I sit and look out poem. I Sit and Look Out. poem 2022-10-03
I sit and look out poem Rating:
5,4/10
576
reviews
"I Sit and Look Out" is a poem by Walt Whitman that reflects on the poet's feelings of isolation and despair as he observes the world around him. The poem is written in free verse, which allows Whitman to convey the raw, emotional intensity of his thoughts and feelings.
The poem begins with the phrase "I sit and look out," which immediately sets a tone of contemplation and introspection. The speaker is positioned on the outside looking in, as if he is a spectator rather than an active participant in the world. This sense of detachment is further emphasized by the use of the verb "look," which suggests that the speaker is observing rather than engaging with his surroundings.
As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on the various events and situations that he witnesses from his perch. He speaks of "the clouds of the west" and "the beautiful uncut hair of graves," suggesting that he is contemplating the impermanence and transience of life. He also speaks of "the black ships" and "the fallen fighting men," which suggests that he is thinking about conflict and the destructive nature of humanity.
Despite the bleakness of these observations, the speaker finds solace in the natural world, which he describes as "the land, the body of me and the body of you." The use of the word "body" suggests a sense of physical connection and unity with the earth, which provides a source of comfort and hope.
Ultimately, "I Sit and Look Out" is a poignant and thought-provoking poem that explores the human experience of isolation and despair, as well as the ways in which we seek solace and connection in the world around us. Through the use of vivid imagery and emotional language, Whitman invites readers to consider the complex and often conflicting emotions that shape our perceptions of the world and our place within it.
I Sit And Look Out by Walt Whitman
He writes nothing at all about the ongoing slaughter of native Americans. . These emotions pertain to jealousy and unrequited love that hides its feelings to mask the ego. He highlights the fact that capitalism creates inequality and misery for the many while benefiting only a few. As he sanitized American history, his own image has been equally sanitized.
I Sit And Look Out By Walt Whitman, Famous Sad Poem
Thus the whole poem comes across as a satire on the standpoint of the modern observer. This kind of repetition is called consonance; alliteration is a subcategory of consonance. The last line of the poem conveys a helplessness and inability to address these perennial issues. The poem is a timeless critique of capitalism and its harmful effects on the lives of ordinary people. He even goes so far as to lament the death of Custer and all his brave beautiful young men with lovely bodies. He allows the readers to make their own interpretations without moral impositions. For the speaker, these are mere sights, and he does not possess any insights regarding them.
I Sit And Look Out Theme Essay on Poem, Walt whitman
Alliteration is a rhetorical device or figure of speech in which a consonant sound is repeated in words that are near each other. This is because the problems that Whitman highlights in the poem, such as exploitation, inequality, and poverty, are still prevalent in capitalist societies. Whitman's narrator makes note of the pain of former soldiers "secret convulsive sobs from young men, at anguish with themselves, remorseful after deeds done" , mothers misused by their children, wives misused by their husbands, the pain of being unloved or of being jealous, and broader suffering—famine, pestilence, and tyranny. This also represents the speaker, who does nothing and remains stagnant. The narrator is looking out of the window at life- and all that he sees is Sorrow, Suffering, Corruption and Degradation of society. The use of free verse echoes the continuity of the situation.
To figure out where the stressed syllable falls, use a dictionary. In this poem, the speaker is merely an onlooker, not someone to get involved in all these negative affairs of society. The century saw a fundamental transformation in the lives of individuals, with the rat race for materialistic possessions growing more prominent and principles being relegated to the sidelines. He observes the poor, laborers and negroes treated like objects in the capitalist world subject to penury, repression and deterioration. While the alliteration in line 5 does provide atmosphere perhaps the sound of the waves breaking on the shore , it also draws attention to a homonymic pun between "see" and "sea": Although the two words are spelled differently, they sound the same. It seems to me that some of the most powerful poetry in this strain tends to do exactly what you've done-- they make a divide between a past and present self, a good and bad self. Having an albatross hung around their neck ,they are remorseful for their actions.
Poetry Analysis: Walt Whitman’s “I Sit and Look Out “
She is a contributing writer to Synonym. Based in Montreal, Emily Valentine has been editing academic papers and writing short stories since 2001. In line 7 the words "sea" and "sailors" alliterate. Whitman was a believer in Individualism. In the manipulative and calculative rat race, principles were relegated and human concerns sidelined.
As the previous educator mentions, the poem is a catalog of all of the cruelties and acts of meanness that human beings inflict upon one another. He missed by miles. In this poem, Walt Whitman comments on various matters, but passes no judgement. However, despite his detached air, it is clear that Whitman is deeply affected by what he sees and that he feels a great deal of compassion for the suffering of others. I read it as the singular example of Whitman actually being self critical. He catalogues this collective collapse of humanity piled one upon the other.
She lies emaciated, distressed dying in solitude, when she needs her children the most. Paroxysmal sobs can be heard from youth stifled with the disillusionment of the World War. What he presents to the world is a white wash, America sanitized. Also, the idea of looking out highlights how he in the confinement of complacency, is far removed from the suffering multitudes. The husband comes across as a callous lover who seduces young women and ruthlessly deceives them.
I Sit and Look Out by Walt Whitman Poem & Analysis
Whitman makes a compelling case against the exploitative nature of capitalism. . The speaker is content to just sit and watch from afar. Still lower, the speaker visualizes the mother taken advantage of by her very own children. All the observations were made during the poets time, the 20th century, and sadly the world has not changed since then.
