Walt Whitman was a pioneering figure in American literature and is often referred to as the "father of free verse." Born in 1819 in Long Island, New York, Whitman was the second of nine children in a working-class family. He had little formal education, but was a voracious reader and taught himself about a variety of subjects.
Whitman's early career was varied and included stints as a teacher, journalist, and government clerk. However, it was his poetry that would ultimately bring him fame and establish him as a major American literary figure.
Whitman's first major work, Leaves of Grass, was published in 1855 and was met with mixed reviews. The collection of poems was unorthodox in its style and subject matter, as it celebrated the individual and the body in a way that was considered scandalous at the time. However, the book was also praised for its innovative use of language and its celebration of the American spirit.
Over the course of his career, Whitman continued to publish new editions of Leaves of Grass, adding to and revising the poems in the collection. He also wrote a number of other works, including a collection of Civil War poems and a novel.
Whitman's poetry was characterized by its free verse style, which broke with traditional poetic forms and allowed him to explore a wide range of subjects and emotions. His poems often celebrated the beauty of nature and the common man, and were infused with a sense of optimism and hope.
Whitman's work had a significant impact on the course of American literature and influenced a number of other poets, including Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. Today, he is considered one of the greatest American poets and his work continues to be studied and admired by readers around the world.
