What is the tone of the poem Song of Myself?

Category: books and literature poetry
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The tone of the poem is exuberant. Whitman embraces and is in love with all existence. He revels in life and in all that he observes of life. The tone is accepting.



Similarly one may ask, what are the themes of Song of Myself?

"Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman celebrates the theme of democracy and the oneness of mankind, specifically the American people. As well, it represents Transcendentalist thought concerning mankind's common soul. The poem also focuses on the theme that life is a journey to uncover one's self, one's identity.

Secondly, what is the poem Song of Myself mostly about? "Song of Myself" is an American classic, but we encourage you to exercise your own "self-reliance" by being open in your own reading of it. The poem means so many things to so many different people, and its diversity and openness are its greatest strength.

Also, what is Walt Whitman's message in Song of Myself?

Lesson Summary Gutsy, sprawling, visionary, grand - that's Walt Whitman's 1855 poem 'Song of Myself', which takes us on a wild tour of life, popping in and out of characters, places and time periods. Whitman's ability to see the beauty in all things, great and small, reflects his deep passion for American democracy.

What lines from Song of Myself describe in your view something important or unique about American identity?

Part III: The lines of "Song of Myself" describe something unique about American identity. "The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem/Here is not merely a nation but a “teeming nation of nations" to me represent the heart of what America was founded on the cultural diversity of American people.

36 Related Question Answers Found

How many lines is Song of Myself?

Song of Myself, poem of 52 sections and some 1,300 lines by Walt Whitman, first published untitled in the collection Leaves of Grass in 1855.

What kind of poem is Song of Myself?

The term "free verse" was popularized by 20th century poets like William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsberg whom Whitman inspired. The term means "a poem with no regular form or meter." If that's the definition, then "Song of Myself" is free verse.

What is Loafe?

Loafe' is one of the outdated spellings of 'loaf', and on the surface, typically evokes a folksy, rural, and or low-class feel. I'm not sure of the context in which you found the w As stated in other answers, 'loafe' is an archaic (outdated, no longer used) spelling of the word 'loaf'.

What do you learn about the speaker of the poem Song of Myself?


The speaker of "Song of Myself" is characteristically American because of his beliefs about democracy and his general love for America and its beauty. Throughout the poem, the speaker, who Whitman declares is himself, describes how everyone is connected and plays an equally important role in society.

Which characteristic makes Song of Myself free verse?

Nature without check with original energy". During the entire poem, no rhymes match. That is a typical characteristic of free verse poems. Therefore, the characteristic that makes "Song of Myself" a free verse poem is its lack of rhymes that follow a metric.

What is one purpose of the imagery in this poem Song of Myself?

what is one purpose of the imagery in this poem? a. to make an animal seem like a peer to the speaker. b. to paint a picture of a decaying body in the reader's mind. c. to link two unlike concepts: mountains and burial mounds.

What is considered a stanza?

Definition of Stanza. In poetry, a stanza is a division of four or more lines having a fixed length, meter, or rhyming scheme. Stanzas in poetry are similar to paragraphs in prose. Both stanzas and paragraphs include connected thoughts, and are set off by a space.

What does contain multitudes mean?

Next time you find yourself doing something unusual or contradictory that surprises other people or yourself, remember that you contain multitudes. Sometimes that contradiction is a sign of progress.

Why did Whitman title the leaves of grass?


Whitman's most famous work is the collection of poems entitled Leaves of Grass. The title Leaves of Grass reflects the content of the poems it contains; Whitman uses the word 'leaves' as a pun to symbolise both the natural world and the pages of the printed text itself.

What is the grass analysis?

Our interpretation of "A child said, what is the grass?" is that the grass in the poem that the child asks about is actually life and death. The child is asking what is life and death, which is the theme. The man is considering how to answer the question the child asked about grass.

Do I contradict myself?

(Talk honestly, no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.) Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.)

Is Song of Myself part of Leaves of Grass?

"Song of Myself" is a poem by Walt Whitman (1819-1892) that is included in his work Leaves of Grass. It has been credited as "representing the core of Whitman's poetic vision."

Why does Whitman use free verse in Song of Myself?

Whitman uses several devices in “Song of Myself, 11” to establish the cohesion and fluidity characteristic of his poetry. One such device is repetition. Repeating a word or phrase creates a rhythm and provides a focal point for literary audiences, especially if the phrase recurs in consecutive lines.

What is the major symbol Whitman works through in Song of Myself?


The 'I' or self is perhaps the single most important symbol in 'Song of Myself'. The 'I' does not stand for the poet alone. It symbolizes the modern American, the modern man, or even Every man. It signifies a fusion of several characters, a composite character, which exists at no place other than in the poem.

What is the Kosmos in Song of Myself?

The “I” can be given a name. And the name comes with an immediate emphasis on its local and universal connections—Walt Whitman is the “son” of New York but is in fact, like all of us, a “kosmos,” a self harmonious with the vast universe of which he knows he is an eternal part.

What does I celebrate myself and sing myself mean?

In this poem it uses the word abeyance. "Creeds and schools in abeyance." This word means temporary inactivity or disuse; suspension; latent condition. In this poem Whitman says "I celebrate myself." Celebrate meaning to speak the praises of, extol, publish the fame of.