Walt Whitman’s legacy is one of the sources that gave impetus to developing artistic literacy in American poetry. His innovative style opened up the possibilities of the poetic word in English. However, the national identity itself constructed in his poems seems no less valuable. His imagery and poetic worldview are probably why his heritage looks so important to all American cultures (Ahamed, 2021). For clear examples of the poet’s relations with their homeland, one should consider the poem “I Hear America Singing.” It is evident from the poem that his poetic virtues find their inspiration and nourishment on American soil.
Whitman values human labor in close connection with the environment as an American national value. In this seminal poem, Whitman perceives the native land at a deep level of human unity with nature and, at the same time, mastering it, working within the spirit. “I hear America singing” depicts a land of harmony and boundless self-realization, and these settings form the memorable song-like narrative of this poem, organizing its plot.
The composition and structure are centered around stereotypical representatives of the American people, the workforce. The poet hears the voices of Americans singing, and their songs are individual and, at the same time, consonant with their vocation and craft: “The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck” (Whitman, 1860). The poet does not give detailed artistic coloring for each song, but the reader can draw a few clues from this. First, it can be one single song of pride and celebration of labor, sung by each separately and together. Second, it can be concluded that these “songs” are the sounds of human production.
In addition to feeling a deep connection between man and nature, Walt Whitman could not help but feel the delight of the industrial revolution taking place before his eyes. The continuous and constant employment of a person with work and devotion to his vocation could be interpreted by him as a song in itself. The song is a manifestation of harmony, and in the noise of life around the world, Whitman hears the most accurate music. Finally, it is noteworthy that the song sung by the women in the poem is somewhat different. Whitman emphasizes the lines about women’s labor in italics as if implying the delicacy with which they should be voiced: “The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing” (Whitman, 1860).
The development of an unknown land, the realization of it as one’s own, and its cultivation lie at the heart of the American spirit, which is expressed through the symbolism of the song in Whitman’s poem. Each line of the poem shows a different facet of American life, touching day and night and showing time’s cyclical flow. Whitman creates a triumphant sense of utopia, where everyone is in complete self-sufficiency since their song belongs only to themselves. In this way, Whitman creates an idealized image of a working America, as strong and energetic as it is joyous.
Each of the poem’s heroes sings what belongs to him. Therefore, Whitman’s ideal is that everyone finds joy in their place. The imagery of the poem is highly idealized, but it demonstrates the bright and progressive aspirations of the poet, full of faith in the present and future of his country.
Harmony in the songs of the poem heroes implies the existence of harmony between them in society. The accord creates the feeling of working together for the good of society, but it also gives the reader the feel of a single and choral harmonious song of triumph. Thus, the land under development in the context of the takeoff of progress sets the theme and intonation of this extremely optimistic poem. The setting is a hardworking, romantic country, which determines the joyful and sublime mood of the poem. These elements dictate the narrative, expressed in one sentence, solemnly lasting like an actual song.
Reference
Ahamed, M. F. (2021). Poems of Whitman: A complete reflection of American consciousness. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 12(12), pp. 3929-2935.
Whitman, W. (1860). I hear America Singing. Web.