Mbagwu 1

Chima Mbagwu

Dr. deGravelles

English IV: Special Topics Seminar

23 October 2017

Keeping the Body in Mind

Whitman is a pivotal figure in the history of American poetry. As a foremost author in

the movement of poetry of the body, his tenets were often graciously adopted by his admirers.

Whitman expressed his transcendental belief in human divinity in his writing, which translated

into a message of complete body positivity. But what if Whitman could not fully appreciate this

value as he approached death? In connecting his expectations of old age with his own situation,

Whitman slightly reeled and refined in his interpretation of the internal human light in his later

works. This development may suggest a changed Whitman, possibly wiser and more experienced

in his old age. It begs the question: how did Whitmans age affect his work? Whitmans first

hand grapples with his physical health appear to parallel the age old adage art imitates life. In

Whitmans mind, he did not write poetry--he simply wrote. The influence of Whitmans feeble

health manifests in his work through a dramatic tone shift, where Whitmans voice as a writer

becomes less urgent and sporadic and more relaxed. In his self-appointed position as a prophet, it

was necessary for Whitman to complete his coming of age. All the while, Whitman remained

reflective; a spry young Whitman evolved into a ripened sage. Along with the subdued persona,

Whitmans writing also diminished in its radicalism, where his work drew substantial power and

inspired many.

The first edition of Leaves of Grass is arguably Whitmans most famous collection of

poetry, and it doubles as his first major self-publication. Due to the considerable focus placed on
 Mbagwu 2

Leaves, it would appear that his early work was more groundbreaking than his later work.

In Leaves of Grass, Whitman exalts the body in all of its glory. He is fascinated by this

exceptional masterpiece, describing its intricacies in explicit detail. On the surface he was

intrigued by the physical movements of the body, but he adored the metaphorical possibilities

that the body offered (Killingsworth). While celebrating humanity, Whitman was simultaneously

able to reflect on the shared human condition (Killingsworth). Killingworth writes of Whitmans

use of the body, body-consciousness seemed to propel the poet beyond anything as simple as

interest in the physiological processes of the body in health. One metaphor that Whitman is

able to convey with is human understanding. All humans can relate to having a human body--this

seat of sexual pleasure and shelter of sympathetic emotions (Killingsworth). Whitman adored

the physical body, for one, because of its significance to an individuals mental and social

prosperity. This relationship drove Whitmans messages of body positivity because a positive

view of oneself would reflect outward into a positive of others, which is the brotherhood that

Whitman loved and strived to build. Killingsworth claims that building the collective

consciousness that Whitman desired ultimately depends upon care for and respect of the

physical existence of every individual. In this way, Whitman used his work to connect the

hearts of Americans by appealing to a common, yet excitingly unique, experience in the human

body.

These messages are exemplified in I Sing the Body Electric. Whitman eloquently

praises the physical human body and does not shy away from glamorizing it sexually. He

carefully considers each and every body part, as he lists them from the jaw hinges to the

bowels sweet and clean (Section 9). This Whitman wanted people to be comfortable with their

own bodies, which would inspire them to be more comfortable with their surroundings and other
 Mbagwu 3

people. While listing body parts, he lists our shared characteristics and values (Erkilla). In the

Leaves of Grass poem, Whitman also proclaims, I believe the likes of you are to stand or fall

with the likes of the soul, (and that they are the soul,) I believe the likes of you shall stand or fall

with my poems, and that they are my poems (Section 9, Lines 2-3). These lines directly address

the connection between Whitmans view of the body and his poetry. Whitman knew the power of

his words in illustrating the beauty of the human body, which contributed to his unique use of

language. Describing Whitman as masterful, Ed Folsom admires, His body inhales the world,

ingests it; he devours reality with eyes and ears and nose and tongue, and always in a way in

which all that passes through him is elevated, enhanced, intensified. Whitmans celebration of

the human body coincided with a great love and appreciation for all that surrounded him. His

work invokes a music within the reader, spontaneous and sporadic, where Whitman revels in

both in and out-of-body experiences. The music in Whitmans work moved to the natural rhythm

of the body, the meters of sex and desire (Erkilla). Being comfortable in his own skin allowed

Whitman to properly ingest and interpret his surroundings, and he liked what he saw

In Song of Myself, there is a aura of self-confidence in this youth-filled Whitman. In

this signature poem, he boasts, I am large and contain multitudes (Section 51, Line 8).

Whitman gleefully wallows in the intricate mosaic of his own bodily features, but only after he

has informed his reader that every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you (Whitman).

Whitman wanted to connect with each individual through his early work, so as he sings

himself, he is also singing humanity. He remains playful in Song of Myself as he

experiments with his diction in lines like, I fly the flight of the fluid and swallowing soul

(Whitman). This same upbeat Whitman also confesses, I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect

health begin, Hoping to cease not till death (Section 1, Lines 8-9). The use of the word hope
 Mbagwu 4

offers a brief glimpse into Whitmans vulnerability by expressing the uncertainty surrounding the

future of his perfect health, which would all but fade away. While Whitman ultimately use the

body to connect, he also recognized the bodys function as a center of diversity, which he would

come to know with age (Folsom). He supported the idea that society alone should not shape

thoughts because every mind is inherently unique, which makes each special. Whitman believed

that self-reliance and confidence in ones body leads to an increased durability to internal and

external pressures that affect independent decision-making. When Whitmans physical durability

lessened, his work was affected.

As Whitman aged, so did the society around him. Whitman is commonly remembered for

creating work that superseded his time; he recognized that his ideas may not be accepted right

away. On the other hand, with his more contemporary work, he was able to integrate his own

ideas with the beliefs of the time once again through the use of body metaphors. He successfully

does so in his Manly Health and Training series, as he is able to incorporate an expansive

range of topics while remaining primarily focused on the body , which Turpin describes

includes: not only diet and exercise, but also physical beauty, manly comradeship, sex and

reproduction, socialization, race, eugenics, war, climate, longevity, bathing, prizefighting,

gymnastics, baseball, footwear, facial hair, depression, alcohol, and prostitution. In his analysis,

Turpin uses this series to fill a hole in Whitmans biographical information, examining where his

perfect health first began to dip. Beginning in 1858, Whitman experienced a series of strokes,

struggles with depression, and an identity crisis as he questioned his position as a writer. These

external forces may changed the way Whitman viewed himself and outlook on the world, which

would have affected his work.

 Mbagwu 5

Robert Creeley cites the vivid description of an onlooker at the celebration of Whitmans

70th birthday as Whitman arrived for the festivities:

Whitman himself was not present when the crowd gathered at 5 P.M. [May 31, 1889] .

After dinner was cleared away, the air buzzed with anticipation of the poets arrival. Soon

a policeman cried, Hes coming! The hall fell silent and all eyes were riveted on the

entrance door.

Doubtless, many hearts sank at his pitiful condition. His large, once robust frame

was now slumped in a wheelchair pushed by a male nurse. He had famously boasted in a

poem of his perfect health, but a series of strokeswhacks, he called themhad partly

paralyzed him, while digestive and excretive disorders gave him what he described as a

soggy, wet, sticky feeling as of tar oozing over him.

This powerful scene showcases a transition in the way Whitman held himself. Having been

afflicted with whacks and digestive disorders, Whitman is described as physically slumped.

For the majority of Whitmans literary career, the body had existed as the foremost source of

sympathy that allowed Whitman to connect with his readers directly (Lee). In his old age, it is

the sensation that Whitman struggles to relay, which leaves him spiritually slumped, as shown in

his poetry (Lee).

Despite these illnesses, Whitman still romanticizes old age in the poem Halcyon Days.

In this poem, death is symbolized As gorgeous, vapory, silent hues cover the evening sky

(Killingsworth). Instances such as this were not uncommon in Whitmans late work. Stauffer

writes, it would seem that his depiction of a serene and untroubled old age facing the sunset

years with equanimity is not based upon his own experience but is merely a literary or artistic

conception. Possibly for the sake of maintaining the positive tone of his younger self or maybe
 Mbagwu 6

to deceive himself, Whitman contradicts himself (either way). In these instances, Whitman finds

himself caught between remaining honest and maintaining his optimistic position of the human

body. Nonetheless, his work collectively experienced a transformation.

In Whitmans old age, [his writings] innovative style and their radi- cal and coincident

visions of sexuality and democracy, for example- disappear entirely, describes Benjamin Lee.

At first glance, compared to I Sing the Body Electric, the poem As I Sit Writing Here--

written within the last five years of Whitmans life--is significantly shorter. In its brevity, it lacks

the details and diction that were associated with Whitmans engaging poetry of the past (Lee). In

these aspects, critics argue that Whitmans poetry faded with age. Where I Sing the Body

Electric is light with punctuation that encourages the reader to read quickly, As I Sit is

punctuated heavily, so the the reader feels the difficulty and pain garnered with each of

Whitmans pen strokes (Lee). Compared to the lively work of a younger Whitman, his late work

seems to have subdued with his body physique that no longer glows. The low word counts and

increasingly censored messages suggest a passive Whitman, whose work is not filled with the

same vigor that fueled his extensive early works, which mirrors the deterioration of his physical

image.

Lee among other literary analysts observe of Whitmans late poetry: detailed depictions

of American bodies and lives [are replaced] with political idealizations and abstract meditations

on death or the past. As he aged, critics point out that Whitman wrote less poetry and more

prose, which meant eliminating many of the qualities that had made his early poems so fresh and

exciting (Killingsworth). This suggests that in his own age, Whitman saw his own naivety in his

youth and did not want to be solely remembered by it. In Specimen Days and Collect (1882),

Whitman confesses about his early short stories, My serious with were to have all those crude
 Mbagwu 7

and boyish pieces quietly droppd in oblivion (Turpin). Whitman became concerned with his

legacy and in his later work sought to cement it in what Turpin describes as Whitmans transition

in persona: from journalist to bard. As he experimented with new writing voices, styles, and

topics, Whitman was not only confined by the restraints of his body, but of his legacy as well

(Turpin).

As a champion of poetry of the body, Whitman knew the persona he had to maintain in

his writing to fulfill his legacy after his death. The physical developments of his old age made

this difficult, and while there was an utmost respect, there was a diminished reverence. His early

works were songs of humanity and his perfect health fueled his transcendental belief in the

divinity of humanity. Killingsworth observed in Whitman: The merge of sexuality and politics

in Leaves of Grass resulted from the poet's recognition of erotic energy as a powerful force in

shaping individuals and societies However, Whitmans Horror of Disappearance contributed

to a larger focus on legacy (Turpin). The legend that Whitman wanted to create of himself

required a separation of his physical self from his work, despite the fact that he was included in

the audience of his work--everyone. This is why when Whitman revised, he most likely

attempted to maintain the mindset he had when he first wrote Leaves rather than allow the

individual piece to change with his physical self. Still, Whitman was committed to honesty and

thus, instances appear where his reality intersects with fantasy.

 Mbagwu 8

Works Cited

Erkkila, Betsy. "Killingsworth, M. Jimmie. Whitman's Poetry of the Body [review]." Walt

Whitman Quarterly Review 7 (Spring 1990), 194-197.

Folsom, Ed. "Hass, Robert, ed., Walt Whitman, Song of Myself and Other Poems, and C. K.

Williams, On Whitman [review]." Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 28 (2010), 65-68.

Creeley, Robert. "Reflections on Whitman in Age." VQR, www.vqronline.org/essay/reflections-

whitman-age.

Lee, Benjamin. "Whitman's Aging Body." Walt Whitman Quarterly Review 17 (Summer 1999),

38-45.

Stauffer, Donald Barlow. "Age and Aging." Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, edited by Donald

D. Kummings and J.R. LeMaster, New York, Garland Publishing, 1998.

Turpin, Zachary. "Introduction to Walt Whitman's "Manly Health and Training"." Walt Whitman

Quarterly Review 33 (2016), 147-183.

Whitman, Walt. I Sing the Body Electric. Leaves of Grass First and "Death-Bed" Editions,

New York, Barnes & Noble Classics, 2004, pp. 254-63.

Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself. 1892 "Deathbed" Edition. Gleeditions, 17 Sept. 2011,

www.gleeditions.com/songofmyself/students/pages.asp?lid=313&pg=9. Originally

published in Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman, D. McKay, 1891-92, pp. 25-86.