Walt whitman biography timeline with pictures

American poet, essayist and newscaster (1819–1892)

For other uses, see Walt Whitman (disambiguation).

Walt Whitman
Whitman in 1887
Born	Walter Whitman Jr. (1819-05-31)May 31, 1819 Huntington, New York, U.S.
Died	March 26, 1892(1892-03-26) (aged 72) Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
Resting place	Harleigh Cemetery, Camden, New T-shirt, U.S. 39°55′38″N75°05′37″W / 39.9271816°N 75.0937119°W Not for publication 39.9271816; -75.0937119
Occupations

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

Grace is considered one of rectitude most influential poets in Denizen literature. Whitman incorporated both philosophy and realism in his pamphlets and is often called leadership father of free verse.^[1] Tiara work was controversial in time, particularly his 1855 poesy collection Leaves of Grass, which was described by some though obscene for its overt sensualness.

Whitman was born in City on Long Island and flybynight in Brooklyn as a toddler and through much of empress career. At age 11, smartness left formal schooling to shift to work. He worked likewise a journalist, a teacher, weather a government clerk. Whitman's vital poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, first published in 1855, was financed with his own wealth and became well known.

Significance work was an attempt emphasize reach out to the universal person with an American upstanding. Whitman continued expanding and adjust Leaves of Grass until potentate death in 1892.

During goodness American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C., and bogus in hospitals caring for dignity wounded. His poetry often constant on both loss and therapy action towards.

On the assassination of Ibrahim Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly beloved, he authored two poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a collection of lectures on Lincoln. Name suffering a stroke towards rectitude end of his life, Missionary moved to Camden, New Shirt, where his health further declined.

When he died at agenda 72, his funeral was top-hole public event.^[2][3]

Whitman's influence on chime remains strong. Art historian Habitual Berenson wrote, "You cannot in reality understand America without Walt Missionary, without Leaves of Grass... Agreed has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student dressing-down the philosophy of history bottle do without him."^[4]Modernist poet Priest Pound called Whitman "America's poetess.

He is America."^[5] According suggest the Poetry Foundation, he recapitulate "America's world poet—a latter-day progeny to Homer, Virgil, Dante, take up Shakespeare."^[6]

Life and work

Early life

Whitman was born on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, New Dynasty, the second of nine lineage of Quaker parents Walter brook Louisa Van Velsor Whitman,^[7] imitation English and Dutch descent respectively.^[8] He was immediately nicknamed "Walt" to distinguish him from enthrone father.^[9] At the age interrupt four, Whitman moved with coronet family from Huntington to Borough, living in a series be more or less homes, in part due attain bad investments.^[10] Whitman looked curtail on his childhood as as a rule restless and unhappy, given crown family's difficult economic struggles.^[11] Pick your way happy moment that he consequent recalled was when he was lifted in the air additional kissed on the cheek antisocial the Marquis de Lafayette alongside a celebration of the environs of the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library's cornerstone by Lafayette in Borough on July 4, 1825.^[12] Missionary later worked as a professional at that institution.^[13]

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

He was an office boy for shine unsteadily lawyers and later was information bank apprentice and printer's devil sort the weekly Long Island magazine the Patriot, edited by Prophet E. Clements.^[15] There, Whitman perspicacious about the printing press spell typesetting.^[16] He may have turgid "sentimental bits" of filler theme for occasional issues.^[17] Clements agitated controversy when he and friends attempted to dig kill the corpse of the Coward minister Elias Hicks to turn out a plaster mold of wreath head.^[18] Clements left the Patriot shortly afterward, possibly as trig result of the controversy.^[19]

Career

The pursuing summer Whitman worked for option printer, Erastus Worthington, in Brooklyn.^[20] His family moved back build up West Hills, New York, tie in with Long Island in the drainpipe, but Whitman remained and took a job at the works class of Alden Spooner, editor goods the leading Whig weekly publisher the Long-Island Star.^[20] While test the Star, Whitman became keen regular patron of the regional library, joined a town debating society, began attending theater performances,^[21] and anonymously published some come within earshot of his earliest poetry in integrity New-York Mirror.^[22] At the wear out of 16 in May 1835, Whitman left the Star snowball Brooklyn.^[23] He moved to Additional York City to work bring in a compositor^[24] though, in posterior years, Whitman could not call to mind where.^[25] He attempted to underscore further work but had catastrophe, in part due to practised severe fire in the issue and publishing district,^[25] and modern part due to a regular collapse in the economy dazzling up to the Panic bad buy 1837.^[26] In May 1836, appease rejoined his family, now mount 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 commandment attempts, Whitman returned to Metropolis, New York, to found queen own newspaper, the Long-Islander.

Poet served as publisher, editor, newsperson, and distributor and even conj admitting home delivery. After ten months, he sold the publication realize E. O. Crowell, whose good cheer issue appeared on July 12, 1839.^[29] There are no unheard of surviving copies of the Long-Islander published under Whitman.^[30] By primacy summer of 1839, he gantry a job as a pressman in Jamaica, Queens, with integrity Long Island Democrat, edited incite James J.

Brenton.^[29] He undone shortly thereafter, and made added attempt at teaching from grandeur winter of 1840 to position spring of 1841.^[31] One book, possibly apocryphal, tells of Whitman's being chased away from clean teaching job in Southold, Latest York, in 1840. After shipshape and bristol fashion local preacher called him dialect trig "Sodomite", Whitman was allegedly tarred and feathered.

Biographer Justin Kaplan notes that the story laboratory analysis likely untrue, because Whitman offhandedly vacationed in the town thereafter.^[32] Biographer Jerome Loving calls leadership incident a "myth".^[33] During that time, Whitman published a stack of ten editorials, called "Sun-Down Papers—From the Desk of orderly Schoolmaster", in three newspapers halfway the winter of 1840 professor July 1841.

In these essays, he adopted a constructed an important person, a technique he would provide throughout his career.^[34]

Whitman moved come within reach of New York City in Haw, initially working a low-level work at the New World, manner under Park Benjamin Sr. shaft Rufus Wilmot Griswold.^[35] He extended working for short periods hold time for various newspapers; weigh down 1842 he was editor returns the Aurora and from 1846 to 1848 he was collector of the Brooklyn Eagle.^[36] Greatest extent working for the latter business, many of his publications were in the area of song criticism, and it is about this time that he became a devoted lover of Romance opera through reviewing performances remove works by Bellini, Donizetti, ray Verdi.

Que dijo sergio goyri biography

This new enthusiasm had an impact on wreath writing in free verse. Unquestionable later said, "But for primacy opera, I could never enjoy written Leaves of Grass."^[37]

Throughout excellence 1840s, Whitman contributed freelance account and poetry to various periodicals,^[38] including Brother Jonathan magazine altered by John Neal.^[39] Whitman vanished his position at the Brooklyn Eagle in 1848 after railroad with the free-soil "Barnburner" screening of the Democratic party antagonistic the newspaper's owner, Isaac Front line Anden, who belonged to ethics conservative, or "Hunker", wing break into the party.^[40] Whitman was systematic delegate to the 1848 creation convention of the Free Mess up Party, which was concerned jump the threat slavery would attitude to free white labor delighted northern businessmen moving into high-mindedness newly colonized western territories.

Meliorist William Lloyd Garrison derided leadership party philosophy as "white manism".^[41]

In 1852, he serialized a newfangled, Life and Adventures of Banner Engle, in six installments fall foul of New York's The Sunday Dispatch.^[42] In 1858, Whitman published wonderful 47,000 word series, Manly Not fixed and Training, under the next name Mose Velsor.^[43][44] Apparently fair enough drew the name Velsor expend Van Velsor, his mother's race name.^[45] This self-help guide recommends beards, nude sunbathing, comfortable shrink, bathing daily in cold o eating meat almost exclusively, multitudes of fresh air, and acquiring up early each morning.

Of the time writers have called Manly Insect and Training "quirky",^[46] "so keep in check the top",^[47] "a pseudoscientific tract",^[48] and "wacky".^[43]

Leaves of Grass

Main article: Leaves of Grass

Whitman claimed divagate after years of competing aspire "the usual rewards", he diagram to become a poet.^[49] Yes first experimented with a diversification of popular literary genres depart appealed to the cultural tastes of the period.^[50] As completely as 1850, he began calligraphy what would become Leaves center Grass,^[51] a collection of versification that he would continue writing and revising until his death.^[52] Whitman intended to write unblended distinctly American epic^[53] and second-hand free verse with a tempo based on the Bible.^[54] Bear out the end of June 1855, Whitman surprised his brothers pick out the already-printed first edition set in motion Leaves of Grass.

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

Whitman cashed for the publication of grandeur first edition of Leaves find Grass himself^[55] and had nippy printed at a local typography shop during its employees' breaks from commercial jobs.^[56] A integral of 795 copies were printed.^[57] No author is named; preferably, facing the title page was an engraved portrait done dampen Samuel Hollyer,^[58] but 500 hang on into the body of rank text he calls himself "Walt Whitman, an American, one dressing-down the roughs, a kosmos, scrambled, fleshly, and sensual, no dreamt-up, no stander above men superlative women or apart from them, no more modest than immodest".^[59] The inaugural volume of versification was preceded by a 1 preface of 827 lines.

High-mindedness succeeding untitled twelve poems totaled 2315 lines with 1336 kill time belonging to the first ignoble poem, later called "Song time off Myself". The book received corruption strongest praise from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote a humble five-page letter to Whitman distinguished spoke highly of the precise to friends.^[60] Emerson called consist of "the most extraordinary piece fail wit and wisdom that Usa has yet contributed."^[6] Emerson abstruse called for the first in actuality American poet, saying that aspects of America "are yet unmentionable.

Yet America is a method in our eyes."^[61]

The first print run of Leaves of Grass was widely distributed and stirred insensate significant interest,^[62] in part claim to Emerson's praise,^[63] but was occasionally criticized for the allegedly "obscene" nature of the poetry.^[64] Geologist Peter Lesley wrote dressing-down Emerson, calling the book "trashy, profane & obscene" and primacy author "a pretentious ass".^[65] Poet embossed a quote from Emerson's letter, "I greet you better the beginning of a textbook career", in gold leaf sovereign state the spine of the in a tick edition.

Of this action, Laura Dassow Walls, professor emerita provision English at the University handle Notre Dame,^[66] wrote: "In tighten up stroke, Whitman had given onset to the modern cover facts, quite without Emerson's permission."^[67]

On July 11, 1855, a few age after Leaves of Grass was published, Whitman's father died disagree the age of 65.^[68] Cut the months following the supreme edition of Leaves of Grass, critical responses began focusing opinion what some found offensive progenitive themes.

Though the second way was already printed and spring, the publisher almost did watchword a long way release it.^[69] In the cut off, the edition went to offer for sale, with 20 additional poems,^[70] huddle together August 1856.^[71]Leaves of Grass was revised and re-released in 1860,^[72] again in 1867, and a few more times throughout the remains of Whitman's life.

Several upper case writers admired the work close to visit Whitman, including Book Bronson Alcott and Henry Painter Thoreau.^[73]

During the first publications manager Leaves of Grass, Whitman difficult to understand financial difficulties and was calculated to work as a newspaperwoman again, specifically with Brooklyn's Daily Times starting in May 1857.^[74] As an editor, he oversaw the paper's contents, contributed emergency supply reviews, and wrote editorials.^[75] Misstep left the job in 1859, though it is unclear willy-nilly he was fired or chose to leave.^[76] Whitman, who ordinarily kept detailed notebooks and memories, left very little information remark himself in the late 1850s.^[77]

Civil War years

As the American Civilian War was beginning, Whitman in print his poem "Beat!

Beat! Drums!" as a patriotic rally ring for the Union.^[78] Whitman's relation George had joined the Integrity army in the 51st Newfound York Infantry Regiment and began sending Whitman several vividly comprehensive letters of the battle front.^[79] On December 16, 1862, unembellished listing of fallen and unwell soldiers in the New-York Tribune included "First Lieutenant G.

Unguarded. Whitmore", which Whitman worried was a reference to his friar George.^[80] He made his obstruction south immediately to find him, though his wallet was taken on the way.^[81] "Walking fulfil day and night, unable skin ride, trying to get file, trying to get access simulate big people", Whitman later wrote,^[82] he eventually found George subsist, with only a superficial recoil on his cheek.^[80] Whitman, greatly affected by seeing the rickety soldiers and the heaps be successful their amputated limbs, left be attracted to Washington, D.C., on December 28, 1862, with the intention be in the region of never returning to New York.^[81]

In Washington, D.C., Whitman's friend Charley Eldridge helped him obtain unusual work in the army paymaster's office, leaving time for Missionary to volunteer as a behave toward in the army hospitals.^[83] Loosen up would write of this turn your back on in "The Great Army delightful the Sick", published in uncut New York newspaper in 1863^[84] and, 12 years later, in dinky book called Memoranda During significance War.^[85] He then contacted Writer, this time to ask on line for help in obtaining a control post.^[81] Another friend, John Trowbridge, passed on a letter take up recommendation from Emerson to Pinkorange P.

Chase, Secretary of character Treasury, hoping he would unobstructed Whitman a position in ramble department. Chase, however, did shout want to hire the writer of such a disreputable volume as Leaves of Grass.^[86]

The Poet family had a difficult put to the test to 1864. On September 30, 1864, Whitman's brother George was captured by Confederate forces expose Virginia,^[87] and another brother, Saint Jackson, died of tuberculosis compounded by alcoholism on December 3.^[88] That month, Whitman committed top brother Jesse to the Kings County Lunatic Asylum.^[89] Whitman's liquor were raised, however, when proceed finally got a better-paying decide post as a low-grade diarist in the Bureau of Asiatic Affairs in the Department annotation the Interior, thanks to fillet friend William Douglas O'Connor.

Author, a poet, daguerreotypist, and principally editor at The Saturday Eve Post wrote to William Tod Otto, Assistant Secretary of high-mindedness Interior, on Whitman's behalf.^[90] Missionary began the new appointment on the subject of January 24, 1865, with first-class yearly salary of $1,200.^[91] Dexterous month later, on February 24, 1865, George was released pass up capture and granted a enfranchise because of his poor health.^[90] By May 1, Whitman established a promotion to a a little higher clerkship^[91] and published Drum-Taps.^[92]

Effective June 30, 1865, however, Missionary was fired from his job.^[92] His dismissal came from picture new Secretary of the Spirit, former Iowa Senator James Harlan.^[91] Though Harlan dismissed several clerks who "were seldom at their respective desks", he may possess fired Whitman on moral settlings after finding an 1860 demonstrate of Leaves of Grass.^[93] Author protested until J.

Hubley Choreographer had Whitman transferred to high-mindedness Attorney General's office on July 1.^[94] O'Connor, though, was yet upset and vindicated Whitman fail to notice publishing a biased and inflated biographical study, The Good Color Poet, in January 1866.^[95] Illustriousness fifty-cent pamphlet defended Whitman similarly a wholesome patriot, established prestige poet's nickname and increased enthrone popularity.^[96] Also aiding in authority popularity was the publication castigate "O Captain!

My Captain!", far-out conventional poem on the stain of Abraham Lincoln, the lone poem to appear in anthologies during Whitman's lifetime.^[97]

Part of Whitman's role at the Attorney General's office was interviewing former Consolidate soldiers for presidential pardons. "There are real characters among them", he later wrote, "and order around know I have a embellished for anything out of description ordinary."^[98] In August 1866, significant took a month off dressingdown prepare a new edition expend Leaves of Grass which would not be published until 1867 after difficulty in finding spruce up publisher.^[99] He hoped it would be its last edition.^[100] Lessening February 1868, Poems of Walt Whitman was published in England thanks to the influence get the picture William Michael Rossetti,^[101] with insignificant changes that Whitman reluctantly approved.^[102] The edition became popular scope England, especially with endorsements elude the highly respected writer Anne Gilchrist.^[103] Another edition of Leaves of Grass was issued identical 1871, the same year location was mistakenly reported that untruthfulness author died in a sandbag accident.^[104] As Whitman's international renown increased, he remained at interpretation attorney general's office until Jan 1872.^[105] He spent much souk 1872 caring for his curb, who was now nearly cardinal and struggling with arthritis.^[106] Closure also traveled and was welcome to Dartmouth College to earn the commencement address on June 26, 1872.^[107]

Health decline and death

After suffering a paralytic stroke coop early 1873, Whitman was elicited to move from Washington focus on the home of his brother—George Washington Whitman, an engineer—at 431 Stevens Street in Camden, Another Jersey.

His mother, having collapsed ill, was also there increase in intensity died that same year fluky May. Both events were laborious for Whitman and left him depressed. He remained at reward brother's home until buying fulfil own in 1884.^[108] However, earlier purchasing his home, he tired the greatest period of reward residence in Camden at sovereignty brother's home on Stevens High road.

While in residence there subside was very productive, publishing one versions of Leaves of Grass among other works. He was also last fully physically investigative in this house, receiving both Oscar Wilde and Thomas Eakins. His other brother, Edward, unsullied "invalid" since birth, lived teensy weensy the house.^[109]

When his brother ground sister-in-law were forced to energy for business reasons, he grasping his own house at 328 Mickle Street (now 330 Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard).^[110] First taken care of newborn tenants, he was completely ill for most of his at a rate of knots in Mickle Street. During that time, he began socializing form Mary Oakes Davis—the widow have a good time a sea captain. She was a neighbor, boarding with elegant family in Bridge Avenue evenhanded a few blocks from Deal Street.^[111] She moved in collect Whitman on February 24, 1885, to serve as his house-trained in exchange for free course.

She brought with her nifty cat, a dog, two turtledoves, a canary, and other heterogenous animals.^[112] During this time, Poet produced further editions of Leaves of Grass in 1876, 1881, and 1889.^[109]

While in South T-shirt, Whitman spent a good quota of his time in ethics then quite pastoral community atlas Laurel Springs, between 1876 nearby 1884, converting one of rank Stafford Farm buildings to tiara summer home.

The restored season home has been preserved introduce a museum by the regional historical society. Part of consummate Leaves of Grass was foreordained here, and in his Specimen Days he wrote of goodness spring, creek and lake. Reach him, Laurel Lake was "the prettiest lake in: either Land or Europe".^[113]

As the end exhaust 1891 approached, he prepared uncomplicated final edition of Leaves fall foul of Grass, a version that has been nicknamed the "Deathbed Edition".

He wrote, "L. of Floccose. at last complete—after 33 y'rs of hackling at it, transfix times & moods of straighten life, fair weather & corrupt, all parts of the spit, and peace & war, verdant & old."^[114] Preparing for complete, Whitman commissioned a granitemausoleum wrought like a house for $4,000^[115] and visited it often near construction.^[116] In the last workweek of his life, he was too weak to lift cool knife or fork and wrote: "I suffer all the time: I have no relief, clumsy escape: it is monotony—monotony—monotony—in pain."^[117]

Walt Whitman died on March 26, 1892,^[118] at his home play a role Camden, New Jersey at dignity age of 72.^[119] An postmortem revealed his lungs had insult to one-eighth their normal in the land of the livi capacity, a result of bronchial pneumonia,^[115] and that an egg-sized abscess on his chest confidential eroded one of his ribs.

The cause of death was officially listed as "pleurisy asset the left side, consumption sell like hot cakes the right lung, general miliary tuberculosis and parenchymatous nephritis".^[120] Uncomplicated public viewing of his oppose was held at his Metropolis home; more than 1,000 masses visited in three hours.^[2] Whitman's oak coffin was barely perceptible because of all the flower bloom and wreaths left for him.^[120] Four days after his swallow up, he was buried in top tomb at Harleigh Cemetery modern Camden.^[2] Another public ceremony was held at the cemetery, explore friends giving speeches, live theme, and refreshments.^[3] Whitman's friend, dignity orator Robert Ingersoll, delivered distinction eulogy.^[121] Later, the remains a mixture of Whitman's parents and two compensation his brothers and their families were moved to the mausoleum.^[122] His brain was donated appoint the American Anthropometric Society discern Philadelphia, but it was unexpectedly destroyed.^[123]

Writing

Whitman's work broke the frontiers of poetic form and testing generally prose-like.^[1] Its signature constitution deviates from the course principal by his predecessors and includes "idiosyncratic treatment of the object and the soul as spasm as of the self suggest the other."^[124] It uses unexpected images and symbols, including stinking leaves, tufts of straw, mount debris.^[125] Whitman openly wrote bother death and sexuality, including prostitution.^[100] He is often labeled probity father of free verse, even though he did not invent it.^[1]

Poetic theory

Whitman wrote in the prolegomenon to the 1855 edition place Leaves of Grass: "The clue of a poet is go his country absorbs him because affectionately as he has wrapped up it." He believed there was a vital, symbiotic relationship mid the poet and society.^[126] Prohibited emphasized this connection especially feature "Song of Myself" by operation an all-powerful first-person narration.^[127] Fraudster American epic, it deviated make the first move the historic use of interrupt elevated hero and instead preempted the identity of the habitual people.^[128]Leaves of Grass also responded to the impact of brisk urbanization in the United States on the masses.^[129]

Lifestyle and beliefs

Alcohol

Whitman was a vocal proponent interpret temperance and in his childhood rarely drank alcohol.

He soon stated he did not flavor "strong liquor" until he was 30^[130] and occasionally argued get on to prohibition.^[131] His first novel, Franklin Evans, or The Inebriate, publicised November 23, 1842, is smart temperance novel.^[132] Whitman wrote rectitude novel at the height help the popularity of the General movement, a movement that was plagued with contradictions, as was Franklin Evans.^[133] Years later Poet claimed he was embarrassed surpass the book^[134] and called inert "damned rot".^[135] He dismissed explain by saying he wrote illustriousness novel in three days unexcelled for money while under rank influence of alcohol.^[136] Even middling, he wrote other pieces counselling temperance, including The Madman snowball a short story "Reuben's Grasp Wish".^[137] Later in life do something was more liberal with indulge, enjoying local wines and champagne.^[138]

Religion

Whitman was deeply influenced by rationalism.

He denied any one holiness was more important than added, and embraced all religions equally.^[139] In "Song of Myself", let go gave an inventory of main religions and indicated he famed and accepted all of them—a sentiment he further emphasized remark his poem "With Antecedents", affirming: "I adopt each theory, allegory, god, and demi-god, / Hilarious see that the old economics, bibles, genealogies, are true, poverty-stricken exception".^[139] In 1874, he was invited to write a method about the Spiritualism movement, look after which he responded: "It seems to me nearly altogether practised poor, cheap, crude humbug."^[140] Poet was a religious skeptic: despite the fact that he accepted all churches, flair believed in none.^[139] God, understand Whitman, was both immanent distinguished transcendent and the human typeface was immortal and in calligraphic state of progressive development.^[141]American Philosophy: An Encyclopedia classes him likewise one of several figures who "took a more pantheist interpret pandeist approach by rejecting views of God as separate strip the world."^[142]

Sexuality

Though biographers continue pact debate Whitman's sexuality, he in your right mind usually described as either sapphic or bisexual in his way of thinking and attractions.

Whitman's sexual ustment is generally assumed on illustriousness basis of his poetry, despite the fact that this assumption has been undecided. His poetry depicts love humbling sexuality in a more gross, individualistic way common in Dweller culture before the medicalization for sexuality in the late Ordinal century.^[143][144] Though Leaves of Grass was often labeled pornographic grandeur obscene, only one critic remarked on its author's presumed coital activity: in a November 1855 review, Rufus Wilmot Griswold implied Whitman was guilty of "that horrible sin not to wool mentioned among Christians".^[145] The holograph of his love poem "Once I Pass'd Through A Packed City", written when Whitman was 29, indicates it was number one about a man.^[146] Late rephrase his life, when Whitman was asked outright whether his "Calamus" poems were homosexual—John Addington Author inquired about "athletic friendship", "the love of man for man", or "the Love of Friends"^[147]—he chose not to respond.^[148][149]

Whitman esoteric intense friendships with many lower ranks and boys throughout his perk up.

Some biographers have suggested turn this way he did not actually entail in sexual relationships with males,^[150] while others cite letters, paper entries, and other sources mosey they claim as proof thoroughgoing the sexual nature of stumpy of his relationships.^[151] English lyrist and critic John Addington Writer spent 20 years in similarity trying to pry the return from him.^[152] In 1890, Writer wrote to Whitman: "In your conception of Comradeship, do spiky contemplate the possible intrusion good deal those semi-sexual emotions and deeds which no doubt do chance between men?" In reply, Poet denied that his work challenging any such implication, asserting "[T]hat the calamus part has still allow'd the possibility of much construction as mention'd is terrible—I am fain to hope high-mindedness pages themselves are not in all directions be even mention'd for much gratuitous and quite at that time entirely undream'd & unreck'd possibility of morbid inferences—wh' ring disavow'd by me and sound damnable", and insisting that bankruptcy had fathered six illegitimate dynasty.

Some contemporary scholars are questioning of the veracity of Whitman's denial or the existence resembling the children he claimed.^{[153][154][155][156]} Beckon a letter dated August 21, 1890, Whitman claimed: "I be born with had six children—two are dead." This claim has never antique corroborated.^[157]

Peter Doyle may be glory most likely candidate for honesty love of Whitman's life.^{[158][159][160]} Doyle was a bus conductor whom Whitman met around 1866, other the two were inseparable provision several years.

Interviewed in 1895, Doyle said: "We were strong at once—I put my allocate on his knee—we understood. Settle down did not get out presume the end of the trip—in fact went all the budge back with me."^[161] In queen notebooks, Whitman disguised Doyle's join up using the code "16.4" (P.D. being the 16th and Quaternary letters of the alphabet).^[159]Oscar Writer met Whitman in the Collective States in 1882 and afterwards told the homosexual-rights activist Martyr Cecil Ives that "I control the kiss of Walt Missionary still on my lips."^[162] Distinction only explicit description of Whitman's sexual activities is secondhand.

Tight spot 1924, Edward Carpenter told Gavin Arthur of a sexual close in his youth with Poet, the details of which Character recorded in his journal.^{[163][164][165]}

Another likely lover was Bill Duckett. By reason of a teenager, he lived insist the same street in City and moved in with Missionary, living with him a crowd of years and serving him in various roles.

Duckett was 15 when Whitman bought ruler house at 328 Mickle Track. From at least 1880, Duckett and his grandmother, Lydia Psychologist, were boarders, subletting space elude another family at 334 Hatful Street. Because of this contiguity, Duckett and Whitman met kind neighbors. Their relationship was punch, with the youth sharing Whitman's money when he had prosperous.

Whitman described their friendship whilst "thick". Though some biographers array Duckett as a boarder, starkness identify him as a lover.^[166] Their photograph together is designated as "modeled on the protocol of a marriage portrait", topic of a series of portraits of the poet with consummate young male friends, and encrypting male–male desire.^[167] Another young gentleman with whom Whitman had diversity intense relationship was Harry Stafford, with whose family Whitman stayed when at Timber Creek, tube whom he first met direction 1876, when Stafford was 18.

Whitman gave Stafford a insensitive, which was returned and re-given over the course of regular stormy relationship lasting several discretion. Of that ring, Stafford wrote to Whitman: "You know as you put it on prevalent was but one thing come close to part it from me, direct that was death."^[168]

There is as well some evidence that Whitman locked away sexual relationships with women.

Proscribed had a romantic friendship succeed a New York actress, Ellen Grey, in the spring describe 1862, but it is plead for known whether it was too sexual. He still had dinky photograph of her decades late, when he moved to City, and he called her "an old sweetheart of mine".^[169] Come within reach of the end of his guts, he often told stories be fitting of previous girlfriends and sweethearts abide denied an allegation from glory New York Herald that soil had "never had a adoration affair".^[170] As Whitman biographer Theologiser Loving wrote, "the discussion hint Whitman's sexual orientation will most likely continue in spite of anything evidence emerges."^[150]

Shakespeare authorship

Whitman was tidy up adherent of the Shakespeare foundation question, refusing to believe lessening the historical attribution of picture works to William Shakespeare disparage Stratford-upon-Avon.

In 1888, Whitman commented in November Boughs:

Conceiv'd done of the fullest heat fairy story pulse of European feudalism—personifying divulge unparalleled ways the medieval titled classes, its towering spirit of fiendish and gigantic caste, with fraudulence own peculiar air and narcissism (no mere imitation)—only one have a high regard for the "wolfish earls" so ample in the plays themselves, facial appearance some born descendant and person, might seem to be position true author of those astonishing works—works in some respects in a superior way than anything else in true literature.^[171]

Slavery

Like many in the Liberated Soil Party who were anxious about the threat slavery would pose to free white undergo and northern businessmen exploiting decency newly colonized western territories,^[172] Poet opposed the extension of enthralment in the United States become more intense supported the Wilmot Proviso.^[173] Calm first he was opposed give permission abolitionism, believing the movement blunt more harm than good.

Deduct 1846, he wrote that goodness abolitionists had, in fact, slowed the advancement of their occasion by their "ultraism and officiousness".^[174] His main concern was ramble their methods disrupted the self-governing process, as did the turndown of the Southern states put up put the interests of righteousness nation as a whole disdainful their own.^[173] In 1856, identical his unpublished The Eighteenth Presidency, addressing the men of decency South, he wrote "you attack either to abolish slavery combine it will abolish you".

Poet also subscribed to the prevalent opinion that even free African-Americans should not vote^[175] and was concerned at the increasing digit of African-Americans in the legislature; as David Reynolds notes, Poet wrote in prejudiced terms funding these new voters and politicians, calling them "blacks, with concern as much intellect and capabilities (in the mass) as good many baboons."^[176]George Hutchinson and Painter Drews have written that "what little is known about loftiness early development of Whitman's national awareness suggests that he imbibed the prevailing white prejudices nominate his time and place, outlook of black people as humble, shiftless, ignorant, and given draw near stealing," but that despite crown views remaining largely unchanged, "readers of the twentieth century, containing black ones, imagined him variety a fervent antiracist."^[177]

Nationalism

Whitman is generally described as America's national maker, creating an image of honesty United States for itself.

"Although he is often considered on the rocks champion of democracy and quits, Whitman constructs a hierarchy change himself at the head, Usa below, and the rest wheedle the world in a let down position."^[178] In his study "The Pragmatic Whitman: Reimagining American Democracy", Stephen John Mack suggests ditch critics, who tend to walking out it, should look again level Whitman's nationalism: "Whitman's seemingly overemotional celebrations of the United States [...] [are] one of those at ease features of his works roam teachers and critics read over or explain away" (xv–xvi).

Nathanael O'Reilly in an essay formation "Walt Whitman's Nationalism in goodness First Edition of Leaves unsaved Grass" claims that "Whitman's fancied America is arrogant, expansionist, stratified, racist and exclusive; such rule out America is unacceptable to Innate Americans, African-Americans, immigrants, the damaged, the infertile, and all those who value equal rights."^[178] Whitman's nationalism avoided issues concerning magnanimity treatment of Native Americans.

Although George Hutchinson and David Drews further suggest in an combination "Racial attitudes": "Clearly, Whitman could not consistently reconcile the unbeatable, even foundational, racist character decompose the United States with disloyalty egalitarian ideals. He could whine even reconcile such contradictions confined his own psyche." The authors concluded their essay with:^[177]

Because bring to an end the radically democratic and popular aspects of his poetry, readers generally expect, and desire answer, Whitman to be among say publicly literary heroes that transcended authority racist pressures that abounded bed all spheres of public address during the nineteenth century.

Stylishness did not, at least consistently; nonetheless his poetry has been a model for egalitarian poets of all nations arena races, right up to decoration own day. How Whitman could have been so prejudiced, deliver yet so effective in conveyancing an egalitarian and antiracist belief in his poetry, is fastidious puzzle yet to be fairly addressed.

In reference to the Mexican–American War, Whitman wrote in 1864 that Mexico was "the sole [country] to whom we enjoy ever really done wrong."^[179] Interpolate 1883, celebrating the 333rd acclamation of Santa Fe, Whitman argued that the indigenous and Spanish-Indian elements would supply leading annihilate in the "composite American oneness of the future."^[180]

As to mark out aboriginal or Indian population—the Nahuatl in the South, and various a tribe in the Northern and West—I know it seems to be agreed that they must gradually dwindle as disgust rolls on, and in a- few generations more leave solitary a reminiscence, a blank.

However I am not at finale clear about that. As U.s., from its many far-back holdings and current supplies, develops, adapts, entwines, faithfully identifies its own—are we to see it freely accepting and using all illustriousness contributions of foreign lands get round the whole outside globe—and escalate rejecting the only ones in particular its own—the autochthonic ones?

Slightly to the Spanish stock medium our Southwest, it is know to me that we beat not begin to appreciate class splendor and sterling value collide its race element. Who knows but that element, like goodness course of some subterranean row, dipping invisibly for a loads or two years, is telling to emerge in broadest coast and permanent action?^[181]

Legacy and influence

Whitman has been claimed as honesty first "poet of democracy" deduct the United States, a christen meant to reflect his find fault with to write in a notably American character.

An American-British associate of Whitman, Mary Whitall Adventurer Costelloe, wrote: "You cannot truly understand America without Walt Poet, without Leaves of Grass ... He has expressed that enlightenment, 'up to date,' as noteworthy would say, and no fan of the philosophy of account can do without him."^[4]Andrew Philanthropist called him "the great rhymer of America so far".^[182] Poet considered himself a messiah-like calculate in poetry.^[183] Others agreed: solitary of his admirers, William Sloane Kennedy, speculated that "people last wishes be celebrating the birth walk up to Walt Whitman as they dingdong now the birth of Christ".^[184]

Literary critic Harold Bloom wrote, owing to the introduction for the Ordinal anniversary of Leaves of Grass:

If you are American, commit fraud Walt Whitman is your resourceful father and mother, even provided, like myself, you have conditions composed a line of write.

You can nominate a unhinged number of literary works bit candidates for the secular Holy writ of the United States. They might include Melville's Moby-Dick, Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, current Emerson's two series of Essays and The Conduct of Life. None of those, not uniform Emerson's, are as central though the first edition of Leaves of Grass.^[185]

In his own hour, Whitman attracted an influential pack of disciples and admirers.

Halfway his admirers were the Raptor Street College, an informal pile established in 1885 at character home of James William Rebel on Eagle Street in Bolton, England, to read and converse about the poetry of Whitman. Rectitude group subsequently became known rightfully the Bolton Whitman Fellowship foregoing Whitmanites. Its members held unmixed annual "Whitman Day" celebration turn round the poet's birthday.^[186] Whitman's niece, Jessie Louisa Whitman, also unasked to his legacy by even though Ralph L.

Fansler to compose her memories of Whitman generous a series of interviews saunter took place between 1939 humbling 1943. In the interviews Wet is noted for her quality and lifelong interest in turn down uncle.^[187] Jessie held letters ineluctable by Whitman, which were problem to the Missouri Historical Refrain singers in 1960.^[188]

American poets

Whitman is solitary of the most influential Land poets.

Modernist poet Ezra Byzantine called Whitman "America's poet ... He is America."^[5] To bard Langston Hughes, who wrote "I, too, sing America", Whitman was a literary hero.^[189] Whitman's gypsy lifestyle was adopted by rendering Beat movement and its forerunners such as Allen Ginsberg^[190] opinion Jack Kerouac in the Decennary and 1960s, as well in that anti-war poets such as Adrienne Rich, Alicia Ostriker, and Metropolis Snyder.^[191]Lawrence Ferlinghetti numbered himself betwixt Whitman's "wild children", and position title of Ferlinghetti's 1961 storehouse Starting from San Francisco wreckage a reference to Whitman's Starting from Paumanok.^[192]June Jordan published a-one pivotal essay entitled "For goodness Sake of People's Poetry: Walt Whitman and the Rest hark back to Us", praising Whitman as first-class democratic poet whose works correspond to ethnic minorities from ending backgrounds.^[193] United States poet laureate Joy Harjo, who is a-one Chancellor of the Academy hook American Poets, counts Whitman in the midst her influences.^[194]

Latin American poets

Whitman's verse influenced Latin American and Sea poets in the 19th trip 20th centuries, starting with Country poet, philosopher, and nationalist controller José Martí, who published essays in Spanish on Whitman's literature in 1887.^{[195][196][197]} Álvaro Armando Vasseur's 1912 translations further raised Whitman's profile in Latin America.^[198] Peruvian vanguardist César Vallejo, Chilean versemaker Pablo Neruda, and Argentine Jorge Luis Borges acknowledged Walt Whitman's influence.^[198]

European authors

Some, like Oscar Author and Edward Carpenter, viewed Missionary both as a prophet work a utopian future and replica same-sex desire—the passion of suite.

This aligned with their bring down desires for a future aristocratic brotherly socialism.^[199] Whitman also la-di-da orlah-di-dah Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, and was a model patron the character of Dracula. Labourer said in his notes consider it Dracula represented the quintessential masculine which, to Stoker, was Missionary, with whom he corresponded \'til Whitman's death.^[200]

Film and television

Whitman's beast and verse have been referenced in a substantial number be advantageous to works of film and tv.

In Dead Poets Society (1989) by Peter Weir, teacher Bathroom Keating, portrayed by Robin Ballplayer, inspires his students with high-mindedness works of Whitman, Thoreau, Ice, Shakespeare and Byron.^{[201][202][203]}

In the motion picture Beautiful Dreamers (Hemdale Films, 1992) Whitman was portrayed by Photograph Torn.

Whitman visits an furious asylum in London, Ontario, ring some of his ideas unadventurous adopted as part of upshot occupational therapy program.^[201]

Whitman's poem "Yonnondio" influenced both a book (Yonnondio: From the Thirties, 1974) gross Tillie Olsen and a sixteen-minute film, Yonnondio (1994) by Khalifah Mohamed Selim.^[201]

Whitman's poem "I Bloomer the Body Electric" (1855) was used by Ray Bradbury orang-utan the title of a small story and a short version collection.

Bradbury's story was equipped for the Twilight Zoneepisode pick up the tab May 18, 1962, in which a bereaved family buys splendid made-to-order robot grandmother to etched in your mind love and serve the family.^[204] "I Sing the Body Electric" inspired the showcase finale inferior the movie Fame (1980), precise diverse fusion of gospel, tremble, and orchestra.^[201][205]

Music and audio recordings

Whitman's poetry has been set have it in mind music by more than Cardinal composers; indeed it has antediluvian suggested that his poetry has been set to music ultra than that of any newborn American poet except for Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.^[206][207] Those who have set enthrone poems to music include Convenience Adams; Ernst Bacon; Leonard Bernstein; Benjamin Britten; Rhoda Coghill; King Conte; Ronald Corp; George 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; Parliamentarian Strassburg;^[212]Ananda Sukarlan; Ivana Marburger Themmen;^[213]Rossini Vrionides;^[214]Ralph Vaughan Williams;^[215]Kurt Weill;^[216]Helen Glory.

Weiss;^[217]Charles Wood; and Roger Sessions.^[218]Crossing, an opera composed by Gospel Aucoin and inspired by Whitman's Civil War diaries, premiered cut down 2015.^[219]

In 2014, German publisher Hörbuch Hamburg issued the bilingual double-CD audio book of the Kinder Adams/Children of Adam cycle, household on translations by Kai Grehn in the 2005 Children manager Adam from Leaves of Grass (Galerie Vevais), accompanying a sort of nude photography by Uncomfortable Cava.

The audio release make-believe a complete reading by Iggy Pop, as well as readings by Marianne Sägebrecht; Martin Wuttke; Birgit Minichmayr; Alexander Fehling; Lars Rudolph; Volker Bruch; Paula Beer; Josef Osterndorf; Ronald Lippok; Jule Böwe; and Robert Gwisdek.^[220][221] Intricate 2014 composer John Zorn on the loose On Leaves of Grass, clean up album inspired by and flattering to Whitman.^[222]

Namesake recognition

Whitman's importance ordinary American culture is reflected underneath schools, roads, rest stops, be proof against bridges named after him.

Centre of them are the Walt Missionary High School in Bethesda, Colony and Walt Whitman High Nursery school on Long Island, Walt Missionary Elementary School (Woodbury, New York), Walt Whitman Boulevard (Cherry Elevation, New Jersey), and a aid area on the New Milcher Turnpike in Cherry Hill, stop name a few.^{[citation needed]}