Question

In your opinion, did Whitman's use of free verse in "Song of Myself" help him to connect with his readers? Give reasons for your answers. Your response should be at least 150 words.

Answer 1

Answer:

yes, Whitman's uses of free verse in "Song of Myself" help him to connect with his readers because:

1. He uses tons of repetition, including the repetition of words at the beginning of lines, called "anaphora."

2. His stanzas are frequently long lists, called "catalogues." which helps readers to be connected.

3. His lines are generally longer than those in most other classic poems that facilitates the understanding of

4.  His ear for rhythm is probably his greatest poetic strength.

5. He seems to slip into a traditional use of stresses and beats, as in this phrase from Section 1:  Hous-es and rooms are full of per-fumes.

6. He uses to  vary his length and change from topic to topic without warning which allows to percive his refreshing and liberating experience.

Answer 2

Walt Whitman's use of free verse in his detailed poem "Song of Myself" allows readers to universally connect and explore with Whitman's view on his time period and humanity, along with elements of nature, both in the human and earthly sense. Whitman's consistent use of flowing thought unveils any sense of pre meditated words and rather allows readers to experience the raw and unedited thought process of the poet. Whitman's honesty in stanzas such as four and six acknowledge that he is both his own person and no more than any other being. His humble truth in lines such as in stanza six with, "How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he.", shows a preview into Whitman's view on equivalent uncertainty despite age. The poet also makes sure to expand on his views as he explains how death is only the beginning of another in stanza seven. To conclude, the free verse style of "Song of Myself" is an excellent strategy to allow readers to connect with the viewpoints of past poet, Walt Whitman.