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.