Whitman Biography and Context
In what year was Walt Whitman born?
1819
“I am not what you supposed, but far different.” Which poem is this line from?
(Answer: “Whoever You Are Holding Me Now in Hand”)
“Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer.” Which poem is this line from?
(Answer: “Beat! Beat! Drums!”)
Name the four thematic categories of Whitman's poems we will be studying.
The moral imperative, as well as the physical and spiritual costs, of conflict
Metaphysics of the human body, soul and interconnected existence
Poems of ‘American Identity’ and Collective Humanity
Innate Necessity of Human Connection
Which pop star is known as the “Queen of Pop”?
(Answer: Madonna)
Which famous poetry collection did Whitman publish (and revise throughout his life)?
(Answer: Leaves of Grass)
“yet cannot carry us diverse forever” Which poem is this line from?
(Answer: “Out of the Rolling Ocean the Crowd”)
“Till the bridge you will need be form’d—till the ductile anchor hold.” Which poem is this line from?
(Answer: “A Noiseless Patient Spider”)
Whitman often connects nature with what larger theme?
(Answer: Spirituality / the human soul / democracy)
What is the highest-grossing film of all time (as of 2025)?
(Answer: Avatar)
What was Whitman’s job during the American Civil War that connected him to the suffering of soldiers?
(Answer: Volunteer nurse / hospital visitor)
In “Whoever You Are Holding Me Now in Hand,” what warning does the poet give to the reader?
(Answer: That the reader may grow tired, or misunderstand, and should let go if not truly committed.)
In “How Solemn as One by One,” what is being counted as they pass?
(Answer: Soldiers as they return from the war.)
Whitman celebrates the physical body and sensuality in his poems. This connects to his theme of the unity of what two things?
(Answer: The body and the soul)
In the TV show Stranger Things, which 1980s board game is central to the kids’ friendship?
(Answer: Dungeons & Dragons)
Whitman is often called the “poet of” what political system?
(Answer: Democracy)
In “Out of the Rolling Ocean the Crowd,” what does the single soul represent when it speaks to the poet?
(Answer: A universal connection between souls / the shared human spirit.)
In “I Saw in Louisiana a Live Oak Growing,” what does the oak tree symbolize for Whitman?
(Answer: Strength and independence, but also his longing for companionship / male love.)
In poems like Beat! Beat! Drums! and How Solemn as One by One, Whitman explores the theme of what major historical conflict?
(Answer: The American Civil War)
Which artist painted the Mona Lisa?
(Answer: Leonardo da Vinci)
Between which years was the American Civil War fought?
1861-1865
Whitman likes to explore the relationship between poet and reader (or soul and soul). What larger Whitman theme does this reflect and what movement drove his belief?
(Answer: Connection and intimacy beyond the individual — the democratic bond between all people / universal brotherhood.) Transcendentalism
Both “Beat! Beat! Drums!” and “How Solemn as One by One” deal with the Civil War. How do their tones differ?
(Answer: “Beat! Beat! Drums!” is urgent and disruptive, showing war invading daily life; “How Solemn as One by One” is mournful and reflective, focused on loss.)
Whitman’s poetry often emphasizes inclusivity, writing for all people. What overarching theme does this reflect?
(Answer: Democracy and equality / universal brotherhood)
In the Harry Potter series, what position does Harry play in Quidditch?
(Answer: Seeker)