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Walt Whitman helped shape American poetry through his various works. In I Hear America Singing, he glorified the average working man in his Ideal Democracy. In the introduction to Leaves of Grass, Whitman expressed his belief in the common man and woman (Napierkowski 157). Whitman used many different themes to get his point across, and these themes shaped his work. The theme of common people in the American democracy sets the tone and wording, and contributes to the overall message of I Hear America Singing. Whitman's tone of the piece includes three main topics: individuals speaking for themselves, the common man and woman, and patriotism.
In the speakers view, American culture involves the song sung by each unique individual (Napierkowski 153). I Hear America Singing also shows Whitman's strong belief that the common man and woman are important in American society (Napierkowski 151); therefore, in his eyes the working class deserves just as much credit as the wealthy (Napierkowski 155). Marie Napierkowski believes that Whitman's poem elevates the common working-class American to an image of near perfection (155). The theme of intense patriotism in America and its greatness is shown in the poems first line (Napierkowski 151). The tone in the poem, now set up by Whitman, leads into the way the poem is worded.
Whitman uses wording in I Hear America Singing to show the people speaking are common and have their own individual words and characteristics. One phrase repeated throughout the poem, I hear, represents a different persons song each time it is stated. This phrase also shows the importance of the speaker and his or her individuality (Napierkowski 152). Each person represented in the poem is defined by their occupation, but they sing and express their individuality and uniqueness (Napierkowski 153).
Marie Napierkowski says the individual characters are singing what belongs to him or her and to no one else (151). After the characters sing their own songs, they come together and form one enormous choir. This choir represents America and her peoples uniqueness (Napierkowski 151). The message of I Hear America Singing is shown through this choir. Throughout the poem, Whitman describes America in many ways including what he thinks America should represent and his beliefs about America.
America is the entire group of the unique American individuals voices (Napierkowski 152). I Hear America Singing shows the working class at work and according to Napierkowski, These characters, according to the metaphor, are presented as being America (153). This image of America is of proud and healthy individuals (Miller 163) who are comprised of the working class. These working class men and women are cheerful, robust, and free (Napierkowski 157). The voice of America is also thought to be represented through Whitman in this poem (Semansky 161). Though Whitman tried to represent what he thought America is in this particular poem, hidden in between the lines of the poem are Whitman's beliefs about America and its culture.
Whitman wrote, in this poem, his beliefs of America and the American culture. According to Hampson, Whitman believed that America was in need of a race of singers and poems differing from all others (3). Whitman also tries to get across what he thinks America is and how America can become what she should be (Napierkowski 157). Whitman shows his belief, in I Hear America Singing, that the working class peoples pride in their work shows they have freedom (Semansky 161), and Whitman want them to keep this freedom.
The image of America Whitman and his fellow Americans would like to believe true is also presented in the poem (Miller 163). The other America shown in the poem is the image of the household wife in her duties. Whitman shows his view of women and what their job should be. Whitman's view of women tends to be similar to that of his fellow Americans of that time period, but in some ways he shows a vision of modern women. Whitman reversed the typical stereotypic view of women back in the nineteenth century. Instead of viewed as playing, having fun, or taking part in leisurely activities, Whitman's girl in I Hear America Singing is hard at work (Semansky 161).
Whitman is stating that women now have a place in the working class, which is very radical for that time period. Whitman also acknowledges women for their contributions, even when women did not have the right to vote (Napierkowski 153). The poem has a vision of women similar to todays view. Today, women are appreciated for their work, whether they work at jobs outside the home or are stay at home mothers (Napierkowski 153). A woman working was a radical idea for that time period, and yet, Whitman continues his radical thinking with common people being higher in status than the wealthy. I Hear America Singing shows that Whitman believed totally in the common, working class of people.
According to the poem, human achievement should not be measured by what a person does, but how a person goes about achieving these things (Napierkowski 154). In the nineteenth century, the nations wealthy were considered the high class citizens and received most of the press and awards (Napierkowski 155). This is still true in todays society. Also, the wealthy or upper-class was omitted from I Hear America Singing. This suggests that the speaker denies them a place in society (Napierkowski 151). In the poem, opposites are used to show the wide range of Americans (Napierkowski 154), but the wealthy are not included in this particular range of American citizens.
Whitman shows the working class, the women, and his beliefs so you can combine all of these ideas to achieve his ideal democracy. Whitman's ideal democracy is the theme that brings all of Whitman's ideas in I Hear America Singing together. The democratic vision he promotes call for the importance of the common man and woman in the American society (Napierkowski 157). The poem suggests the idea that the ideal American democracy is of the people, for the people, and by the people (Napierkowski 151).
Whitman proposes, in the poem, an America where the working people are above all others (Napierkowski 151). Whitman also came up with a way to have his so called ideal democracy in which the individual must do his or her own part and be valued for their work (Semansky 161). All of these ideas together form the ideal democracy Whitman wants to achieve. Whitman uses the theme of common people to set up the entire poem I Hear America Singing. The idea of the common man and woman in American society also constructs the tone and wording of the piece of literature. The main message of the poem, which includes the ideal democracy, finds its roots in the theme of the common man and woman.
So, given this insight, the common man and woman played a vast role in Whitman's tone, wording, and his message while he wrote the poem I Hear America Singing.
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