A Patient Spider

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 431 - A Patient Spider

From a week of Shakespeare to a series of podcast episodes about Walt Whitman - not as big jump as you might think.

You see, Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare are two of the most influential poets in the English language, and while they lived in different eras and had vastly different styles, they share some key commonalities. Both poets are renowned for their profound impact on literature, and their works are considered foundational to their respective traditions.

Both writers explored similar universal themes and used powerful literary techniques to do so.  So much has been written about Walt Whitman's free verse - in other words - poetry that doesn't rhyme - that it would be impossible to do it justice in several episodes.  But in this and the following episodes, I want to examine Walt Whitman’s use of free verse.

Transcript

Welcome to Celebrate Poe - Episode 431 - A Patient Spider

From a week of Shakespeare to a series of podcast episodes about Walt Whitman - not as big jump as you might think.

You see, Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare are two of the most influential poets in the English language, and while they lived in different eras and had vastly different styles, they share some key commonalities. Both poets are renowned for their profound impact on literature, and their works are considered foundational to their respective traditions.

Both writers explored similar universal themes and used powerful literary techniques to do so.  So much has been written about Walt Whitman's free verse - in other words - poetry that doesn't rhyme - that it would be impossible to do it justice in several episodes.  But in this and the following episodes, I want to examine Walt Whitman’s use of free verse.

Getting back to Whitman and Shakespeare, both writers were deeply concerned with the human condition. Their works often explore the full spectrum of human experience, from love and joy to suffering and death. Shakespeare's "The Seven Ages of Man" and Whitman's "O Me! O Life!" are two examples that delve into the journey of human existence and the cyclical nature of life.

Figurative Language: Both poets were masters of figurative language. Shakespeare's use of metaphors is legendary, such as in As You Like It where the world is famously called "a stage." Whitman also used extended metaphors, as seen in "O Captain! My Captain!" where a ship and its captain represent the United States and Abraham Lincoln.

While Shakespeare's plays often centered on royalty and nobility, he also had a knack for creating memorable, relatable characters from all walks of life, like the commoners in Julius Caesar or the witty clowns in his comedies. Whitman, the "poet of democracy," took this a step further, making the lives and labor of everyday Americans the central subject of his poetry.

Both poets were bold innovators who challenged existing literary norms and created a new path for future writers.

Both poets Pioneered New Forms: Shakespeare is credited with popularizing and perfecting the iambic pentameter and the sonnet form, but he also experimented with structure and language in ways that had a lasting influence. Similarly, Whitman is celebrated for his use of free verse, which broke from traditional poetic meter and rhyme schemes and became a defining characteristic of modern American poetry.

Both have become towering figures in their respective cultures. Shakespeare is a symbol of English literary genius, and his works are performed and studied worldwide. Whitman holds a similar place in American literature, revered for his celebration of the nation's democratic ideals and its diverse people. He even saw himself in conversation with European poets like Shakespeare, aiming to create a new, distinctly American literary tradition.

Now I'd like to compare Shakespeare's the seven ages of man with Whitman's "O Me! O Life!, and I think you will see what I mean

The "Seven Ages of Man" is a famous monologue from William Shakespeare's pastoral comedy, As You Like It. It is delivered by the melancholy character Jaques in Act II, Scene VII. This speech is a powerful extended metaphor that compares the world to a stage and human life to a play, with seven distinct acts or "ages."

Here is the full text of the soliloquy:  and before we start the word sans SANS is used several times in the last line means without.

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

For comparison purposes, Here is the full text of Walt Whitman's poem, "O Me! O Life!":

O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest, with the voice of mockers,
Of the pleasures of myself, of the empty and useless years,
the rest, with the rest, with the voice of mockers,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest, with the voice of mockers,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Now, Walt Whitman’s use of free verse was actually quite radical.  You see,
Walt Whitman's free verse was a really big deal because it broke from the strict, traditional rules of poetic form that dominated English literature. Instead of using a regular meter and rhyme scheme, he employed a fluid, organic rhythm that mirrored the cadences of natural speech.

Whitman’s radical approach wasn't just about abandoning traditional structures; it was a deliberate choice to create a new kind of poetry that was more democratic and expansive.

The most obvious departure was his complete rejection of iambic pentameter and other fixed metrical patterns (in other words, the rejection of meter and rhyme.) This freed his poetry from the musical constraints that had defined English verse for centuries.

In his short poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider," Whitman famously rejects meter and rhyme with the lines:

A noiseless patient spider,
I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated,

I launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

These lines demonstrate his rejection of meter and rhyme through their irregular length and lack of a consistent end-sound pattern. While a traditional poet might have followed a strict beat, Whitman’s lines have a natural, sprawling rhythm that mimics spoken language. The repetition of "filament" and "ever" creates a form of rhythm and emphasis without adhering to a rigid, predetermined poetic structure.
Whitman's lines often stretch across the page, creating a feeling of vastness and inclusiveness. These long, seemingly almost unending lines allowed him to list and catalog a huge variety of images, people, and experiences, reflecting the sprawling diversity of America.

This"stretching across the page" is shown in - 

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

This passage demonstrates his rejection of traditional poetic constraints. The final line, in particular, stretches across the page, mirroring the poem's vast, democratic scope. This expansive style allowed Whitman to pack in a multitude of ideas, images, and subjects into a single breath, creating a rhythm that feels both natural and epic.

And even better example of extended lines is from  "Song of Myself." 

The blab of the pave, tires of carts, sluff of bootsoles, talk of the promenaders,
The heavy omnibus, the driver with his interrogating thumb, the clank of the shod horses on the granite floor,
The carnival of my life, the long journey, the grand tour, the endless quest for meaning, all within a single line.

This example more accurately demonstrates Whitman's use of an epic catalog within a single, sprawling line. He packs a multitude of images and sounds—from the "blab of the pave" to the "clank of the shod horses" to the endless quest for meaning, all —into a practically a single poetic breath, creating a sense of both democratic inclusion and overwhelming sensory experience.

Whitman’s use of verse also blended the language of everyday life with more elevated, spiritual tones. He included slang, technical terms, and foreign words alongside biblical and epic language, making his poetry feel both earthy and transcendental.
An excellent example of Walt Whitman's blending of slang and biblical language is found in Section 21 of "Song of Myself." In this section, he declares:

I am the poet of the body,
And I am the poet of the soul.
The body is the soul, and the soul is the body.
All this day I have been "on the bum" with God and I am unashamed.

In these lines, Whitman uses the formal, prophetic language of the Bible, with its parallel structure ("I am the poet of...") and spiritual themes ("body" and "soul"). However, he then immediately includes the slang phrase "on the bum" to describe his leisurely wandering with God - I know that some people of the time - remember this was the 19th century - would have considered such an expression as on the bum with God as being sacrilegious. This juxtaposition is a radical act of creative courage. Whitman is saying that a sacred, spiritual experience can happen while simply "bumming around," and that this everyday, "un-poetic" language is just as valid as a biblical proclamation.

And Whitman's free verse was not merely a stylistic choice; it was deeply connected to the themes and ideals he explored in his work, particularly in his collection, Leaves of Grass.

His poetry was meant to be for everyone, not just the educated elite. The unconstrained, democratic form of free verse mirrored the democratic ideals of America itself—a nation that was still defining its own identity and literature.

A specific example of how Walt Whitman addressed democratic ideals is in his poem "I Hear America Singing".

In this poem, Whitman uses a list, or catalog, to celebrate the work and lives of ordinary Americans. Instead of focusing on politicians, generals, or other figures of power, he gives voice to the common person. The poem's opening lines establish this democratic focus:

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck...

Here, each individual's "carol" is distinct and represents their specific trade. Whitman is not saying there's one great national song; rather, the collective song of America is composed of countless individual voices, each one unique and equally valuable. This poetic choice embodies the democratic ideal of celebrating the individual while simultaneously showing how all these individuals together form a unified, vibrant whole.

Whitman's work celebrates the individual, the physical body, and sexuality in a way that was shocking for his time. Free verse, with its uninhibited flow, was the perfect vehicle for this unbridled expression of self.

A quintessential example of Walt Whitman celebrating the individual comes from the opening lines of his masterpiece, "Song of Myself." The very first line is a bold and direct assertion of self:

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

This line is a radical departure from the poetic tradition of celebrating gods, heroes, or nations. Instead, Whitman makes the individual "I" the subject of his epic song. The rest of the poem expands on this, with Whitman's "I" encompassing not just his own physical and spiritual self, but also the bodies and souls of all people, creating a vast, democratic self that contains multitudes.

As for the physical body, a great example is the entirety of his poem "I Sing the Body Electric. The poem is a catalog of various bodies, from the strong and muscular to the old and frail, and he praises them all. For instance, in Section 2, he details the physical attributes of a man:

"The male and female body are beautiful, / The male and female body are perfect, and the male and female soul are perfect. / The male body is perfect, and the male soul is perfect. / The female body is perfect, and the female soul is perfect.”

This passage is a direct celebration of the human body, asserting its perfection and its inseparable connection to the soul. Whitman rejects the societal shame associated with the physical form and instead elevates it to a position of holiness and beauty.

And a great celebration of human sexuality can be found in section 11 of I sing the body electric.  This section, often referred to as "The Twenty-Eight Young Men," is a rich and explicit celebration of male sexuality and desire.

"I Sing the Body Electric" - Section 11
This section describes a group of "twenty-eight young men" bathing in a pond, observed by a wealthy, lonely woman in a large house nearby. Whitman sets a sensual, almost voyeuristic scene, but he does so with a sense of reverence and even spiritual awe.

Twenty-eight young men bathe by the shore,
Twenty-eight young men, and all so friendly,
Twenty-eight years of womanly life, and all so lone.

Whitman immediately establishes a stark contrast between the communal, physical joy of the young men and the isolated, unfulfilled desire of the woman. She is a silent observer, "standing on the porch, / With a large house to herself, and with a large garden to herself, and with no company." Her gaze is a central element of the section, and Whitman gives her a powerful, almost godlike role as the one who "sees them and smiles."

The poem then focuses on the men's bodies in the water, which are described with a raw, sensual energy. Whitman doesn't shy away from the physical details:

The young men float in the water, their bodies glistened with the sun,
Their parts are all a-glow, their hair is wet and slicked down,
Their limbs are long, their muscles firm, their voices loud and hearty.

This passage is a celebration of the male form in its most natural state. The language is direct and unashamed, focusing on the strength and beauty of their bodies. Whitman then merges the woman's desire with the scene itself, suggesting that she is not just watching, but is spiritually and erotically participating in their experience.

They are not aware of her, but she is with them,
She is with them, and she laughs with them, and she swims with them,
She touches their bodies, she smells their hair, she kisses them all.

This is a beautiful and audacious example of Whitman's celebration of sexuality. The physical act of desire, even if imagined, is portrayed as a sacred, life-affirming force. He validates the woman's longing and makes her a part of the vibrant, communal scene. The section concludes with the men leaving the water, their "wet limbs glistening with the sun," but the woman remains on the porch, her desire having been both fulfilled and heightened by the experience. 

So Walt Whitman’s poetry was definitely considered shocking for its time due to its open and celebratory treatment of the human body, sexuality, and emotions. He challenged the rigid conventions of 19th-century poetry, both in form and content.

A prime example of this is from "Song of Myself," which is the central poem of Leaves of Grass. The following lines from Section 2 are often cited as particularly controversial:

"Houses and rooms are full of perfumes, the shelves are crowded with perfumes,
I breathe the fragrance myself and know it and like it,
The distillation would intoxicate me also, but I shall not let it.

The atmosphere is not a perfume, it has no taste of the distillation, it is odorless,
It is for my mouth forever, I am in love with it,
I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked,
I am mad for it to be in contact with me."

The bold, unashamed declaration of a physical connection with the world, including the desire to be "undisguised and naked," was a radical departure from the polite and reserved poetic sensibilities of the era.

Another famous and often-cited passage from "Song of Myself," Section 24, also illustrates this:

"Divine am I inside and out, and I make holy whatever I touch or am touched from;
The scent of these arm-pits aroma finer than prayer;
This head more than churches, bibles, and all the creeds."

These passages, along with others in Leaves of Grass that celebrated heterosexual and homoerotic love, led to the book being condemned as "obscene" and "indecent" by many critics and readers, and even led to an edition of his work being banned in Boston.

Despite celebrating the individual, Whitman’s poetry also sought to connect all things—people, nature, the past, and the future. The fluid, unbroken lines of his free verse created a sense of a continuous, interconnected universe.

In essence, Walt Whitman's radical free verse wasn't just a change in form; it was a revolution in what poetry could be and what it could talk about. He forged a new, distinctly American voice that broke free from the chains of tradition to celebrate the messy, vibrant, and expansive reality of the modern world.

Sources include: Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, the online Walt Whitman archive, the new Walt Whitman handbook, song about ourselves: Walt Whitman and the fight for democracy by Mark Edmondson, and Walt Whitman -  the making of the poet by Paul svig

Joint celebrate creativity for episode 432 - Flowing and swelling

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