Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

 Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is widely regarded as one of the most influential poets in American history. He is considered as an early modern poet and a pioneer of free verse style of poetry. His work is like a cornerstone of American poetry that continues to influence modern poetry, and he remains one of the most widely read and studied poets in the world. He regarded himself, his country, his age, as the most perfect as he always believed that all creation is constantly advancing and progressing.

Whitman was born in 1819 in Long Island, New York. He grew up in a time of great change in America when the country was rapidly industrializing, there was a growing sense of national identity as it moved towards becoming a world power. This sense of national identity was reflected in the poetry of the time, which often celebrated the American experience and celebrated American values. However, Whitman saw things differently.  He pictured his time in the poems in an optimistic manner. He saw a bright future for his country. He had many admirers. He not only shaped his country through his work but unconsciously he had started a new trend in the field of literature also. He believed that the American experience was not just about individual freedom and democracy, but also about a sense of unity and community.

The influence of Walt Whitman on modern poetry cannot be overstated, he broke the traditional form of poetry and created a new style of poetry that was more in tune in the rhythm in ordinary speech. This poetic new style was a departure from the formal and rigid forms of poetry that was popular at the time. free verse was attractive to the modern poets because they didn’t like the restrictions and constraints imposed on poetry by meter and rhyme. Whitman is known for constructing smooth, flowing free verse and his poetry doesn’t follow a predetermined structure.