American literature Romantic poets: Longfellow, Whitman and Dickinson

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ( ) New England poet Works  Works  Voices of the Night1839 《夜籁集》  Ballads and Other Poems1841 《歌谣及其他》  Evangeline 1847 《伊凡吉林》  Hiawatha 《海华沙之歌》  Tales of a Wayside Inn 1863, 1872, 1873 《路边酒肆的故事》  Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems1845 《布鲁茨的钟楼 及其他》  “A Psalm of Life”1838 《人生礼赞》

Evaluation  During the last years of his life, Longfellow received many honors, including honorary degrees from Cambridge and Oxford Universities in England.  After his death, a bust of Longfellow was placed in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey—the first American to be so honored.  In the late 19th century, Longfellow was without a doubt the most popular American poet.

Walt Whitman  One of the greatest innovators in American literature  He created a new form of poem: free verse  Major works of Whitman  Leaves of Grass  Drum-Taps  Song of Myself  I Hear America Singing  There was a Child Went Forth  O Captain, My Captain  When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d

Writing style:  Simple and natural, without orthodox meter or rhyme, poems were written to be spoken, but they have great variety in rhythm and tonal volume.  The central theme arises from Whitman's pantheistic view of life, from symbolic identification of regeneration in nature.  Whitman's use of free verse had a deep influence on poetry. He as a great inspiring example for the beat-generation (Ginsberg, Kerouac etc.)  Emerson's influence can be seen in Walt Whitman's writing.  Free verse: a kind of poetry that that does not confirm to any regular metre: the length of its lines is irregular, as is its use of rhyme-- if any. Whitman wrote most of his poems in free verse.

Emily Dickinson ( )  She wrote altogether 1775 poems, of which only seven appeared in print in her lifetime.  She writes about death and immortality, nature, religion, success and failure.  The largest portion of Dickinson’s poetry concerns death and immortality. For Dickinson, death leads to immortality.  Dickinson sees nature as both gaily benevolent and cruel.  On the ethical level, Dickinson holds that beauty, truth and goodness are ultimately one.  Now Emily Dickson has been ranked as one of America’s greatest poets.  Her poetry is read today throughout much of the world.

Works  Because I Could Not Stop for Death  I Heard a Fly Buzz—When I Died  My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close  I Like to See It Lap the Miles  Wild nights! Wild nights!  Tell all the Truth but tell it slant  I Died for Beauty, but was Scarce  I'm Nobody! Who are You?  Success is Counted Sweetest  Heart, we will forget him!  A wounded deer leaps highest

A narrow fellow in the grass A narrow fellow in the grass Occasionally rides; You may have met him,--did you not, His notice sudden is. The grass divides as with a comb, A spotted shaft is seen; And then it closes at your feet And opens further on. He likes a boggy acre, A floor too cool for corn. Yet when a child, and barefoot, I more than once, at morn, Have passed, I thought, a whip-lash Unbraiding in the sun,-- When, stooping to secure it, It wrinkled, and was gone. Several of nature's people I know, and they know me; I feel for them a transport Of cordiality; But never met this fellow, Attended or alone, Without a tighter breathing, And zero at the bone.