Transcendentalism
Who is the "Father of Free Verse"?
Walt Whitman
What does Whitman mean by saying that the grass is "the handkerchief of the lord"?
Grass is a symbol of god's design
The spotted hawk represents who?
Whitman himself, or a person yearning for freedom
Whitman empathizes with these groups of individuals who show heroic qualities, including soldiers and this group of people.
Sailors
Whitman uses this poem to celebrate what?
The individual self or human existence.
What does "free verse" mean?
Non-Rhyming
What does "perhaps it is the flag of my disposition"
That it represents transcendentalism
What strange sound word does Whitman use in this poem?
Yawp
In Whitman's view, the large heart of heroes applies not only to soldiers and leaders but also to this group of everyday people.
Common people and those who suffer.
This technique, involving the repetition of initial consonant sounds, is used in the line "I celebrate myself, and sing myself."
What is alliteration?
Who founded Transcendentalism?
Ralph Waldo Emerson
What does "the beautiful uncut hair of graves" mean?
That it represents the great cycle of life and death
Whitman’s depiction of the hawk reflects his broader connection to this element in his poetry.
"What is the natural world?"
In "Song of Myself," Whitman suggests that understanding heroes involves recognizing this essential characteristic.
"What is selflessness?"
Whitman frequently uses this first-person pronoun to emphasize the poem's personal and inclusive nature.
"I"
What is a main component of Transcendentalism that isn't about nature?
Valuing a simple life.
Inherent goodness of people.
Death and life are part of the great cycle.
Etc.
What does "i perceive after all so many uttering tongues" mean?
That the grass represents all those who have come before
The hawk "complains" about these two things Whitman is doing.
"What are gab and loitering?"
Whitman's understanding of the "large heart of heroes" reflects his belief in the essential role of these individuals in maintaining societal values.
"What is the common man?"
Whitman often uses this literary device, listing elements to create a rhythmic and comprehensive catalog.
Stream of consciousness
Transcendentalism was a push back to what?
Puritanism - viewing nature as filled with evil and peril
What literary device is repeated throughout the poem?
Metaphor
What literary device is present in these lines: "I too am not a bit untamed, I too am untranslatable."
Repetition
What specific types of people does Whitman catalogue as those that have suffered injustice?
Women burned as witches, slaves, and or people dying in battle
Whitman writes that every atom belonging to him also belongs to this.
"What is you (or the reader)?"