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Walt Whitman Individualism Analysis

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Belonging to two entirely different eras, Walt Whitman and Allama Iqbal are notable poets of their respective age. Despite one being the poet of west and other being the poet of east, both shares a likeness in the concept of individualism. Taken wrong as egocentric, both poets’ concept of individualism rely on the belief that it is the key source for the communion of soul with universe that can only occur to one who is self-reliant, self-affirmed, self-controlled, and fearless. Firstly, both poets have been misunderstood by literary world in the context of their concept of individualism. Identifying it as ego-centric, some critics believe that Walt Whitman and Allama Iqbal rather stressed on an unity than whole. But A. Lunacharsky (1918) refutes …show more content…

Similarly, Iqbal refers God as the most unique Individual. He believes that an individual can attain individuality only when he creates in himself the attributes of God that eventually results into the absorption of God in him. As Iqbal states: “Its hands become God’s hand, The moon is split by its fingers” (Asrar-e-khudi, line 487 to 488). Thirdly, both poets show consent on the point that individuality demands self-reliance. According to Whitman one cannot claim individuality until he believes in his own instincts and explore things on his own because “a man or woman in Whitman’s eyes does not need anything but their own self to exist as a flourishing human being” (Sovenko, 2010, p.2). As Whitman states: “You shall no longer take things at second or third hand …nor look through the eyes of the dead, Nor feed on the specters in books, You shall not look through my eyes either, Nor take things from …show more content…

To Iqbal, when a man attains the state of individuality he actually absorbs God in himself. This absorption reveals on him that everything in this universe belongs to God and every benefit and harm comes from Him. This sets him free from all form of fear and makes him Iqbal’s Mard-e- Moomin (The perfect man): “One to whom God is as the soul in his body, His neck is not bowed before vanity. Fear finds no way into his bosom, His heart is afraid of none but Allah” (Asrar-e-Khudi, line 865 to 868). Sixthly, both poets regard self-affirmation as a vital step towards individuality. Whitman believed one should be acquainted with his qualities and flaws and must own his weaknesses as much as he celebrates his strengths. To him, one cannot reach the pinnacle of individuality unless he is self reliant and one cannot be self-reliant unless he goes through the stage of self-acceptance. Whitman’s this ideology makes his poetry the “poetry of self-affirmation” (Lemaster & Kummings, 2013, P. 309). “I exist as I am, that is enough, If no other in the world be aware I sit content, And if each and all be aware I sit content. One world is aware and by far the largest to

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