What might the grass symbolize in section six of Song of Myself?

Category: books and literature poetry
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In Section 6 of "Song of Myself" Whitman uses the imagery of grass to explore the theme of death and rebirth. The grass sprouts from among the graves, this "beautiful, uncut hair" showing us that there is really no death. And even if there were such a thing, it would merely lead towards new life.



Also to know is, what does grass symbolize in Song of Myself?

The significance of Grass, in American poet Walt Whitman's “Song of Myself”, as part of his epic work “Leaves of Grass” is that a single blade of grass represents an individual in society. Right off the bat, in this section of “Leaves of Grass”, Whitman alludes to the fact that we come from the dust of the earth.

Also Know, why is Grass described as a hieroglyphic? In the second place, Whitman compares the grass to the human society. He refers to the grass as a uniform hieroglyphic in the line “Or I guess it is hieroglyphic” (5). For Whitman, the grass symbolizes the equality of all people and things, as humans are equal and differ only by their personality and race.

One may also ask, what are major themes of Whitman's 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.

Why is Song of Myself significant?

Song of Myself,” the longest poem in Leaves of Grass, is a joyous celebration of the human self in its most expanded, spontaneous, self-sufficient, and all-embracing state as it observes and interacts with everything in creation and ranges freely over time and space.

33 Related Question Answers Found

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 major symbol in Whitman's 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 do the images of grass in this excerpt from Whitman's Song of Myself symbolize?

Answer Expert Verified. Walt Whitman provides images of grass throughout his poem “Song of Myself.” According to the him, grass represents the hopeful nature of man. It also represents a gift from God: “A scented gift and remembrance designedly dropt,” which acts as a reminder of God's existence.

What is Grass by Walt Whitman?


This poem contains traces of the democratic ideals that resonate throughout Whitman's poetry, notably in the stanza in which he suggests that the grass is a "uniform hieroglyph" that can unite people regardless of race, occupation, or social status.

What are some characteristics of Whitman's use of free verse?

1. Promotes use of free-verse— no style restrictions exist in his work; lack of rhyme and lack of strict meter; prefers to show the natural cadence and pacing of language. 2. His poems display extended lines which do not follow the standard for line length.

What is the mood of Song of Myself?

The idea behind “Song of Myself” is that individual identity is temporary but transcendent. The dominant tone of “Song of Myself” is joyous and mystical. The cycle of life renews itself constantly, and so conquers death.

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 was Whitman's view of nature in Song of Myself?


Whitman'sSong of Myself,” in its embrace of the immortality of the self in all things, that spiritualizes our environment, calls into question the ornamented romance of capitalism that American people maintained with their nature in the United States in the 19th century.

What is the significance of the title of the poem?

Titles of poems are the first piece of the text readers come across. Therefore, the title of a poem is meant to draw a reader into the poem. Sometimes, the title is also meant to make the reader think about how the title of the poem speaks to what the poet wishes the reader to consider while reading the poem itself.

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 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.

What is the summary of I had the choice?

had i the choice. “Had I the Choice” by Walt Whitman discusses the speaker's choice to exchange a writer's greatest merits to the “undulation of one wave”. The waves flow in the same motion, yet they do not singularly do the same pattern every time-just line the lines and stanzas in Walt Whitman's poem.

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 the grass summary?

The grass could be interpreted as the beginning of another life after death as well. The whole poem is like a metaphor for grass being like death. Grass is also getting human characteristics, personification. the mysteries of life, death (and grass) may never be known to people, no matter how old you are.

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'.