Walt Whitman's Leaves Of Grass Was The Word Myself

One word that stuck out to me most in Walt Whitman’s collection of poems, Leaves of Grass, was the word “myself”. The word appears in the text a total of sixty times giving the word many interpretations. Each poem win this collection has its own focus point although, many share similar ideas. Whitman’s promotes his belief’s and he is able to do so by using the word “myself”. By using the word Whitman is asserting himself in each poem even if it specifically is not about him. Throughout the use of the single word “myself” Walt Whitman is able to speak in depth about equality between all humans, compassion and pain of others, and his relationship with god. Each show to be just as important to him as the next. The premise of equality is essential

A quote where we see Whitman show how compassionate he is with his quote, “Agonies are one of my changes of garments; I do not ask the wounded person how he feels . . . . I myself become the wounded person, My hurt turns livid upon me as I lean on a cane and observe.” ( Whitman Raaaa). This quote from Whitman is incredibly powerful. He puts himself in the shoes of a wounded person and treats them how he would want to be treated. He creates this connect by saying “I myself become the wounded person”. These signs of compassion for others in painful circumstances does not stop with injuries. Later in the text he says “I become any presence or truth of humanity here, And see myself in prison shaped like another man, And feel the dull unintermitted pain.” (Whitman 44) This quote again shows how Whitman feels for all people. Although this person is incarcerated for a crime he committed, Whitman shows forgiveness and feels the pain this man feels. Whitman is able to portray all of these feelings by using the word “myself”. In each of these two quotes he is able to connect himself with another human being and put himself in their shoes. This allows for the reader to truly see how compassionate Whitman

Whitman touches upon his relationship with god through the word “myself” when he states, “I swear I will never mention love or death inside a house, And I swear I never will translate myself at all, only to him or her who privately stays with me in the open air.” (Whitman boobs). This quote from Whitman explain how he views his relationship with his god. He is expressing that he does not speak upon love or death with other people, but he will speak in privately with the god who walks with him everyday. This is a pivotal message for the readers as it captures Whitman’s sense of religion. He throughout the text has shown us numerous times his relationship to other humans and animals but now we begin to see his relationship with his god. He asserts himself by using the word “myself” and captures a belief that he strongly embraces. Another similar quote appears later in the text. Whitman talks about his relationship to god again when he says, “No array of terms can say how much I am at peace about God and about death. I hear and behold God in every object, yet I understand God not in the least, Nor do I understand who there can be more wonderful than myself.” (Whitman 55) This quote is much more straight forward but relays the similar message. Alike the first quote he shows how god is with him in everything and everyday yet here he goes more in-depth as to what god means to him. He views