Walt Whitman
By: Taylor Olson
Biography
Walter Whitman was an american poet born May 31, 1819 in West Hills, New York. He was the second of eight children and grew up in a family of modest means. Whitman's love for America and it's democracy influenced his parents to name some of their children after their favorite American heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson. When Walt was 11 his father, who was having trouble supporting his family, pulled him out of school to work. Walt found employment in the printing business, but then, at the age of 17, turned to teaching. He taught for five years until 1841 and then set his sights on journalism. He started a newspaper called the Long-Islander. Then in 1846, Walt became editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, a prominent newspaper. Nine years later, in 1855, he published 'Leaves of Grass', which is now a landmark in American literature.
"O Captain! My Captain"
About a man praising a captain who leads his ship and crew into the harbor after a long and dangerous voyage.
"Song of Myself"
Talks about how much he loves the world, especially nature, and how everything fits together perfectly. How everything is good to him and nothing is bad, and how nature has patterns that fit together like a well-built house.
"1861"
About the struggles during war and how hard the year was.
Mini BIO - Walt Whitman
Leaves of Grass
It was a collection of poetry written over Walt's entire lifetime organized thematically into sections, published in 1855 and contained twelve poems and a prose preface. Became a landmark in American literature.