References to Homosexuality in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself

References to Homosexuality in Walt Whitmans Song of Myself WHITMAN WAS MORE MAN THAN YOULL EVER BE, said a student of Louisiana State University. When asked questions of your sexual preference or thoughts on the issue of sex, I would venture to say it makes most people uncomfortable. This is an age-old topic that people know about, yet do not want to talk about. He was particularly reticent about his issues regarding sex and his particular sexual preference. In fact, of Whitmans struggles the most difficult for him to deal with was his ever so strong homosexual desires (Hubbell 283). Whether homosexuality is right or wrong is not for me to decide. Though I feel it should not be used so explicitly in works of†¦show more content†¦Section 11 reflects on a woman standing behind her blinds and imagining intercourse with a band of young men swimming in the river below. This is an obvious depiction of the poets world as he sees it. Whitman, in his works, dramatizes the compulsion to define oneself according to ones sexuality. In his c onfession of homosexuality, it is an obligatory act of speech which breaks the bonds of discretion or forgetfulness (Killingworth 52). His biography makes it clear that Whitman dealt with his intimacies with men throughout his life. His relations were very close and ardent. It was without a doubt his art that saved him by permitting him to express the troubled passions, which haunted him. His poetry was said to be a means of purification for him (Hubbell 284). Ok. So those are the facts. Now lets examine Song Of Myself and Whitman with greater detail. There are several sections in this poem that enhance our knowledge on the stand Whitman is taking toward his body and sexuality. He begins in Section 4 with a reflection on the Real Person. Or what he views as Real. He states, The real or fancied indifference of some man or woman I love. This stanza depicts Whitmans view on sexuality and on equality. He obviously, in this stanza shows no favoritism toward either gender. He is saying that he loves both equally regardless of any differences. HeShow MoreRelatedWhitman and Homosexuality Essay3150 Words   |  13 PagesWhitman and Homosexuality While responses to Whitmans poetry have always been diverse in some ways, the interpretations of his homosexuality can be divided into three stages. In general terms, Whitmans earliest critics tried to deny Whitmans deviance; later critics accepted his homosexuality yet framed it as a marginalized truth; and contemporary critics have exploded in response to these years of oppression, outing Whitman in loud declarations of his intense feelings for men. Read MoreLeaves of Grass by Walt Whitman Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesLeaves of Grass by Walt Whitman In the twentieth century, the name Walt Whitman has been synonymous with poetry. Whitmans most celebrated work, Leaves of Grass, was the only book he ever wrote, and he took a lifetime to write it. A large assortment of poems, it is one of the most widely criticized works in literature, and one of the most loved works as well. Whitman was unmarried and childless, and it has been noted that Leaves of Grass consumed him greatly; James E. Miller Jr. writes: #8230;heRead MoreEssay on Whitmans Music as a Means of Expression2414 Words   |  10 PagesWhitmans Music as a Means of Expression In his verses, Walt Whitman eradicates divisions of individual entities while simultaneously celebrating their unique characteristics. All components of the universe are united in a metaphysical intercourse, and yet, are assigned very distinct qualities so as to keep their identities intact. Often times, Whitman demonstrates these conceptions through elements of song. â€Å"Walt Whitman caroled throughout his verse. For the Bard of Democracy, as America came