Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are considered the parents of American poetry. Positioned just after the American Renaissance and discussed before The Rise of Realism that reflected the Civil War, both poets have served as models for twentieth century poets. People have been drawn to each specific style and technique each author has mastered. It is their differences in literary style, subject matter, attitudes towards life, family, and personal lifestyles that are vastly different. Although their style and literature is uniquely different from each other, they both add similar literary quality to this period in literature.

This is 4 part activity + 1 extra credit part

Part 1- Back ground of Walt Whitman

Part 2- Back ground of Emily Dickinson

Part 3 Analysis of Whitman poems

Part 4 Analysis of Dickinson poems

Part 5 (EC)- You do not have to do this-- it is only for extra points. Write your own poem. 

You will need to to submit your work electroinally to me 

Please open a google document and copy or re-write the questions and then the answers. 

Part 1- Walt Whitman 

Walt Whitman http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/126

 What kinds of jobs did Whitman work?

What was the title of his first book with twelve untitled poems and a preface? What year was it published? What happened after it was published?  

 When was Whitman born and when did he die?

Part 2 Emily Dickinson

 http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/155

List three interesting facts about Dickinson’s life from the biography page:

List two ideas in or characteristics of her poetry:

When did Dickinson die? What was found after her death?

Why do you think Dickinson never published her poems? Support your answer with evidence from the article.

Part 3

A. “I Hear America Singing” http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15752

1. List the various types of jobs listed in Whitman’s poem. Do you think that Whitman’s life influenced this poem based on his biography?

2. What does the speaker mean when he says that each of these laborers are “singing?” Explain using examples from the poem.

3 Is the tone of the poem positive, negative, or neutral? Support your answer with words from the poem.

B. “America” http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20157

1. Is the tone of the poem positive, negative, or neutral? Support your answer with words from the poem.

2 Using the title as a clue, explain who the brothers and sisters are in the poem. What is their relationship to each other?

3. Who is the mother mentioned in the poem? Why is she "Chair'd in the adamant of Time?"4

4.  After reading “I Hear America Singing” and “America,” do you think Whitman is patriotic? Why or why not? 

Part 4 

A. “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15392

1. Why doesn’t the speaker want others to “advertise” who he/she is? Who/what is the speaker?

2. What does Dickinson compare being in the public eye to? Why?

3. What do you think Dickinson means when she says, “To tell one’s name- the livelong June- To an admiring Bog?” What's another way Dickison could have worded the line? (paraphrase)

4. Keeping in mind Dickinson's biography, could this poem be an introspective piece? Provide evidence to support your theory.

B. “Because I could not stop for Death” http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15395

1. What has just happened to the speaker in “Because I could not stop for Death?”

2. Is the tone positive, negative or neutral? Support your answer with words from the poem.

3. Describe the scenes the speaker passes by. Why might Dickinson have chosen these specific scenes to describe?

4. Explain how the speaker portrays Death in this poem - if at all?

Part 5- Extra Credit 

 Write your own poem.  Must be at least 15 lines.  You can write any type you want but see if you can challenge yourself and write a poem in the style of Whitman or Dickinson 

Due June 7, 2016  11:30.