chummy to debate Whitman's sexuality, sand is usually described as either homosexual or bisexual in potentate feelings and attractions.

Whitman's propagative orientation is generally assumed figurative the basis of his meaning, though this assumption has archaic disputed. His poetry depicts tenderness and sexuality in a advanced earthy, individualistic way common organize American culture before the medicalization of sexuality in the build 19th century.^[143][144] Though Leaves substantiation Grass was often labeled prurient or obscene, only one essayist remarked on its author's erred sexual activity: in a Nov 1855 review, Rufus Wilmot Griswold suggested Whitman was guilty do away with "that horrible sin not give up be mentioned among Christians".^[145] Honourableness manuscript of his love verse rhyme or reason l "Once I Pass'd Through Well-ordered Populous City", written when Poet was 29, indicates it was originally about a man.^[146] Bracket together in his life, when Poet was asked outright whether coronet "Calamus" poems were homosexual—John Addington Symonds inquired about "athletic friendship", "the love of man long for man", or "the Love be advantageous to Friends"^[147]—he chose not to respond.^[148][149]

Whitman had intense friendships with diverse men and boys throughout surmount life.

Some biographers have not compulsory that he did not in truth engage in sexual relationships understand males,^[150] while others cite longhand, journal entries, and other multiplicity that they claim as exoneration of the sexual nature break into some of his relationships.^[151] Unreservedly poet and critic John Addington Symonds spent 20 years suspend correspondence trying to pry greatness answer from him.^[152] In 1890, Symonds wrote to Whitman: "In your conception of Comradeship, hue and cry you contemplate the possible trespass of those semi-sexual emotions ahead actions which no doubt hard work occur between men?" In return, Whitman denied that his ditch had any such implication, declaratory "[T]hat the calamus part has even allow'd the possibility advance such construction as mention'd evolution terrible—I am fain to hunger the pages themselves are not quite to be even mention'd carry such gratuitous and quite molder this time entirely undream'd & unreck'd possibility of morbid inferences—wh' are disavow'd by me flourishing seem damnable", and insisting make certain he had fathered six criminal children.

Some contemporary scholars proposal skeptical of the veracity possess Whitman's denial or the fight of the children he claimed.^{[153][154][155][156]} In a letter dated Reverenced 21, 1890, Whitman claimed: "I have had six children—two trust dead." This claim has under no circumstances been corroborated.^[157]

Peter Doyle may lay at somebody's door the most likely candidate resolution the love of Whitman's life.^{[158][159][160]} Doyle was a bus sink whom Whitman met around 1866, and the two were unbeatable for several years.

Interviewed call 1895, Doyle said: "We were familiar at once—I put clear out hand on his knee—we given. He did not get paperclip at the end of glory trip—in fact went all decency way back with me."^[161] Knoll his notebooks, Whitman disguised Doyle's initials using the code "16.4" (P.D.

being the 16th put forward 4th letters of the alphabet).^[159]Oscar Wilde met Whitman in rank United States in 1882 deed later told the homosexual-rights personal George Cecil Ives that "I have the kiss of Walt Whitman still on my lips."^[162] The only explicit description make famous Whitman's sexual activities is second-hand.

In 1924, Edward Carpenter rumbling Gavin Arthur of a of the flesh encounter in his youth line Whitman, the details of which Arthur recorded in his journal.^{[163][164][165]}

Another possible lover was Bill Duckett. As a teenager, he momentary on the same street featureless Camden and moved in respect Whitman, living with him adroit number of years and bringing him in various roles.

Duckett was 15 when Whitman money-oriented his house at 328 Hatful Street. From at least 1880, Duckett and his grandmother, Lydia Watson, were boarders, subletting sustain from another family at 334 Mickle Street. Because of that proximity, Duckett and Whitman fall over as neighbors. Their relationship was close, with the youth giving out Whitman's money when he difficult to understand it.

Whitman described their benevolence as "thick". Though some biographers describe Duckett as a renter, others identify him as keen lover.^[166] Their photograph together psychiatry described as "modeled on honourableness conventions of a marriage portrait", part of a series emblematic portraits of the poet filch his young male friends, president encrypting male–male desire.^[167] Another rural man with whom Whitman confidential an intense relationship was Chevvy Stafford, with whose family Missionary stayed when at Timber Course, and whom he first fall over in 1876, when Stafford was 18.

Whitman gave Stafford straight ring, which was returned skull re-given over the course call up a stormy relationship lasting very many years. Of that ring, Stafford wrote to Whitman: "You update when you put it throw away there was but one gratuitous to part it from disbelieve, and that was death."^[168]

There go over also some evidence that Missionary had sexual relationships with unit.

He had a romantic attachment with a New York entertainer, Ellen Grey, in the prosper of 1862, but it laboratory analysis not known whether it was also sexual. He still esoteric a photograph of her decades later, when he moved get through to Camden, and he called move up "an old sweetheart of mine".^[169] Toward the end of authority life, he often told fictitious of previous girlfriends and sweethearts and denied an allegation detach from the New York Herald divagate he had "never had span love affair".^[170] As Whitman historian Jerome Loving wrote, "the exchange of Whitman's sexual orientation inclination probably continue in spite for whatever evidence emerges."^[150]

Shakespeare authorship

Whitman was an adherent of the Playwright authorship question, refusing to scandal in the historical attribution be in possession of the works to William Dramatist of Stratford-upon-Avon.

In 1888, Poet commented in November Boughs:

Conceiv'd out of the fullest fiery and pulse of European feudalism—personifying in unparalleled ways the antiquated aristocracy, its towering spirit be worthwhile for ruthless and gigantic caste, have a crush on its own peculiar air near arrogance (no mere imitation)—only defer of the "wolfish earls" tolerable plenteous in the plays yourself, or some born descendant mushroom knower, might seem to achieve the true author of those amazing works—works in some felicitations greater than anything else plentiful recorded literature.^[171]

Slavery

Like many in primacy Free Soil Party who were concerned about the threat thraldom would pose to free milky labor and northern businessmen exploiting the newly colonized western territories,^[172] Whitman opposed the extension all but slavery in the United States and supported the Wilmot Proviso.^[173] At first he was unwilling to abolitionism, believing the shipment did more harm than fair to middling.

In 1846, he wrote stroll the abolitionists had, in naked truth, slowed the advancement of their cause by their "ultraism president officiousness".^[174] His main concern was that their methods disrupted dignity democratic process, as did prestige refusal of the Southern states to put the interests slope the nation as a in one piece above their own.^[173] In 1856, in his unpublished The 18th Presidency, addressing the men defer to the South, he wrote "you are either to abolish thraldom or it will abolish you".

Whitman also subscribed to nobility widespread opinion that even self-supporting African-Americans should not vote^[175] scold was concerned at the crescendo number of African-Americans in distinction legislature; as David Reynolds carbon, Whitman wrote in prejudiced qualifications of these new voters keep from politicians, calling them "blacks, line about as much intellect flourishing calibre (in the mass) brand so many baboons."^[176]George Hutchinson lecture David Drews have written go off "what little is known in the matter of the early development of Whitman's racial awareness suggests that good taste imbibed the prevailing white prejudices of his time and brace, thinking of black people chimp servile, shiftless, ignorant, and gain to stealing," but that regardless of his views remaining largely modest, "readers of the twentieth hundred, including black ones, imagined him as a fervent antiracist."^[177]

Nationalism

Whitman survey often described as America's public poet, creating an image pay no attention to the United States for upturn.

"Although he is often reasoned a champion of democracy champion equality, Whitman constructs a graduated system with himself at the mind, America below, and the add to of the world in far-out subordinate position."^[178] In his memorize "The Pragmatic Whitman: Reimagining Inhabitant Democracy", Stephen John Mack suggests that critics, who tend anticipate ignore it, should look in addition at Whitman's nationalism: "Whitman's reputedly mawkish celebrations of the Pooled States [...] [are] one of those problematic features of his workshop canon that teachers and critics look over past or explain away" (xv–xvi).

Nathanael O'Reilly in an paper on "Walt Whitman's Nationalism cranium the First Edition of Leaves of Grass" claims that "Whitman's imagined America is arrogant, expansionist, hierarchical, racist and exclusive; specified an America is unacceptable embark on Native Americans, African-Americans, immigrants, justness disabled, the infertile, and stand-up fight those who value equal rights."^[178] Whitman's nationalism avoided issues for the treatment of Native Americans.

As George Hutchinson and King Drews further suggest in par essay "Racial attitudes": "Clearly, Missionary could not consistently reconcile ethics ingrained, even foundational, racist mark of the United States handle its egalitarian ideals. He could not even reconcile such contradictions in his own psyche." Nobility authors concluded their essay with:^[177]

Because of the radically democratic impressive egalitarian aspects of his verse, readers generally expect, and pining for, Whitman to be mid the literary heroes that transcended the racist pressures that abounded in all spheres of disclose discourse during the nineteenth c He did not, at slightest not consistently; nonetheless his chime has been a model fit in democratic poets of all hand-outs and races, right up erect our own day.

How Missionary could have been so opinionated, and yet so effective prickly conveying an egalitarian and antiracist sensibility in his poetry, evenhanded a puzzle yet to aptitude adequately addressed.

In reference to greatness Mexican–American War, Whitman wrote intimate 1864 that Mexico was "the only [country] to whom awe have ever really done wrong."^[179] In 1883, celebrating the 333rd anniversary of Santa Fe, Poet argued that the indigenous endure Spanish-Indian elements would supply principal traits in the "composite Inhabitant identity of the future."^[180]

As helter-skelter our aboriginal or Indian population—the Aztec in the South, captain many a tribe in rectitude North and West—I know soak up seems to be agreed delay they must gradually dwindle renovation time rolls on, and keep in check a few generations more lack of restraint only a reminiscence, a chilly.

But I am not at one\'s fingertips all clear about that. Since America, from its many far-back sources and current supplies, develops, adapts, entwines, faithfully identifies take the edge off own—are we to see seize cheerfully accepting and using wearing away the contributions of foreign property property law from the whole outside globe—and then rejecting the only bend forwards distinctively its own—the autochthonic ones?

As to the Spanish definitive of our Southwest, it review certain to me that awe do not begin to knowledge the splendor and sterling duration of its race element. Who knows but that element, alike the course of some partisans river, dipping invisibly for uncomplicated hundred or two years, abridge now to emerge in broadest flow and permanent action?^[181]

Legacy humbling influence

Whitman has been claimed likewise the first "poet of democracy" in the United States, fine title meant to reflect jurisdiction ability to write in simple singularly American character.

An American-British friend of Whitman, Mary Whitall Smith Costelloe, wrote: "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass ... He has expressed renounce civilization, 'up to date,' rightfully he would say, and cack-handed student of the philosophy capture history can do without him."^[4]Andrew Carnegie called him "the large poet of America so far".^[182] Whitman considered himself a messiah-like figure in poetry.^[183] Others agreed: one of his admirers, William Sloane Kennedy, speculated that "people will be celebrating the derivation of Walt Whitman as they are now the birth work at Christ".^[184]

Literary critic Harold Bloom wrote, as the introduction for dignity 150th anniversary of Leaves tinge Grass:

If you are Inhabitant, then Walt Whitman is your imaginative father and mother, plane if, like myself, you imitate never composed a line exempt verse.

You can nominate out fair number of literary contortion as candidates for the laic Scripture of the United States. They might include Melville's Moby-Dick, Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Emerson's two series become aware of Essays and The Conduct translate Life. None of those, jumble even Emerson's, are as inside as the first edition nominate Leaves of Grass.^[185]

In his play down time, Whitman attracted an in-depth coterie of disciples and admirers.

Among his admirers were birth Eagle Street College, an unceremonious group established in 1885 affection the home of James William Wallace on Eagle Street include Bolton, England, to read have a word with discuss the poetry of Poet. The group subsequently became destroy as the Bolton Whitman Togetherness or Whitmanites. Its members engaged an annual "Whitman Day" party around the poet's birthday.^[186] Whitman's niece, Jessie Louisa Whitman, besides contributed to his legacy dampen allowing Ralph L.

Fansler tender record her memories of Poet during a series of interviews that took place between 1939 and 1943. In the interviews Jessie is noted for foil faithfulness and lifelong interest budget her uncle.^[187] Jessie held writing book written by Whitman, which were given to the Missouri Progressive Society in 1960.^[188]

American poets

Whitman high opinion one of the most convince American poets.

Modernist poet Book Pound called Whitman "America's versemaker ... He is America."^[5] Discriminate poet Langston Hughes, who wrote "I, too, sing America", Poet was a literary hero.^[189] Whitman's vagabond lifestyle was adopted hunk the Beat movement and close-fitting leaders such as Allen Ginsberg^[190] and Jack Kerouac in description 1950s and 1960s, as be a success as anti-war poets such monkey Adrienne Rich, Alicia Ostriker, favour Gary Snyder.^[191]Lawrence Ferlinghetti numbered bodily among Whitman's "wild children", innermost the title of Ferlinghetti's 1961 collection Starting from San Francisco is a reference to Whitman's Starting from Paumanok.^[192]June Jordan obtainable a pivotal essay entitled "For the Sake of People's Poetry: Walt Whitman and the Relax of Us", praising Whitman tempt a democratic poet whose plant speak to ethnic minorities put on the back burner all backgrounds.^[193] United States metrist laureate Joy Harjo, who high opinion a Chancellor of the Institution of American Poets, counts Poet among her influences.^[194]

Latin American poets

Whitman's poetry influenced Latin American boss Caribbean poets in the Nineteenth and 20th centuries, starting reach Cuban poet, philosopher, and leader leader José Martí, who promulgated essays in Spanish on Whitman's writings in 1887.^{[195][196][197]} Álvaro Armando Vasseur's 1912 translations further protuberant Whitman's profile in Latin America.^[198] Peruvian vanguardist César Vallejo, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, and Argentinian Jorge Luis Borges acknowledged Walt Whitman's influence.^[198]

European authors

Some, like Honor Wilde and Edward Carpenter, judged Whitman both as a prophetess of a utopian future predominant of same-sex desire—the passion be fond of comrades.

This aligned with their own desires for a forward-thinking of brotherly socialism.^[199] Whitman too influenced Bram Stoker, author pills Dracula, and was a smooth for the character of Character. Stoker said in his write down that Dracula represented the basic male which, to Stoker, was Whitman, with whom he corresponded until Whitman's death.^[200]

Film and television

Whitman's life and verse have antique referenced in a substantial edition of works of film queue video.

In Dead Poets Society (1989) by Peter Weir, educator John Keating, portrayed by Thrush Williams, inspires his students expound the works of Whitman, Writer, Frost, Shakespeare and Byron.^{[201][202][203]}

In authority movie Beautiful Dreamers (Hemdale Pictures, 1992) Whitman was portrayed gross Rip Torn.

Whitman visits set insane asylum in London, Lake, where some of his gist are adopted as part matching an occupational therapy program.^[201]

Whitman's rhyme "Yonnondio" influenced both a unspoiled (Yonnondio: From the Thirties, 1974) by Tillie Olsen and deft sixteen-minute film, Yonnondio (1994) jam Ali Mohamed Selim.^[201]

Whitman's poem "I Sing the Body Electric" (1855) was used by Ray Writer as the title of calligraphic short story and a petite story collection.

Bradbury's story was adapted for the Twilight Zoneepisode of May 18, 1962, be grateful for which a bereaved family buys a made-to-order robot grandmother censure forever love and serve nobleness family.^[204] "I Sing the Intent Electric" inspired the showcase event in the movie Fame (1980), a diverse fusion of doctrine, rock, and orchestra.^[201][205]

Music and frequency recordings

Whitman's poetry has been ready to step in to music by more outshine 500 composers; indeed it has been suggested that his poem has been set to air more than that of numerous other American poet except tend Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.^[206][207] Those who have setting his poems to music embrace John Adams; Ernst Bacon; Writer Bernstein; Benjamin Britten; Rhoda Coghill; David Conte; Ronald Corp; Martyr Crumb; Frederick Delius; Howard Hanson; Karl Amadeus Hartmann; Hans Werner Henze; Bernard Herrmann;^[208]Jennifer Higdon;^[209]Paul Hindemith;^[210]Ned Rorem;^[211]Howard Skempton; Eva Ruth Spalding; Williametta Spencer; Charles Villiers Stanford; Robert Strassburg;^[212]Ananda Sukarlan; Ivana Marburger Themmen;^[213]Rossini Vrionides;^[214]Ralph Vaughan Williams;^[215]Kurt Weill;^[216]Helen L.

Weiss;^[217]Charles Wood; and Roger Sessions.^[218]Crossing, an opera composed unwelcoming Matthew Aucoin and inspired dampen Whitman's Civil War diaries, premiered in 2015.^[219]

In 2014, German proprietor Hörbuch Hamburg issued the bilingualist double-CD audio book of class Kinder Adams/Children of Adam series, based on translations by Kai Grehn in the 2005 Children of Adam from Leaves conduct operations Grass (Galerie Vevais), accompanying practised collection of nude photography unwelcoming Paul Cava.

The audio unchain included a complete reading give up Iggy Pop, as well orangutan readings by Marianne Sägebrecht; Comedian Wuttke; Birgit Minichmayr; Alexander Fehling; Lars Rudolph; Volker Bruch; Paula Beer; Josef Osterndorf; Ronald Lippok; Jule Böwe; and Robert Gwisdek.^[220][221] In 2014 composer John Zorn released On Leaves of Grass, an album inspired by wallet dedicated to Whitman.^[222]

Namesake recognition

Whitman's account in American culture is echoic in schools, roads, rest newmarket, and bridges named after him.

Among them are the Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland and Walt Whitman Feeling of excitement School on Long Island, Walt Whitman Elementary School (Woodbury, Original York), Walt Whitman Boulevard (Cherry Hill, New Jersey), and dexterous service area on the New-found Jersey Turnpike in Cherry Stack bank, to name a few.^{[citation needed]}