About the Poet:
I HEAR AMERICA SINGING
Walt Whitman is a famous American poet. He was a prophet of democracy. Whitman is
considered as the father of free verse. Walt Whitman is a typical American poet. He always
breaks away from the tradition and creates a new trial.
Theme of the poem :
Whitman celebrates the freedom of the individual and the freedom enjoyed in the United
States.
Summary :
The poem underscores Whitman’s basic attitude towards America ,which is part of his
ideal human life. The American nation has based its faith on the creativeness of labour which is
glorified in the poem. The catalogue of craftsmen covers not only the length and breadth of the
American continent but also the large and varied field of American achievement. This poem
expresses Whitman’s love of America-its vitality, variety and the massive achievement which is
the outcome of the creative endeavor of its entire people. It also illustrates Whitman’s technique
of using catalogues consisting of a list of people. The poet hears the varied carols of all the people who contribute to the life and culture of
America. The mechanic, the carpenter, the mason, the boatman, the shoe maker and the wood
cutter all join in the chorus of the nation. The singing of the mother, the wife and the girl at work
expresses their joy and their feeling of fruition. They are highly individualistic men and women.
Each person sings ‘what belongs to him or her and to none else.’ At night young men sing loud
‘melodious ‘ songs. All of the workers mentioned are that of the labour class, they do manual
labour not desk work. Most likely they all ‘sing’ because the work they do causes some sort of
sound. Whitman is emphasising that each man can have pride in what he does, even if he
doesn’t make a lot of money .Each one is important to contribute to the strength of this country. He recognises the value of women’s work. Whitman shows the value of work in the American
society.This poem elucidates that an individual had a particular role to play on the society in
which he\she thrives. He encourages industry in America to be heard as something pleasant ,as a
chorus of many songs. The poet decides to glorify and celebrate work as well as a perception of
nationalism. Whitman is celebrating the greatness of America by celebrating the greatness of its
individuals. The democratic nature of Whitman’s poetry is reflected by his subject matter .He celebrates mechanics, carpenter s, masons, mothers-the type of people usually not discussed in
poems. For Whitman, it is the individual freedom that allows him to be great.
Literary terms used in this poem include rhythm, synecdoche, metaphor, repetition, and imagery.
1. Rhyme Scheme - There is no rhyme scheme. Whitman is the father of free verse. 2. Rhythm and Meter- There is no metrical pattern. He does use repetition, however, to create
rhythm.
3. Synecdoche - Of all the "I Hear America Singing" literary terms, none makes its mark more
strongly than synecdoche. "America" in line 1 represents individual Americans, more
specifically, workers. Each line of the poem is an example of synecdoche (a special type of
metaphor where the parts equal the whole or the whole equals the parts). Whitman is
celebrating the greatness of America by celebration ,the greatness of its individuals.
4. Word Choice - "Carols" in line 1 is a connotatively charged word. It is most often associated
with holy songs about Christmas. There is no other way to celebrate individuals and the
physical body than connecting it with the physical manifestation of God himself. 5. Metaphor - the sounds and actions of laborers working is compared to music. Note that all
the jobs described by Whitman require physical effort.
6. Repetition - The repetition of "the" in the final seven lines help create rhythm much in the
same way the repetition of worker’s actions establish a work rhythm.
7. The democratic nature of Whitman's poetry is reflected by his subject matter. He celebrates
mechanics, carpenters, masons, mothers--the type of people usually not discussed in poems. For Whitman, it is the individual who matters and the individual freedom that allows him to
be great--"Each singing what belongs to her"--that matters.
8. Theme: Whitman's poem celebrates the individuals who make America great and the right to
individual liberty that makes it possible
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