The Artilleryman's Vision, By Walt Whitman
Nineteenth century poet Walt Whitman lived and wrote in a fascinating time period and changed the literary world, all while experiencing a unique American war first hand. A humanitarian as well as a writer, Whitman volunteered as a nurse during the Civil War where he experienced the horrors of mortality, yet felt spiritually content afterwards as well. His frequent interactions with the wounded and sick would further alter his poetry and life, in a way where he would be able to cope with his time spent among the battle. Traumatized by the aftermath of the brutal war, Whitman used his writing as a reflection of his mind and life as his involvement in both the depravity and nobility of human existence absorbed into every aspect of his spirit. …show more content…
Whitman starts off his poem with a peaceful tone to it, using words like “slumbering”, “stillness”, and “infant” to describe the serenity and trance the narrator is in (Source 2). However, there is a shift of mood four lines into the poem; the narrator begins to have flashbacks from the horrific battles. Whitman creates illustrations of the chaos of war, using phrases such as “cashing and smoking”, “suffocating smoke”, and “devilish exultation” to describe the hellish experiences the narrator is haunted by (Source 2). Whitman’s diction and stylistic choices also detail an ironic response to the tragedy of war. In line nineteen, he uses a parenthetical statement “(some special success)” to mock the applause from the soldiers for slaughtering their enemies. This use of irony evokes a form of resentment towards the war from the narrator, as he looks back on his experiences and realizes how barbaric war truly is. “The Artilleryman’s Vision” is a short reflection, albeit powerful, to the mind of Whitman himself. Although Whitman never particularly went into battle, his contact with the injuries and deaths of those who did, especially his own brother, took a personalized toll on him. With this effect, Whitman’s poem, and many others, became a way to turn the nightmare he lived through into something
The Artilleryman's Vision By Walt Whitman
336 Words | 2 Pages“In fantasy unreal, the skirmishers begin,” Walt Whitman states in “The Artilleryman’s Vision.” Walt Whitman is describing what happened during the Civil War. He described it like “suffocating smoke,” and, “warning s-s-t of the rifles. In “The Artilleryman’s Vision”, Walt Whitman uses imagery and tone to make it feel like you are living the war. Whitman starts the poem with the narrator in his room with his wife and his infant.
Walter Whitman's Accomplishments
395 Words | 2 PagesWalter Whitman was an American writer during the nineteenth century. Primarily, he was known for his practical poetry and down to earth style. In his work, he displayed both realistic and philosophical views. His works, are mainly drawn from both the love of his county and his theistic world view. Whitman was greatly influential to American literature and writings.
I Hear America Singing Response
753 Words | 4 Pagesrt-response prompt (15 points) Text: "I Hear America Singing" Walt Whitman uses imagery throughout "I Hear America Singing." Explain the imagery he uses. Then analyze the impact of his use of imagery on the overall meaning of the poem. Be sure to use specific details to support your answer.
Ted Hughes 'Bayonet Charge' And Wilfred Owen's Exposure
1571 Words | 7 PagesBoth Ted Hughes and Wilfred Owen present war in their poems “Bayonet Charge” and “Exposure”, respectively, as terrifying experiences, repeatedly mentioning the honest pointlessness of the entire ordeal to enhance the futility of the soldiers' deaths. Hughes’ “Bayonet Charge” focuses on one person's emotional struggle with their actions, displaying the disorientating and dehumanising qualities of war. Owen’s “Exposure”, on the other hand, depicts the impacts of war on the protagonists' nation, displaying the monotonous and unending futility of the situation by depicting the fate of soldiers who perished from hypothermia, exposed to the horrific conditions of open trench warfare before dawn. The use of third-person singular pronouns in “Bayonet
The Theme Of Empathy In Walt Whitman's I Understand The Large Hearts Of Heroes
170 Words | 1 PagesAnother example that Whitman uses to develop this theme is when he describes the story of the old artillerist, with the sights and sounds of the battlefield. Whitman is saying
The Impact Of All Quiet On The Western Front
1143 Words | 5 PagesOne of the things that happened in World War I that changed poets opinion on war was the mass death that occurred in the war. In total the casualties add up to about 37 million. That is more than half of the soldiers that were mobilized. The total number of deaths shows how much pain there was for so many people when they found their loved ones to be dead. That had to impact a lot of people all over and poets must've seen how badly War had hurt not only soldiers but everyone.
Analysis Of A Sight In Camp In The Daybreak Gray And Dim By Walt Whitman
701 Words | 3 PagesUsing imagery, Whitman depicts the grim conditions of war. As a soldier awakes to yet another working day with a musket, the beauties of this world seem to fail. As the soldier approaches a hospital tent Whitman writes, “Three forms I see on the stretcher lying, brought out their untended lying/ Over each the blanket spread, ample brownish woolen blanket.” Whitman uses this gloomy imagery to paint a horrid picture in our brains. He wants to drill in the readers mind these young men lying still and hopeless.
What Makes A Soldier Great And Dulce Et Decorum Est
303 Words | 2 PagesThe poem aims to glorify soldiers and certain aspects of war, it goes on to prove that in reality there really isn 't good vs bad on the battlefield, it 's just a man who "sees his children smile at him, he hears the bugle call, And only death can stop him now—he 's fighting for them all.", and this is our hidden meaning.
Stylistic Analysis Of The Poem Staying Alive
1040 Words | 5 Pages.Most poetry of this genre is based around the topic of World War One and World War Two. But also around other famous wars in history such as the American Civil War and Troubles in Northern Ireland. This poetry contains messages of hatred towards war and towards the idea of war. This section includes poetry of very famous poets who not only were alive during the war but some of whom also
Summary Of Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
2326 Words | 10 PagesWilliam McFeely suggests that Frederick Douglass, like Walt Whitman, has written a “Song of Myself” with his slave narrative. Both fairly known in their own time, I am going to look at how they compare and how they are different from each other. Frederick Douglass with his autobiographical slave narrative and Walt Whitman with his poem “Song of Myself”. The question becomes how Douglass creates himself through his narrative and how it compares to Whitman’s self in his poem.
The Wound Dresser By Walt Whitman Analysis
914 Words | 4 PagesWalt Whitman captures his audience’s attention with his realism poetry and free verse poetry throughout much of his life as a poet. Whitman was a man of the civil war era and in his poem “The Wound-Dresser” shows his life experiences in the war come full force in the way he conveys his contribution in the civil war. His view of the war as a wound-dresser and he describes some of the most horrendous scenes imaginable from the eyes of an everyday man. His poem “The Wound-Dresser” doesn’t show the war from a distance, but from right on the battlefield in its unedited version as written by Whitman. The way Whitman conveys his poems of the everyday man’s life in his time-period is presented by utilizing his realism style to connect to the audience and his gruesomely descriptive vocabulary.
Walt Whitman's I Hear America Singing
358 Words | 2 PagesWalt Whitman has shaped the face of American Poetry as his poetry has set many precedents for over-satisfactory poetry. Whitman exposes many American jobs, like boatman, mechanic, shoemaker etc. Through exploring these working classes, he describes their daily lives and what they do in their job. By using jobs, he ends every verse with the act of them singing. He invokes a thought of importance of music, in specific singing for all Americans.
Change In American Literature
970 Words | 4 PagesWalt Whitman, a very influential writer/poet during the later 1800’s stepped out of the normal
Democracy And Democracy In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
1125 Words | 5 PagesIn this grand poem, Whitman glorifies the unity of all people and life. He embraces the geographical diversity as well as the diversity of culture, work, as well as sexuality or beliefs. Whitman’s influence sets American dreams of freedom, independence, and self-fulfillment, and changes them for larger spiritual meaning. Whitman appreciates hard work as well as being simple and non-egotistical. His major ideas are things such as soul, good health, as well as the love of nature.
Analysis Of The Last Laugh By Wilfred Owen
1730 Words | 7 PagesWithin the context of recent history, Wilfred Owen is often considered the greatest writer of modern British war poetry. Composing the vast majority of his poems in a one-year time span, Owen found inspiration from his personal experiences fighting in World War I and fellow poets joining in the fight around him. Born in 1893, Owen grew up the oldest of four children, enjoying a particularly close relationship with his mother while his father remained distant. Owen graduated from Shrewsbury Technical School at age eighteen. Afterwards, Owen took numerous odd jobs throughout Europe, seemingly at a loss for his purpose in life.
More about The Artilleryman's Vision, By Walt Whitman
The Artilleryman's Vision By Walt Whitman
336 Words | 2 PagesWalter Whitman's Accomplishments
395 Words | 2 PagesI Hear America Singing Response
753 Words | 4 PagesTed Hughes 'Bayonet Charge' And Wilfred Owen's Exposure
1571 Words | 7 PagesThe Theme Of Empathy In Walt Whitman's I Understand The Large Hearts Of Heroes
170 Words | 1 PagesThe Impact Of All Quiet On The Western Front
1143 Words | 5 PagesAnalysis Of A Sight In Camp In The Daybreak Gray And Dim By Walt Whitman
701 Words | 3 PagesWhat Makes A Soldier Great And Dulce Et Decorum Est
303 Words | 2 PagesStylistic Analysis Of The Poem Staying Alive
1040 Words | 5 PagesSummary Of Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
2326 Words | 10 PagesThe Wound Dresser By Walt Whitman Analysis
914 Words | 4 PagesWalt Whitman's I Hear America Singing
358 Words | 2 PagesChange In American Literature
970 Words | 4 PagesDemocracy And Democracy In Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself
1125 Words | 5 PagesAnalysis Of The Last Laugh By Wilfred Owen
1730 Words | 7 Pages