Walt Whitman Biography

The following presentation will examine the life, writing achievements and a poetry analysis of Walt Whitman.

II. Biography

Walt Whitman was the second child of Walter Whitman Sr. and Louisa Van Velsor's nine children. He had a mostly unhappy childhood. Whitman's family was facing many issues financially and it created plenty of tension. His father was an alcoholic and was very demanding. His mother however, was very loving towards him and served as someone who would always be there for him during any family hardships (Folsom).

1. Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in Long Island. (Folsom)

2. Whitman did not go to college and dropped out of school at age eleven to become a printing press apprentice. A year later he was already getting his works published in newspapers such as the New York Mirror. At age seventeen, Whitman decided to change careers and become a school teacher. About five years later, Whitman quit his job and decided to pursue journalism, once again, and became very successful even though his own newspaper, The Long Islander, failed. He started to write fiction and loved doing it. He experimented with poetry a little and it soon became his passion (European Graduate School).

3. Walt Whitman died of tuberculosis and other complications on March 26, 1892. He was 72 years old and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New York (Folsom).

B. 1. Many historical events influenced Walt Whitman's writing. He was known as the first "American poet of democracy." The Civil War especially influenced Whitman's writing. He published the poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" towards the beginning of the war and it focused on a person cheering on the Union. After noticing how horrific the soldiers were wounded, Whitman volunteered as a nurse. This further encouraged Whitman to write poetry and some fiction. After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln he published "O Captain! My Captain!" which became a worldwide hit (Folsom).

2. Patriotic and democratic themes occur frequently throughout Whitman's poetry. Whitman showed plenty affection towards the Union through his poetry and was captivated by America. In addition, he often wrote about life and the beauty of a human being (European Graduate School).

3. Walt Whitman is sometimes referred to as "the father of free verse." He did not truly stick to a certain style of writing. Whitman's poems usually fall in the transcendentalist and realism categories. He often repeats words and phrases on his poetry to add emphasis (European Graduate School).

4. Walt Whitman never won any major literary awards in his lifetime although he was quite popular. He was a controversial poet throughout his career and was never truly recognized until after his death (Folson).

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