"Song of Myself": Chant 21

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the 21st chant of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" can be divided into four main parts: The first two lines function as an introduction of the basic themes, which are developed throughout the rest of the chant; the next three lines (line 3 to line 5) focus on the theme of the night, or rather the Night; lines 6 to 13 develop the theme of the Earth and, finally, the last two lines synthesise the whole in a notion of universal Love. The author points out that the first two lines of the chant take the form of a statement, which once again evokes the style and melody of Biblical poetry and especially the expression "I am he that...". The paper relates that Nature is seen from a cosmic point of view; the reader gets glimpses of the air, the water, the earth, as if the basic elements of the universe are uniting.

From the Paper:

"The vision of the Night which has shrouded the Earth is maintained throughout the third part too but without actually mentioning the Night itself. We have the allusion to sleep as the trees are "slumbering", the poet also uses the expressions "departed sunset" and "misty-topt" mountains. We have a whole nightscape by the end of the third part with the image of the "full moon" and the "dark... tide of the river". He proceeds from a description of a landscape to the creation of a more imaginary one, of a poetic landscape ("liquid trees"). It is also intensely personal, we have the unclear vision of a dreamer, and it is partly surreal and distorted. The description is freed from control of reason and consciousness."

More papers on "Song of Myself": Chant 21:

• Poem Review # 112929 : "Song of Myself"
• Analytical Essay # 63107 : "Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" and Structure"
• Analytical Essay # 5825 : "The Poet" and "Song of Myself"

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