You have to assume that the editors of the anthology gave us these particular excerpts of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl because they are some of the most important, either to the plot or to the style, themes, critical reception, etc. Yet, as I read, I did not find myself nearly as engaged as I had been in both Douglass' narrative and Stowe's novel. Granted, Jacobs' was the only one of the three I had read before, but I did not remember any of the story except that she hidden in an attic for a number of years. Still, the narrative style and the events of Jacobs' life are such that there isn't much action in the story, and particularly in the excerpts we see. Much of the action is her running away from conflict, or ruminating on her situation in her own mind. Her time in hiding or moving between houses in the North is not very interesting because the conflict is unchanging and usually distant. In comparison, the Douglass and Stowe readings contain a lot of in-scene action, violence, and emotion that make them good stories as well as interesting scholarly material. Stowe's novel has the additional advantage of multiple characters and perspectives that change location a lot to interest the reader.
My lack of engagement made me realize that simple entertainment value must have played a large role in the success or dismissal of many slave narratives. The editors tell us in Jacobs' description that she had trouble finding someone to publish her novel, and when she finally did, the outbreak of the Civil War "made it's message less pressing" so the novel did not garner notice until it was picked up by a scholar in 1980. The editors also describe the aspects of Jacobs' narrative that "differentiate the book from numerous slave narratives" produced before the Civil War. I could not help but feel the editors were trying to defend the importance of Jacobs' narrative and explain why it should be studied. While I do find her description of her time in the attic and in the North unique, they are slow portions of the novel that interest us as scholars but not necessarily readers. Even without the outbreak of the Civil War, I'm not sure Incidents would have become as popular as Uncle Tom's Cabin simply because it isn't as engaging to read.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Responses to Constrictions
At first glance, Harriet Jacobs and Fanny Fern don't seem to share much in common besides a love of writing and published work displaying the fruits of their individual abilities. Closer examination of their works, however, reveals that Jacobs and Fern hold something else in their grasp: an awareness of the unfairly reduced status of women in society. Though Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is, first and foremost, an abolitionist slave narrative, there's no denying the streak of lamentations raised in the name of feminine struggles present in the text. Indeed, Jacobs even states that "slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women," a declaration supported by her painfully detailed accounts of the torment she endured at the hands of slaveholders like Dr. Flint (933). It is likely because of this added burden that Jacobs so frequently invokes the idea of nonexistence as a more pleasant alternative to life as an enslaved woman.
Fanny Fern, on the other hand, employs bold humor to combat the strictures society places on her station. While it is no doubt commendable that Fern takes this stance / stand against her masculine overseers, both literal and abstract, it cannot be denied that her position as a white woman affords her the opportunity to respond in this manner. Her written fondness for Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" led me to wonder after how Harriet Jacobs (might have) reacted to this poem, with all of its transcendent talk of equality and interconnectedness. Would she have dismissed it as idealist babble, or would she have allowed herself to be swept away by Whitman's vision?
Fanny Fern, on the other hand, employs bold humor to combat the strictures society places on her station. While it is no doubt commendable that Fern takes this stance / stand against her masculine overseers, both literal and abstract, it cannot be denied that her position as a white woman affords her the opportunity to respond in this manner. Her written fondness for Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" led me to wonder after how Harriet Jacobs (might have) reacted to this poem, with all of its transcendent talk of equality and interconnectedness. Would she have dismissed it as idealist babble, or would she have allowed herself to be swept away by Whitman's vision?
On Excerpts and Endings in Uncle Tom's Cabin
After our discussion in class today, I kept thinking about the choices of the Norton editors in shortening this novel so significantly. Though I have never read the novel in its entirety, it is clear that quite a bit of the substance on racism and the horrors of slavery, especially those based on maternalism, were preserved.
The focus on Stowe's abolitionism very much came at the expense of the plot; I had a difficult time following the narrative when huge chunks were elided in favor of footnotes. I found Tom's character especially needed further explanation than I learned through the shortened version. In both instances in which slaves escape (Eliza and Henry, Cassy and Emeline), Tom stays behind to look out for the other slaves. In the instance of Eliza and Henry especially, because it was so early on in the story, I couldn't figure out why Tom decided to stay. It is irrational for two reasons — his self interest, which his lack thereof may be explained by his piousness, but also his interest in Eliza and Henry. Wouldn't they be more safe with the guidance of Tom? In instances such as this, I found myself wanting further explanation which I am sure the 600+ page book provided.
I also found the ending unsatisfying because it came in the form of a footnote. Wrapped up in just one sentence, it seemed like too happy of an ending, almost with the irony of "As You Like It". Though the Norton succeeded in expressing the novel's moral, I felt disappointed in missing so much of the narrative.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Women as Protectors in Uncle Tom's Cabin
One of the
most interesting aspects of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the portrayal and significance of women in a
primarily white male debate over the issue of slavery. Through Stowe’s
depiction of several strong-willed white women as saviors and protectors of African
American slaves, the author implies that women are capable of challenging men’s
political stance toward slavery and can play a significant role in dismantling the
institution of slavery or at least preventing the passage of stricter fugitive
laws.
Stowe
suggests that one of the reasons women oppose slavery and help slaves gain
freedom is because they recognize that the role of mothers to protect their
children and keep their families united is universal and transcends race. White
women can relate to slaves (particularly enslaved mothers) and are horrified by
what they frequently express in the novel as the cruelest aspect of slavery:
the dissolution of families and particularly the separation of mother and
child.
One part of
the novel in which Stowe clearly comments on women’s influence occurs in
Chapter IX when Mrs. Bird challenges her husband’s political stance and makes
him reevaluate the consequences of his political role. Mr. Bird first tries to
defend his support of stricter fugitive laws by suggesting that politics and
personal opinion are inherently separate and that strong public support for
slavery overshadows sympathy toward slaves and the brutal conditions they face.
Mrs. Bird, initially described as a “timid, blushing little woman” boldly
challenges her husband and makes him aware of his own hypocrisy by telling him,
“There’s a way you political folks have of coming round and round a plain right
thing and you don’t believe in it [slavery] yourselves, when it comes to
practice” (829, 830). Eliza quickly forms a strong emotional bond with Mrs.
Bird upon discovering that they have both experienced the loss of a child.
Despite Mrs. Bird’s mourning over her son’s recent death, she makes a great
sacrifice by giving his clothes—her last remaining memories of her son—to
Harry. She tells her sons, “I could not find it in my heart to give them away
to any common person—to anybody that was happy; but I give them to a mother
more heart-broken and sorrowful than I am; and I hope God will send his
blessings with them!” (835). In this statement, Mrs. Bird acknowledges Eliza as
a person rather than by her status as an African American slave. She
prioritizes Eliza and Harry’s safety and wellbeing over her own happiness to
prevent Eliza from suffering a great tragedy—the separation from her last remaining
child. Stowe’s attempt to connect with a female audience becomes clear in this
chapter when the narrator interjects, “mother that reads this, has there never
been in your house a drawer, or a closet, the opening of which has been to you
like the opening again of a little grave…happy mother that you are, if it has
not been so!” (835). The technique Stowe employs here—the narrator’s direct
address to specific reader demographic (i.e. mothers)—is used throughout the
novel to suggest a connection between characters within in the novel and the
novel’s contemporary audience. Mrs. Bird’s sympathy for Eliza and Harry and her
ability to evoke an emotional response in her husband ultimately convinces Mr.
Bird to risk his reputation and defy his political opinion to ensure their
protection and freedom.
This
chapter is only one example in the novel of a woman’s ability to relate to and
protect slave families. The potential for women to act as saviors is also
presented in the debate that occurs between several women on pg. 844 and in Eva’s
charity toward and love and care for her father’s slaves.
Uncle Tom's Cabin: A Novel with a Mission
Despite the intense work-load of taking two English classes at once (this class and The Study of the Novel), I'm always intrigued by the frequent overlap and connections I notice between the texts and subject matter I am introduced to in each class.
In my Study of the Novel class, we have tracked the evolution of the novel as a genre throughout history, from Aphra Behn's Oroonoko to the modern novels we can pick up in any Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Reading novels from different time periods and essays pertaining to the novel as a genre, I am now familiar with some of the most crucial facets of what makes a novel a novel, one of them being its mission to encourage a different mode of thinking, and in many cases, an ethical or moral agenda.
Uncle Tom's Cabin is one such text that has come up in conversation in both of my classes, and stands out as a strong example of a novel with a clear and defined moral mission. It's not difficult to tell right from the start of the novel that this moral message has to do with slavery and racial discrimination. The piece clearly functions as a critique of this heinous institution that existed in our national history, portraying in vivid and often time brutal detail the verbal and physical abuse slaves and free blacks faced during this era. Yet, what I found particularly interesting is the narrator's asides and the aphoristic lines within the text that make the moral quality to this text quite evident. In these instances, the voice of the narrator is strong and purposeful.
One of the most beautiful sections of the piece, the opening of "Chapter XL. The Martyr" is like an extended aphorism, reminding us, in simple terms, that with the bad, there will eventually come good, as Stowe writes, "The longest way must have its close,- the gloomiest night will wear on to a morning. An eternal, inexorable lapse of moments is ever hurrying the day of the evil to an eternal night, and the night of the just to an eternal day" (Stowe 900). It's lines like these that make the piece seem prophetic and supply one of the many motivating, moral messages in the piece (apart from abolition). Other instances of these lines make a commentary on human nature, as Stowe reflects on human nature's tendency to avoid guilt accountability when she states, "Scenes of blood and cruelty are shocking to our ear and heart. What man has nerve to do, man has not nerve to hear" (903).
Lines such as these beg reflection on our parts about ourselves and our tendencies as humans, and also help in Stowe's purpose of portraying the cruel institutions of human enslavement and racial discrimination.
In my Study of the Novel class, we have tracked the evolution of the novel as a genre throughout history, from Aphra Behn's Oroonoko to the modern novels we can pick up in any Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Reading novels from different time periods and essays pertaining to the novel as a genre, I am now familiar with some of the most crucial facets of what makes a novel a novel, one of them being its mission to encourage a different mode of thinking, and in many cases, an ethical or moral agenda.
Uncle Tom's Cabin is one such text that has come up in conversation in both of my classes, and stands out as a strong example of a novel with a clear and defined moral mission. It's not difficult to tell right from the start of the novel that this moral message has to do with slavery and racial discrimination. The piece clearly functions as a critique of this heinous institution that existed in our national history, portraying in vivid and often time brutal detail the verbal and physical abuse slaves and free blacks faced during this era. Yet, what I found particularly interesting is the narrator's asides and the aphoristic lines within the text that make the moral quality to this text quite evident. In these instances, the voice of the narrator is strong and purposeful.
One of the most beautiful sections of the piece, the opening of "Chapter XL. The Martyr" is like an extended aphorism, reminding us, in simple terms, that with the bad, there will eventually come good, as Stowe writes, "The longest way must have its close,- the gloomiest night will wear on to a morning. An eternal, inexorable lapse of moments is ever hurrying the day of the evil to an eternal night, and the night of the just to an eternal day" (Stowe 900). It's lines like these that make the piece seem prophetic and supply one of the many motivating, moral messages in the piece (apart from abolition). Other instances of these lines make a commentary on human nature, as Stowe reflects on human nature's tendency to avoid guilt accountability when she states, "Scenes of blood and cruelty are shocking to our ear and heart. What man has nerve to do, man has not nerve to hear" (903).
Lines such as these beg reflection on our parts about ourselves and our tendencies as humans, and also help in Stowe's purpose of portraying the cruel institutions of human enslavement and racial discrimination.
The Portentous Shadow of Law
In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Stowe makes her intention very clear. Her writing style actively urges the reader to take action against slavery, particularly the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. From the beginning of the novel, Stowe references the law and the difficulties it ensues. In Chapter I, she writes, "but over and above the scene there broods a portentous shadow - the shadow of law. So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating hearts and living affections, only as so many things belonging to a master, - so long as the failure or misfortune or imprudence, or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence for one of hopeless misery and toil, - so long it is impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable in the best regulated administration of slavery" (813). This quote demonstrates Stowe's clear disagreement with the law, as she views it as a primary component hindering abolition. Because Stowe does not portray all slave masters as evil and wicked, the novel can be seen as an attack on the law rather than the individual.
Later on in the novel, Senator Bird is described as "a man who had a particularly humane and accessible nature" (830). These positive descriptions reinforce the idea that people are inherently good-natured, and the institution of slave laws inhibits this. In the beginning of Chapter IX, the Senator defends his decision to pass the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and tries to justify it with Mrs. Bird. However, when a runaway slave actually comes to him, he cannot turn her away. The fact that the Senator sympathizes with the runaway slaves and helps them, but does not actually create any change to the law, further demonstrates a sense of urgency that Stowe aims to convey to the reader. Though he helped pass the law, he is unable to resist aiding a helpless runaway, emphasizing the immorality of the law. Stowe uses the Senator to exemplify someone who knows that these laws are unjust and wrong, but cannot bring himself to openly go against it, which is possibly very similar to the 19th-century reader.
Later on in the novel, Senator Bird is described as "a man who had a particularly humane and accessible nature" (830). These positive descriptions reinforce the idea that people are inherently good-natured, and the institution of slave laws inhibits this. In the beginning of Chapter IX, the Senator defends his decision to pass the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and tries to justify it with Mrs. Bird. However, when a runaway slave actually comes to him, he cannot turn her away. The fact that the Senator sympathizes with the runaway slaves and helps them, but does not actually create any change to the law, further demonstrates a sense of urgency that Stowe aims to convey to the reader. Though he helped pass the law, he is unable to resist aiding a helpless runaway, emphasizing the immorality of the law. Stowe uses the Senator to exemplify someone who knows that these laws are unjust and wrong, but cannot bring himself to openly go against it, which is possibly very similar to the 19th-century reader.
Religion as characterization and plot in Uncle Tom's Cabin
As the daughter of an eminent evangelical minister, Harriet Beecher Stowe was raised to be extremely pious and to view the world through a Christian lens. This point of view and piousness is omnipresent in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Mentions of Jesus or God or Heaven is present on almost every page and provides the moral framework of the novel. Stowe positions slavery as morally objectionable because it goes against the Bible. Additionally, the commitment to Christianity is used to gauge the goodness or badness of any given character. For instance, Tom, Eliza, and Evangeline are the most "good" characters in the novel because they are Christian and try to spread the word of Christ to other characters while the "bad" characters Legree and the slave traders outright say they are not Christian or that they do not want their slaves to be religious. Once the piousness level of a character is established, Stowe attributes either that all the good they do is tied to their Christian nature or that all the bad they do is because they lack Christian nature. Topsy is a good example of this. When Evangeline is dying and telling the house they must be Christians and go to Heaven, Evangeline pleads with Topsy to accept Christ and finally "be a good girl" (879).
All the pious characters also have a scene where they are being told or are telling another character that even though things are awful, Jesus will guide them through and they will emerge victorious on Judgement Day. These scenes of piousness precede something awful happening to the characters. When Susan and her daughter Emmeline are about to be sold, Susan tells Emmeline that the Lord will be "faithful to you" as long as Emmeline remains pious (884). Soon after, they are sold and separated. This set up foreshadows the reoccurring hardship that the black characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin face.
All the pious characters also have a scene where they are being told or are telling another character that even though things are awful, Jesus will guide them through and they will emerge victorious on Judgement Day. These scenes of piousness precede something awful happening to the characters. When Susan and her daughter Emmeline are about to be sold, Susan tells Emmeline that the Lord will be "faithful to you" as long as Emmeline remains pious (884). Soon after, they are sold and separated. This set up foreshadows the reoccurring hardship that the black characters in Uncle Tom's Cabin face.
Hidden Agenda in Uncle Tom's Cabin
A key difference between Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was in the descriptions of the nature of people. Frederick Douglass went into detail about the horrors that were attached to his personal experiences with slavery. He gave us the images of the evils brought upon him and other by slave owners. This gave the audience a deeper understanding of the negative side of human nature that slavery brings about.
In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe took a different approach. There was a focus on the good-nature of the white people that treat their slaves well or help slaves escape their bondage.
Tom's and Eliza's first owners, the Shelby's, treated their slaves as humans. Their treatment of their slaves was put on a pedestal and they weren't blamed for having to sell Eliza and Tom because of how badly they didn't want to. Mrs. Shelby also plays a part in stalling the trader from chasing after Eliza.
Another instance was when the Senator and his wife help Eliza get farther away from the trader. The senator, Mr. Bird is "a man who had a particularly humane and accessible nature" while Mrs. Bird has an "unusually gentle and sympathetic nature" and "anything in the shape of cruelty would throw her into a passion". (828 - 829).
Then there are the Quakers, more specifically Rachel Halliday. She is described with a holy goodness to her. "Her hair, partially silvered by age, was parted smoothy back from a high place forehead on which time had written no inscription, except peace on earth, good will to men, and beneath shone a large pair of clear, honest, loving brown eyes; you only needed to look straight into them, to feel that you saw to the bottom of a heart as good and true as ever throbbed in woman's bosom." (852).
Stowe uses these descriptions of the Christian and good nature of the white people who are assisting slaves in some way to escape as a means of calling out to her audience to also assist in the Underground Railroad. The hope is that readers will identify with the goodliness or want badly to be thought of as this good. Then they will offer help to slaves if they ever come upon the chance because of that desire to be Stowe's version of "good and true".
In Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe took a different approach. There was a focus on the good-nature of the white people that treat their slaves well or help slaves escape their bondage.
Tom's and Eliza's first owners, the Shelby's, treated their slaves as humans. Their treatment of their slaves was put on a pedestal and they weren't blamed for having to sell Eliza and Tom because of how badly they didn't want to. Mrs. Shelby also plays a part in stalling the trader from chasing after Eliza.
Another instance was when the Senator and his wife help Eliza get farther away from the trader. The senator, Mr. Bird is "a man who had a particularly humane and accessible nature" while Mrs. Bird has an "unusually gentle and sympathetic nature" and "anything in the shape of cruelty would throw her into a passion". (828 - 829).
Then there are the Quakers, more specifically Rachel Halliday. She is described with a holy goodness to her. "Her hair, partially silvered by age, was parted smoothy back from a high place forehead on which time had written no inscription, except peace on earth, good will to men, and beneath shone a large pair of clear, honest, loving brown eyes; you only needed to look straight into them, to feel that you saw to the bottom of a heart as good and true as ever throbbed in woman's bosom." (852).
Stowe uses these descriptions of the Christian and good nature of the white people who are assisting slaves in some way to escape as a means of calling out to her audience to also assist in the Underground Railroad. The hope is that readers will identify with the goodliness or want badly to be thought of as this good. Then they will offer help to slaves if they ever come upon the chance because of that desire to be Stowe's version of "good and true".
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Whitman's Wake Up Call
In class, we talked about how there were different ways to see Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" It may have been intended to be a show of nationalism at first, but reading the poem with knowledge of the costs of the war makes the poem seem ironic. No one at the time of the war's beginning could have guessed that it would become such a painful time; everyone, including Whitman, was optimistic.
I feel like "The Wound-Dresser" was written to help serve as a wake up call for those who remained at home. The first publication date the Norton book gives is 1865, which is the same year that the war ended. By then, most people should have already realized that this was not their ideal war in any sense. But the poem brings everything to life in the mind.
Two historical facts jumped out from the recesses of memory as I read the poem. First off, as the speaker tells us, gangrene was a very rampant problem. The science at the time was not ready to deal with it. Most times, amputation was the only way to go. The speaker of the poem expresses what was probably a shared sentiment of the time: "Come sweet death! be persuaded O beautiful death!/ In mercy come quickly" (lines 43-44).
The other fact was that it was still very acceptable for families to go out and have picnics next to battlefields. This was entertainment to civilians; it was exciting and was probably the most interesting thing that came to their area for a long time. But this in essence devalues the whole effect of what war should have meant. While everyone had four years to learn that war is not easy, there was probably still a disconnect that they couldn't understand.
Whitman does a great job bringing those horrors forward. He takes a scene that most people are unable to see and brings it to life for them. Suddenly war isn't the event that brings honor and entertainment. It's something that haunts one forever.
I feel like "The Wound-Dresser" was written to help serve as a wake up call for those who remained at home. The first publication date the Norton book gives is 1865, which is the same year that the war ended. By then, most people should have already realized that this was not their ideal war in any sense. But the poem brings everything to life in the mind.
Two historical facts jumped out from the recesses of memory as I read the poem. First off, as the speaker tells us, gangrene was a very rampant problem. The science at the time was not ready to deal with it. Most times, amputation was the only way to go. The speaker of the poem expresses what was probably a shared sentiment of the time: "Come sweet death! be persuaded O beautiful death!/ In mercy come quickly" (lines 43-44).
The other fact was that it was still very acceptable for families to go out and have picnics next to battlefields. This was entertainment to civilians; it was exciting and was probably the most interesting thing that came to their area for a long time. But this in essence devalues the whole effect of what war should have meant. While everyone had four years to learn that war is not easy, there was probably still a disconnect that they couldn't understand.
Whitman does a great job bringing those horrors forward. He takes a scene that most people are unable to see and brings it to life for them. Suddenly war isn't the event that brings honor and entertainment. It's something that haunts one forever.
Secrecy, Exposure, and Sexuality in the Calamus Poems
Although they weren't assigned, I followed Professor Oerlemann's suggestion and read these poems in the anthology. Whitman explains them as a poetic rendering of "adhesive love" between men and homosocial comradeship, but gay and androsexual symbols, imagery and themes pervade this set of poems. They not only reference homosexual encounters, but they also develop a portrait of a 19th century gay person and their battles with exposure and secrecy.
Most obviously, the title "Calamus" refers to a phallic shaped plant, the acorus calamus. The poem "Whoever You Are Holding Me Now in Hand" then provides the most explicit depiction of a homosexual encounter: "Here to put your lips upon mine I permit you, with the comrade's long-dwelling kiss or the new husband's kiss, for I am the new husband and I am the comrade." This image offers an obviously romantic interaction between two men. Preceding it is a poignant articulation of the secrecy with which gay people were forced to explore their sexuality: "first watching lest any person for miles around approach unawares." These depictions of homosexuality add to the poem's "overcurrent" of meaning (in a Poeian sense) of the incomprehensibility and complexity of the individual: "for all is useless without that which you may guess at many times and not hit, that which I hinted at." Whitman hints at homosexuality, a manifestation of individuality which many during his lifetime failed to comprehend.
"Trickle Drops" then develops a theme of literary steganography. The poem explains literature as an act of concealed confession; it refers to "red drops, confession drops" which "stain every page, stain every song I sing." These drops act as a metaphor for Whitman's (or, I suppose, the speaker's) sexuality, which he must conceal in lines of poetry.
"Here the Frailest Leaves of Me" further elaborates on this idea of subliminality in poetry. The speaker states "Here I shade and hide my thoughts." This acknowledges an undercurrent of meaning in these poems which "[exposes] me more than all my other poems."
The Calamus Poems, then, do significantly more than what Whitman claims; they do not describe "adhesive love" between men, but rather display and subtly conceal sexual love between men and aspects of a homosexual's life. This elaborates on the theme of individuality already present in Leaves of Grass. These poems draw a direct link between individuality and homosexuality, presenting it as yet another expression of American non-conformity.
Most obviously, the title "Calamus" refers to a phallic shaped plant, the acorus calamus. The poem "Whoever You Are Holding Me Now in Hand" then provides the most explicit depiction of a homosexual encounter: "Here to put your lips upon mine I permit you, with the comrade's long-dwelling kiss or the new husband's kiss, for I am the new husband and I am the comrade." This image offers an obviously romantic interaction between two men. Preceding it is a poignant articulation of the secrecy with which gay people were forced to explore their sexuality: "first watching lest any person for miles around approach unawares." These depictions of homosexuality add to the poem's "overcurrent" of meaning (in a Poeian sense) of the incomprehensibility and complexity of the individual: "for all is useless without that which you may guess at many times and not hit, that which I hinted at." Whitman hints at homosexuality, a manifestation of individuality which many during his lifetime failed to comprehend.
"Trickle Drops" then develops a theme of literary steganography. The poem explains literature as an act of concealed confession; it refers to "red drops, confession drops" which "stain every page, stain every song I sing." These drops act as a metaphor for Whitman's (or, I suppose, the speaker's) sexuality, which he must conceal in lines of poetry.
"Here the Frailest Leaves of Me" further elaborates on this idea of subliminality in poetry. The speaker states "Here I shade and hide my thoughts." This acknowledges an undercurrent of meaning in these poems which "[exposes] me more than all my other poems."
The Calamus Poems, then, do significantly more than what Whitman claims; they do not describe "adhesive love" between men, but rather display and subtly conceal sexual love between men and aspects of a homosexual's life. This elaborates on the theme of individuality already present in Leaves of Grass. These poems draw a direct link between individuality and homosexuality, presenting it as yet another expression of American non-conformity.
Whitman and Poe
There has been a lot of discussion about the similarities and differences between Whitman and Emerson, and rightly so. They had a real life relationship, and Whitman viewed Emerson as something of a mentor figure. However after reading a few of Whitman's other poems, I have found some striking similarities between him and Poe.
In the poem Whitman is using two songbirds who are "lovers" to personify the sting of love lost. What struck me about this stanza in particular is the use of "Nevermore" and the way it reminded me of "The Raven". In the poem, Poe similarly uses a raven quoting "Nevermore" to stir the narrator's despair at never regaining his lost love. The parallels to Whitman's "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" are uncanny, as the songbird is mourning the loss of his songbird lover - and whose cries project the narrator's sentiment that "Never more [will] the cries of unsatisfied love be absent from me."
Was this intentional of Whitman? Was he mirroring Poe? Or was it just a coincidence? It is intriguing that a poem of Whitman's, who was a student of Emerson, would strike such parallels with "The Raven" by Poe, who is essentially the antithesis of Emerson. It would be interesting to research the relationships between these three authors and how they influenced (or did not influence) each other's writing.
Especially in "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" and "The Wound Dresser" - Whitman shows a similarity to Poe, writing about death, dying, and blood and gore, which are all results of the side of human nature that Emerson avoids talking about.
I was particularly struck by this similarity when reading this stanza of "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking":
"O you singer solitary, singing by yourself, projecting me,
O solitary me listening, never more shall I cease perpetuating you,
Never more shall I escape, never more the reverberations,
Never more the cries of unsatisfied love be absent from me,
Never again leave me to be the peaceful child I was before what there in the night,
By the sea under the yellow and sagging moon,
The messenger there arous’d, the fire, the sweet hell within,
The unknown want, the destiny of me" (ln 154-161).
O solitary me listening, never more shall I cease perpetuating you,
Never more shall I escape, never more the reverberations,
Never more the cries of unsatisfied love be absent from me,
Never again leave me to be the peaceful child I was before what there in the night,
By the sea under the yellow and sagging moon,
The messenger there arous’d, the fire, the sweet hell within,
The unknown want, the destiny of me" (ln 154-161).
In the poem Whitman is using two songbirds who are "lovers" to personify the sting of love lost. What struck me about this stanza in particular is the use of "Nevermore" and the way it reminded me of "The Raven". In the poem, Poe similarly uses a raven quoting "Nevermore" to stir the narrator's despair at never regaining his lost love. The parallels to Whitman's "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking" are uncanny, as the songbird is mourning the loss of his songbird lover - and whose cries project the narrator's sentiment that "Never more [will] the cries of unsatisfied love be absent from me."
Was this intentional of Whitman? Was he mirroring Poe? Or was it just a coincidence? It is intriguing that a poem of Whitman's, who was a student of Emerson, would strike such parallels with "The Raven" by Poe, who is essentially the antithesis of Emerson. It would be interesting to research the relationships between these three authors and how they influenced (or did not influence) each other's writing.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
On Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry"
Walt Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” is probably my
favorite Whitman piece. The speaker of the piece, likely Whitman himself,
examines the relationship between various beings that have lived in the same
area over a long period of time. Though the piece is extremely repetitive and
is written in stream of consciousness, the depictions and vivid details that
Whitman uses makes for an interesting read. The speaker begins the piece on a
ferry, remarking all of the other people currently on the same vessel. His mind
drifts to others who have either crossed the same ferry or will cross in the
future. He notes that, “others will watch the run of the floodtide, / Others
will see the shipping of Manhattan north and west, and the heights of Brooklyn
to the south and east” (Whitman, 13-15). Thus, he explains that he is not much
different from others who will take this same route and likely see the same
sights. He comes to a realization by section five in this poem that though many
have set sail across the ferry to Manhattan, Brooklyn and beyond, he is an
individual and he has his own identity. This becomes clear when the narrator
proclaims, “I too had receiv’d identity by my body, / That I was I knew was of
my body, and what I should be I know I should be of my body” (63-4). After a
very mild, somewhat uneventful identity crisis, the speaker moves on to praise
the beautiful landscape.
What I find most interesting about this piece is the way in
which Whitman describes nature in comparison to the way he describes manmade
things. He seems to find beauty in the ever-changing aspect of the landscape.
He begins section nine, the final section of the poem with, “flow on, river!
Flow with the flood-tide, and ebb with the ebb tide! / Frolic on, crested and
scallop-edg’d waves! / Gorgeous clouds of the sunset!” (101-3). The way in which
he appreciates and almost praises and encourages nature at the beginning of
this section is refreshing. This may lead the reader to believe that Whitman is
pro-nature and anti-industrialization. However, that is simply not the case.
Later on in section nine, Whitman exclaims, “Come on, ships from the lower bay!
pass up or down, white sail’d / schooners, sloops, lighters! Flaunt away, flags
of all nations! Be duly lower’d at sunset” (115-7). Evidently, Whitman views
the beauty of mankind and the effects humans have on nature as just as
beautiful as nature itself. The detail in which he describes the two is same, thus
leading me to this conclusion. By the end of the piece, Whitman seems to come
to the conclusion that many others may pass this very route, see similar or
different sights (as the area may change), and feel a various range of
emotions. However, Whitman identifies as an individual and acknowledges that he
is having this very experience that can will now forever connect him to many
others.
Whitman For or Against Slavery?
One of the
reoccurring themes we have discussed this semester is the depiction of race in
19th century American literature. In “Song of Myself,” Whitman
presents three different relationships personal relationships or interactions with slaves. In Section 10,
Whitman writes that he welcomes an injured slave attempting to escape into his
home and helps him regain his strength, which suggests that he supports and is complicit
in helping slaves gain freedom in the North. While Whitman presents himself as
an emotionally distant caregiver and ally to slaves in Section 10, he describes
his more personal sexual attraction to a black man in Section 13: “The sun
falls on his crispy hair and mustache, falls on the black of his polish’d and
perfect limbs. / I behold the picturesque giant and love him” (290-291). Whitman
admires the black man’s body, which may suggest that he views race as
irrelevant in his sexual desire. However, Whitman also describes himself in
this passage from the perspective of a white man observing or overlooking a
black man (presumably a slave) working, which implies Whitman’s superiority.
Finally, in Section 33, Whitman declares, “I am the hounded slave” and “I
myself become the wounded person” after describing the physical pain he endures
and wounds he exhibits (837; 845). Through his writing, Whitman describes himself
as occupying the physical and mental state of a slave experiencing brutality
and violence. Although “Song of Myself” may imply that Whitman rejects slavery
and develops a gradually more intimate relationship with slaves (to the point
where he himself is a slave), the
poem does not provide us with a coherent understanding of Whitman’s views on
slavery.
In the critical article, “Slavery and Abolitionism,” Martin Klammer attempts to provide an explanation for the seemingly self-contradictory attitude the
writer presents toward slavery. While “Song of Myself” does not
take a radical stance for or against slavery, Klammer reveals that some of
Whitman’s writing opposed abolitionism and implied that blacks were inferior to
whites. In his critique, Klammer ultimately concludes that Whitman’s attitude toward slavery is inconstant because it changes according to political and
historical context. Writing in the 1840s-60s, Whitman was aware that his
writing would be perceived as projecting his personal political views. This was
likely dangerous in a time in which the country was engaged in a national,
heated debate over slavery. Whitman’s Leaves
of Grass, in which he presents a somewhat sympathetic view toward slaves, was
published following Northerners’ ignition of anti-slavery sentiment. While I
perceived Section 33 of “Song of Myself” as revealing Whitman’s physical and
mental identification with slaves, Klammer argues that it “reveals how Whitman’s
portrayal of slaves could also serve his political purposes, especially his
opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law, which was based, in fact, not on sympathy
for slaves but on what he felt was the unwarranted intrusion of federal
authority in a local matter.” Whitman attitude toward slavery may have been
primarily concerned with promoting his idealized view of American democracy
(rather than defending African Americans’ right to freedom).
Klammer’s
article reveals that social issues discussed in 19th century writing
were inherently politicized. Whitman’s own thoughts about race (and sexuality,
as we discussed in class) are intentionally inconsistent and unclear because Whitman
was aware of his public political persona and how his writing could be used as both
his own tool of self-expression and as a weapon against him.
Emerson and Whitman
One similarity between Emerson’s essays and Whitman’s “Song of Myself” (a similarity I would guess to be unintentional) is their tendency to contain single phrases that act as “keys” to unlock the meaning of the longer, more abstract piece.
“Song of Myself”, while significantly long, breaks down well into its numbered sections, but even within sections individual stanzas, or individual lines, often seem to outline the poem’s larger themes. It seems like you can flip to any page, point a random finger, and have it lie on a line that exuberantly deals with love, or nature, or sex, or the self, or the collective world, or all of the above… “O span of youth! ever-push’d elasticity!” (1170) celebrates the power of man, specifically at a young age, and the next line goes on to celebrate manhood with equal zeal. Earlier, Whitman claims “to touch my person to some one else’s is about as much as I can stand” (617). Here, again, he is celebrating something, this time the joy and connection that comes from his own sexuality. The pattern goes on and on.
The same goes for Emerson; his essays contain many individual sentences that sum up exactly what he is explaining at length. In “Self-Reliance”, his paragraphs are littered with assurances to “trust thyself” (270) and claims such as “no law can be sacred to me but that of my nature” (271) and “no greater men are now than ever were” (285). He reiterates and elaborates on the theme that is explicit in his title. Unlike novels, which seem to build slowly toward a large, implicit theme, Emerson and Whitman embarked on something else: a call for our attention, and a choice of loaded words meant to be remembered.
“Song of Myself”, while significantly long, breaks down well into its numbered sections, but even within sections individual stanzas, or individual lines, often seem to outline the poem’s larger themes. It seems like you can flip to any page, point a random finger, and have it lie on a line that exuberantly deals with love, or nature, or sex, or the self, or the collective world, or all of the above… “O span of youth! ever-push’d elasticity!” (1170) celebrates the power of man, specifically at a young age, and the next line goes on to celebrate manhood with equal zeal. Earlier, Whitman claims “to touch my person to some one else’s is about as much as I can stand” (617). Here, again, he is celebrating something, this time the joy and connection that comes from his own sexuality. The pattern goes on and on.
The same goes for Emerson; his essays contain many individual sentences that sum up exactly what he is explaining at length. In “Self-Reliance”, his paragraphs are littered with assurances to “trust thyself” (270) and claims such as “no law can be sacred to me but that of my nature” (271) and “no greater men are now than ever were” (285). He reiterates and elaborates on the theme that is explicit in his title. Unlike novels, which seem to build slowly toward a large, implicit theme, Emerson and Whitman embarked on something else: a call for our attention, and a choice of loaded words meant to be remembered.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Beat! Beat! Drums! and the Intentional Fallacy
When I started to read "Beat! Beat! Drums!" I decided to ignore the footnote attached to the introduction to the book "From Drum-Taps." I didn't want whatever the footnote said to affect my first reading of the poem. From this first reading, I interpreted the beating of the drums and the blowing of the bugles, the sounds of war, to be disruptive, overpowering forces. In the first few lines, their "ruthless force" interrupts congregations in church and scholars studying in school, and takes away the happiness and peace of a bridegroom and a farmer. I thought this disruption as a negative force became most clear when the narrator says in the last four lines "Let not the child's voice be heard, nor the mother's entreaties...so strong you thump O terrible drums." In this poem I saw war and the way it takes over a nation, takes away brothers and sons and fathers, as a disruptive and negative force on the harmony of the world. I certainly thought Whitman was criticizing the civil war, or the draft, but then I read the footnote. It states "'Beat! Beat! Drums!' served as a kind of recruiting poem when it was first printed in September 1861..." Immediately I found myself wondering if I had interpreted the poem differently than Whitman had intended. I decided, however, that I believe Whitman did intend the poem to be a critique of the practices of war, but the public or newspapers saw the poem differently and used if for their own purposes. In the end, I don't think the author's intention really matters to interpretation, although it can be interesting to know. Once the piece has left the author's hands, the audience is free to interpret it however the want and, if they can support their interpretation, they cannot be wrong. So perhaps this poem is both a critique and a rallying cry, depending on the context.
Half-Empty
I didn't enjoy reading "The Wound-Dresser" or "Beat! Beat! Drums!" nearly as much as I enjoyed reading "Song of Myself." The most likely culprit for this weather change is the shift in subject matter. Whitman's words feel more evocative (at least to me) when he's discussing in ecstatic tones his connection with everything and everyone. These two poems, while they do present a different sort of connection with life and death, don't seem to be possessed with the unbridled passion present in "Song of Myself." Though I don't doubt that Whitman's cries for action in "Beat! Beat! Drum!" are sincere, they lack a certain amount of oomph. "The Wound-dresser" is much more effective in its appeals to emotion and empathy, primarily through its gory depictions of battlefield casualties, but, again, lacks the sort of widespread descriptive power of some of his other works. Ultimately, I think I like it better when Whitman sticks to the brighter side of life. With that said, it is interesting to see an author so transfixed with life examine some of its darker corners.
Whitman as Emerson's American Poet
The influence of Emerson on Whitman's work has been very interesting to me, especially in differenetiating their views in preparation for the midterm quiz. Besides major stylistic differences, the two writers seem to posit many of the same transcendentalist philosophies. While Whitman clearly admired Emerson and Emerson positively recognized Whitman's work, there is quite a bit of criticism denegrating the relationship between the two.
An 1856 review of Leaves of Grass from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (http://www.whitmanarchive.org/criticism/reviews/leaves1855/anc.00030.html) expresses horror at any comparison of the two. The reviewer is clearly no fan of Whitman's, as he suggests that Whitman "should be sent to a lunatic asylum, and the mercenary publishers to the penitentiary for pandering to the prurient tastes of morbid sensualists". Meanwhile, the reviewer praises Emerson as "the head of the moral and solid people of Boston, and is simply disappointed in Emerson's recognition of Whitman's work at all. The reviewer is very offended by Whitman's discussions of sexuality, but I must ask... Isn't that part of American life?
I didn't find the more suggestive stanzas of "Song of Myself" so overtly learning towards homosexuality that no argument could be made to the contrary. America's illustrious population is evidence that mid-19th century Americans did not abstain from sexual activity completely — the things that so offended the Frank Leslie reviewer were part of American life, just not a normal part of American intellectual discourse. I can't find any indication that Emerson, in his call for an American poet, would have wanted a half-true glazing over. Whitman's willingness to allude to sensuality (sometimes more blatantly) separates him from other writers at the time, and I would argue actually provides a more honest depiction.
An 1856 review of Leaves of Grass from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (http://www.whitmanarchive.org/criticism/reviews/leaves1855/anc.00030.html) expresses horror at any comparison of the two. The reviewer is clearly no fan of Whitman's, as he suggests that Whitman "should be sent to a lunatic asylum, and the mercenary publishers to the penitentiary for pandering to the prurient tastes of morbid sensualists". Meanwhile, the reviewer praises Emerson as "the head of the moral and solid people of Boston, and is simply disappointed in Emerson's recognition of Whitman's work at all. The reviewer is very offended by Whitman's discussions of sexuality, but I must ask... Isn't that part of American life?
I didn't find the more suggestive stanzas of "Song of Myself" so overtly learning towards homosexuality that no argument could be made to the contrary. America's illustrious population is evidence that mid-19th century Americans did not abstain from sexual activity completely — the things that so offended the Frank Leslie reviewer were part of American life, just not a normal part of American intellectual discourse. I can't find any indication that Emerson, in his call for an American poet, would have wanted a half-true glazing over. Whitman's willingness to allude to sensuality (sometimes more blatantly) separates him from other writers at the time, and I would argue actually provides a more honest depiction.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Whitman Reviewing Himself
While looking through reviews on the archive site for tomorrow's class, I came across some of the reviews that Whitman did of his own work that Onno mentioned on Thursday. I really don't know what to make of these reviews. They mirror the other positive reviews I read, which credit Whitman with impressive originality and talent. Still, the fact that they were written by Whitman himself is very troubling to me. He certainly does not come across as a modest man in any regard, but I wonder what his motivation for writing these reviews really was. Did he simply want to talk himself up to others? If so, why didn't he publish them anonymously, as many of the other reviews on this site have been. One reason for leaving his name in the byline may have been that he was intentionally trying to be ironic.
I have always felt that being publicly self-flattering of your accomplishments devalues how impressive your work actually was. This is of course a personal opinion and doesn't actually affect the quality of someone's work, I just value humble characteristics. Clearly being openly self-praising has not negatively affected Whitman's success, however, and these reviews may very well have immensely benefited his career.
I have always felt that being publicly self-flattering of your accomplishments devalues how impressive your work actually was. This is of course a personal opinion and doesn't actually affect the quality of someone's work, I just value humble characteristics. Clearly being openly self-praising has not negatively affected Whitman's success, however, and these reviews may very well have immensely benefited his career.
Uniqueness of Section 35
For the majority of Song of Myself, Whitman writes from his personal knowledge and his experience. However, in section 35, he instead tells the story of his grandmother's father, the sailor, and his unlikely win at sea from the perspective of the sailor instead of himself. This section is interesting because Whitman never says "I" in reference to himself and positions himself as the passive recipient of the tale: "as my grandmother's father told it to me." In the majority of the other sections he is the instructor or leader of the reader or is relating his direct personal bodily experience. Therefore, the distance from the reader serves to create section 35 as an independent story within the poem.
Though section 35 is markedly different in point of view from the other sections, it still maintains the American-ness of Song of Myself because it continues the themes of American steadfastness. The captain of the great-grandfather's ship does not surrender during the battle even though his men are convinced they are doomed to sinking. He deals the other ship a dreadful blow and outlasts them. This triumph against all odds is a truly American ideal that Whitman presents in section 35. Additionally, the victory against all odds of section 35 is a nice juxtaposition against the massacre of Texans Whitman tells in section 34.
In section 36, Whitman continues the story begun in section 35 but does not address who is speaking. He does not acknowledge if or when the "I" is himself and he has assumed the active role in the poem again. The break between the sections leads readers to believe that Whitman has resumed the narration but this is left ambiguous. This also works as a transition to the next few sections using sea imagery even though the direct retelling of the sea-fight is over.
Though section 35 is markedly different in point of view from the other sections, it still maintains the American-ness of Song of Myself because it continues the themes of American steadfastness. The captain of the great-grandfather's ship does not surrender during the battle even though his men are convinced they are doomed to sinking. He deals the other ship a dreadful blow and outlasts them. This triumph against all odds is a truly American ideal that Whitman presents in section 35. Additionally, the victory against all odds of section 35 is a nice juxtaposition against the massacre of Texans Whitman tells in section 34.
In section 36, Whitman continues the story begun in section 35 but does not address who is speaking. He does not acknowledge if or when the "I" is himself and he has assumed the active role in the poem again. The break between the sections leads readers to believe that Whitman has resumed the narration but this is left ambiguous. This also works as a transition to the next few sections using sea imagery even though the direct retelling of the sea-fight is over.
More of Whitman's influence on "Breaking Bad"
As an avid fan of "Breaking Bad," I was very interested in the reference brought up by Onno in class on Thursday about Whitman's influence and relation to Walter White. Continuing the conversation of the article posted by Onno, I also came across this article that draws parallels between Leaves of Grass and Walter White [Spoiler alert: the article discusses the show up to season 5 episode 8]. Even if you haven't watched the show, this article poses several interesting points about the nature of Whitman's poetry and the "visions of freedom" that the poem describes.
As the article notes, "in 'Song of Myself,' two concepts of freedom emerge: an idea of awareness or transcendence, and an idea of an individualism that honors personal experience over the ideas of sacrifice for the better good of society... 'Song of Myself' can be interpreted as a call to experience life, and that through experience, one can find fulfillment and freedom from the mundane." Walter White lived a relatively monotonous life as a high school chemistry teacher before he became involved in the meth industry. However, he found escape from the uniformity of his every day life through a sense of individual accomplishment and control, and as the show later reveals, his addiction to cooking meth stemmed from a selfish desire to satisfy himself rather than to benefit his family. As a result, we see that he is driven by motivation to find his own sense of freedom. I found it very interesting to see how these different ideas of freedom relate to Whitman's perspective and the overall "American dream." Particularly in the 19th century, the "American dream" heavily relied on the idea that coming to America would provide a transformative experience where people could be free to separate themselves from their past selves. Immigrants saw America as an opportunity to become someone new. It's also interesting to note the contradictions that arise from the ideas of freedom inside the United states as the article also mentions, "freedom is both blessing and curse, and a nation that believes in liberty is also one that suppresses and controls certain parts of its population and goes to war with itself over that control."
"Song of Myself" demonstrates how these ideals of freedom shaped American culture and raises questions about the nature of self-sufficiency, control, and self-fulfillment, and all the contradictions that these entail. How individualism plays a role in characterizing our ideas of freedom is integral in defining what we think of when we think of "Americanness."
As the article notes, "in 'Song of Myself,' two concepts of freedom emerge: an idea of awareness or transcendence, and an idea of an individualism that honors personal experience over the ideas of sacrifice for the better good of society... 'Song of Myself' can be interpreted as a call to experience life, and that through experience, one can find fulfillment and freedom from the mundane." Walter White lived a relatively monotonous life as a high school chemistry teacher before he became involved in the meth industry. However, he found escape from the uniformity of his every day life through a sense of individual accomplishment and control, and as the show later reveals, his addiction to cooking meth stemmed from a selfish desire to satisfy himself rather than to benefit his family. As a result, we see that he is driven by motivation to find his own sense of freedom. I found it very interesting to see how these different ideas of freedom relate to Whitman's perspective and the overall "American dream." Particularly in the 19th century, the "American dream" heavily relied on the idea that coming to America would provide a transformative experience where people could be free to separate themselves from their past selves. Immigrants saw America as an opportunity to become someone new. It's also interesting to note the contradictions that arise from the ideas of freedom inside the United states as the article also mentions, "freedom is both blessing and curse, and a nation that believes in liberty is also one that suppresses and controls certain parts of its population and goes to war with itself over that control."
"Song of Myself" demonstrates how these ideals of freedom shaped American culture and raises questions about the nature of self-sufficiency, control, and self-fulfillment, and all the contradictions that these entail. How individualism plays a role in characterizing our ideas of freedom is integral in defining what we think of when we think of "Americanness."
Some fun links...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125789927
Here is a podcast about Song Of Myself which I found to be very interesting.
I also had to include the best scene from Dead Poet's Society with the Walt Whitman quote and name drop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omveFR-2hmg
Here is a podcast about Song Of Myself which I found to be very interesting.
I also had to include the best scene from Dead Poet's Society with the Walt Whitman quote and name drop:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omveFR-2hmg
"They are not original with me"
One of the things I find extremely interesting about Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is the way he writes about the universe as a whole as well as purely American subjects, and all the while, he doesn't claim to be the one who knows everything.
In Section 17 of the poem, he writes, "These are really the thoughts of all men in all ages and lands, they are not original with me". It creates this effect in the poem that the speaker is talking about what he sees and feels and that the reason why he can't claim these experiences as his own is because everyone has them. He is not the ruler of these thoughts and feelings, he is only here to express them and question them.
Another effect of this is his connection with the audience. He isn't preaching but trying to connect with the reader and relate to the experiences of others, so they can be compared. He often asks questions of the reader, wondering about his own feelings and asking you to wonder about yours. One of my favorite lines is in section 19, at the end, "This hour I tell things in confidence / I might not tell everybody, but I will tell you." Here, he asserts that the poem is filled with his own experiences, though others most likely have also had them. He is trusting the reader with them, as if writing them down is what sets him apart.
In Section 17 of the poem, he writes, "These are really the thoughts of all men in all ages and lands, they are not original with me". It creates this effect in the poem that the speaker is talking about what he sees and feels and that the reason why he can't claim these experiences as his own is because everyone has them. He is not the ruler of these thoughts and feelings, he is only here to express them and question them.
Another effect of this is his connection with the audience. He isn't preaching but trying to connect with the reader and relate to the experiences of others, so they can be compared. He often asks questions of the reader, wondering about his own feelings and asking you to wonder about yours. One of my favorite lines is in section 19, at the end, "This hour I tell things in confidence / I might not tell everybody, but I will tell you." Here, he asserts that the poem is filled with his own experiences, though others most likely have also had them. He is trusting the reader with them, as if writing them down is what sets him apart.
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