Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson : poetry of the self

Abstract

The task of this dissertation is to consider the self-conscious poetry of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson in light of the individualism that dominated American thought in the nineteenth century. Through analysis and comparison of various poetic texts this study will explore the notion of the self in their works. Chapter I considers the Transcendental elements in Whitman and Dickinson's poetry, recognising Ralph Waldo Emerson's theory of self-reliance as the primary source of their convergence. Various aspects of Whitman and Dickinson' s poetry can be traced back to the work of Emerson. Whitman's desire to give a voice to the American people and Dickinson's introspective, highly symbolic poetry are reminiscent of some of Emerson's main concerns. The next chapter analyses Whitman's poetry, with particular reference to his most famous poem, 'Song of Myself'. The dualism of body and soul in his work is identified as one of his major thematic concerns. Whitman's poetry of the self is shown to be egocentric and naturalistic. Universality, however, is the defining characteristic of Whitman's self. Emily Dickinson's self will be explored in the third chapter, and her meditative, private poetic persona is contrasted with Whitman's more confident, all inclusive self. Her poetry conveys the experience of confronting an utterly disillusioned self-consciousness, and this chapter will explore the self-doubt and conflict that Dickinson attempts to defeat through her art. This dissertation explores the theme of self-exploration in the poetry of two pioneering American poets, who draw inspiration from within themselves. Whitman and Dickinson mark the beginning of a tradition of individualist American poetry of the inner consciousness. Their work inspired many American artists after them, and the Conclusion will consider their legacy in later literature.