Answer the following questions about his life, after watching the video:
1. Why is he considered a revolutionary man in poetry?
2. When and where was he born?
3. Did he go to University? Why? Why not?
4. What was his first job?
5. He was very modern in his ideas. Write down the names of some of his worries.
6. What´s the title of his greatest work? Why is it so important in the world of poetry?
7. When he moved to Washington because of the Civil War, how did he spend his time? Where did he go?
8. His experiences in Washington influenced him a lot in his next pieces of writing. In what sense?
9. Why is he considered the poet of Democracy?
10. What health problem did he suffer from?
We are going to read and study 3 of his poems:
- TEARS
- BEAT! BEAT! DRUMS!
- I HEAR AMERICA SINGING
1. TEARS
Tears! tears! tears!
In the night, in solitude, tears,
On the white shore dripping, dripping, suck'd in by the sand,
Tears, not a star shining, all dark and desolate,
Moist tears from the eyes of a muffled head;
O who is that ghost? that form in the dark, with tears?
What shapeless lump is that, bent, crouch'd there on the sand?
Streaming tears, sobbing tears, throes, choked with wild cries;
O storm, embodied, rising, careering with swift steps along the beach!
O wild and dismal night storm, with wind--O belching and desperate!
O shade so sedate and decorous by day, with calm countenance and
regulated pace,
But away at night as you fly, none looking--O then the unloosen'd ocean,
Of tears! tears! tears!
2. BEAT! beat! drums!--Blow! bugles! blow!
| 3. 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 his, 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; | |
| The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench—the hatter singing as he stands; | |
| The wood-cutter’s song—the ploughboy’s, on his way in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown; | |
| The delicious singing of the mother—or of the young wife at work—or of the girl sewing or washing—Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else; | |
| The day what belongs to the day—At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, | |
| Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs |
If you are interested in Whitman, you can watch this film to learn more things about his poetry, topics, style, feelings and impact of his poetry.
https://www.learner.org/catalog/extras/vvspot/Whitman.html
