1. Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson
Two of the greatest American poets of the 19th century!

2. Walt Whitman personality - sociable and gregarious. He was a traveler.
expectations - wanted his message to be carried to the world.
famous - during his lifetime (Leaves of Grass published in 1855.)
poetic style
- public spokesman of the masses
- prophet of progress
- extravagant with words and careless with repetition and self-contradiction

3. Walt Whitman importance - model for 20th century poets (public)
used long lists (catalogues)
used “cadence” (the long easy sweep of sound that echoes the Bible and speeches of orators and preachers.)
often wrote in free verse (no rhyme or meter)
importance - model for 20th century poets (public)
personal life
born in May 1819
at the age of twelve, Whitman began to learn the printer's trade
at the age of 17, he began his career as teacher in a one-room school house in Long Island
continued to teach until 1841 and then turned to journalism as a full-time career
struggled to support himself through most of his life
at the outbreak of the Civil War, Whitman vowed to live a "purged" and "cleansed" life
died in March 1892

4. Emily Dickinson personality - very shy and a recluse
expectations - message was to die in oblivion
famous - after her death
poetic style
found in nature a metaphor for the spirit and recorded them with no thought for an audience
wrote with precision of a diamond cutter
meticulous focus on diction (choice of words)
aimed to evoke the feelings of things rather than simply to name them
economical technique
uses rhyme and meter

5. Emily Dickinson Importance - model for 20th century poets (private)
Personal life
Lived a life of self imposed seclusion in her family’s home after college (gradual shift to secluded life)
Born December 1830 in Massachusetts
Family was a pillar in the community (politically active family)
was a bright and intelligent student as a child
father was very strict; he censored her reading (“Whitman too inappropriate”)
was a descendent of early Puritan settlers (religion important)
Emerson had a great influence on her writing
wrote over 1,700 poems and many letters
died at the age of 55 from Bight’s disease, which is caused by kidney degeneration
after her death her sister found a boxful of Emily’s poems and letters
First set of Dickinson’s poems published by her sister (Vinnie) and family friend (Mabel) in 1893