Even though two poems may seem almost identical, meanings can differ depending on the context they were written. Walt Whitman wrote “Songs of Myself” during the American Expansionism era. In 1852, the first edition of his poem was published. Whitman’s poem contains many verses describing such romantic ideas. He has made it a classic example similar to Henry David Thoreau. American literature has been influenced by literary styles such as realism. Allen Ginsberg’s 1952 poem “Howl” reflects many elements of “Songs of Myself” with its realism and repetition as well as simple language. It would appear that “Howl”, like “Songs of Myself”, is a secondary manifestation of the original. However, this is not true because “Howl’s” theme was not deeply rooted in romanticism. Instead, Allen Ginsberg’s poetry conveyed a lot urban angst. Whitman’s poems captured the true nature of things. The poems were similar in many ways, but they differed in that they each had their own distinct movements.
Shmoop and Washington State University’s literature department define realistic as literary techniques that show situations without all of the ideallism that is commonly portrayed in the real world. It is evident in Walt Whitman’s song “Songs of Myself” as well as Allen Ginsberg’s howl, but each poem has its own unique results. “Songs of Myself”, which is a celebration of the human experience’s uniqueness and ability to transcend into consciousness, celebrates this. Whitman used many new scenes to express his feelings, using stanzas as if they were a symbol of the rebirth and renewal of the human spirit. Whitman used realism to describe his scenes. In stanza fifteen, Whitman wrote, “The lunatic finally is taken to the asylum as a confirm’d patient.” While Whitman’s poem is meant to romanticize human spirit, Whitman’s addition of Whitman’s line about mentally ill patients being kept in asylums was a striking contrast. It is difficult to understand at first. However, Whitman’s realism is used to demonstrate that the human spirit doesn’t always work perfectly and that there is no perfect human soul. Whitman’s poem reflected this uncomfortable feeling of caution while he continued to write about the romantic elements of the American frontier. Allen Ginsberg’s Howl used realism everywhere, but it was not just caution. “Howl”, which was written during prosperity in post-war America, and the shadowy threat of Cold War. The counterculture was also influential in the creation of “Howl”. This poem depicted an image from an urban setting. Ginsberg says that the first part depicts anarchy, even though it is meant to portray a realistic image of modern society. It is scary because of his use of language and how he uses it to create fear. This implied that even those in financial success were not content and that others were poorer. Ginsberg illustrates through his use realistically that even cities have human characteristics that are very flawed. These cities were the hubs for human innovation. This made it possible to live in these cities. What happens if the human nature of modern cities is flawed? This society is better suited for people living in cities. And if society falls, what does that mean to those who are less fortunate? Both Whitman and Ginsberg made use of realistic writing to expose the flaws inherent in human nature. Both authors use realistic writing to bring attention and raise awareness that a certain future is possible sooner than we imagine. Whitman’s warning is more positive, but Ginsberg’s vision uses darker, more ominous words.
Both Whitman’s and Ginsberg’s works clearly used repetition or cadence, but their results were contrasting. Whitman’s Songs of Myself is a collection of songs that he frequently repeats to show his feelings. He writes in stanza 21: “Earth of liquid trees and slumbering!” Earth of the sun gone – earth on top of the misty mountains! Earth just tinged by blue from the vitreous stream of the full Moon! Earth of light and dark mottling from the river’s currents! Earth of the brighter gray of clouds, brighter and clearer to my sake! You can hear the repetitions of the words more clearly when you read the poem. Whitman’s poetry is a kind of humming song, with the lines being read aloud. Whitman’s cadence, repetition, and rhythm reflects his carefree approach to life. Ginsberg’s repetitions had a different meaning than Whitman’s song. Ginsberg’s cadence was not meant to promote a relaxed attitude. It highlighted the growing anger in his poems. Ginsberg’s third part is titled “Carl Solomon!” I’m with You in Rockland – Where you’re madder that I am. I’m in Rockland with you – where you must feel very weird Ginsberg repeated the phrase “I’m in Rockland” several times. Although it seems positive, the phrase actually refers to a name for a psychiatric institution. Ginsberg suddenly finds Ginsbergs phrase about Rockland very troubling. Perhaps the overwhelming pressures of urban living and modern society was too much. Overall, Whitman and Ginsberg use repetition and cadence differently depending on their contexts.
Both poems used common language to appeal to a large audience. However, the results for each poem were different. Whitman often writes his verses in very simple English. In stanza 20 he states simply, “What’s a man anyway?” What are you? What are you?” Most words are only four letters long and ask very basic questions. Whitman was asking questions that are easy to understand and answer. Not every line of Whitman’s poem has to be explained, but it does have a simple meaning. Whitman’s poems were able to reach wider audiences and allow more people to appreciate them. This was a reflection of Whitman’s themes about nature. Nature is pure and cannot be influenced by an authoritative figure. Whitman observes the natural world as it is in “Songs of Myself”, to gain a better understanding of it. Common language was also used to make it more accessible for readers and allow them to enjoy the poems. Whitman was not an eccentric, but he cared deeply for the people who read his poems. Ginsberg used common language in a number of violent and depressing ways. Ginsberg, for example, uses words such as “war, sobbing and death, and burn” on pages 9-3, 10-18, 13-14 lines 43, 14 lines 43, 14 lines 46, 14 lines 56, 14 lines 61. In this instance, the common language had an opposite effect. Instead of finding joy, readers were immediately connected to Ginsberg’s feelings of angst by the simple language. Simple language is more effective at bringing the author’s intent to the forefront. Given the contexts of the two poems, it was easier to see how Ginsberg used common language to shock readers than Whitman’s.
Despite their literary similarities, what really makes the poems stand out is the central theme. Both poems had similar styles, including repetition, cadence, cadence, and realism. However, the tone in each poem was different. Whitman wrote his poem during the American Expansionism era. The climate at that time was Romanticism. Whitman’s “Songs of Myself,” which depicts a frontiersman as a hero, shows a tendency towards this view. Ginsberg’s poetry, however, was filled with uncertainty and uneasiness. There were also many scenes that seemed to be unrelated. Ginsberg’s writings on “Howl” in this period clearly showed an urban trend in urban angst. Although the poems might seem very similar, both authors used different literary styles to achieve different results. The poems revealed two opposing movements beneath the surface. Whitman’s “Songs of Myself”, a collection of poems, was intended to create a romantic group of people who seek to discover the beauty of nature. Ginsberg’s “Howl” on the contrary was intended to warn about society’s failures and the urban angst which could result from its collapse.
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