Reference poems by Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson in American Romanticism

¶ … Walt Whitman or Emily Dickinson exemplifies the Romantic Movement in American literature

Romantic Movement in American Literature

The Romantic Movement reached America in the 19th century. In America, Romanticism became sophisticated and distinctive as it was in Europe. American Romantics illustrated high levels of moral enthusiasm, devotion to individualism, an emphasis on intuitive point-of-view, and an assumption that the globe was naturally good; however, the reality was that corruption prevailed in human society. Romanticism influenced American politics, philosophy and art. This movement appealed to the radical spirit of America including those aiming to free from the stern religious traditions (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176). In addition, the movement gave rise to New England Transcendentalism, which represented an unlimited relationship between God and the globe. The poetry of Dickinson and the romantic realism of Walt Whitman are typical examples of American Romantic Literature.

Emily Dickson greatly influenced American Romanticism. She did this owing to her imagery, wisdom and questioning of life's meanings, which in turn left a mark on the American Literature. Although she published few poems, after her death, her sister published several of her poems. The subjects of Dickinson's poetry varied from nature to religion, and some of them emphasized the difficulty and necessity of faith. In addition, she used unconventional "nonliterary" methods available for some poetry work; however, she used traditional variations in some other works. For instance, in the poem, "Because I could not stop for Death," the ideas of romanticism are apparent. The subject of humanity mortality is present in Dickinson's poem and discusses the question of what lies beyond death (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176). Clearly, this relates to subjects on Romanticism and reveals that Dickinson desired knowledge and wisdom on what the future and eternity hold.

Dickinson's religious stance contrasts with Melville's fundamentally in her close link to the Congressionalist Calvinism of the Connecticut Valley region where she lived, and identified as a "religious poet." Dickinson's work consistently responded to specific strains of Christian tradition. Into the bargain, the historical circumstances of Calvinist New England greatly influenced Dickinson. However, she emerged from the Puritan culture of Edward Taylor and Anne Bradsheet. These religious poems revealed a commitment to the particular religious attitudes. In addition, they revealed a process of ever shifting devotions, unwilling to devote to any of them revealing a religious uncertainty (Shawcross 71-90).

A review of Melville's poems in comparison to Dickinson's poems reveals that in the latter, there is an unmistakable sense of Christian piety. A good example is in "Unto Me'? I do not know you-," in the poem, the poet at the time of her death did not know Jesus. However, she confronts Jesus and asks where his "House" is, in response; Jesus tells her it is in Paradise. This poem does not point out the ambivalence about paradise (Flibbert 129-137). For instance, in Dickinson's letter to Wentworth, where she aims to flee from enchantment, Jesus suggests that the speaker should trust omnipotence; however, she upholds her unworthiness. Jesus replies again, by assuring the speaker that among the occupants of his "House," there is a reverse of worldly hierarchies. In this poem, the divine is gentle and inviting.

In comparison to Elisa The regenerate Lyric, this is among the compelling treatments in the field of Romanticism. This poem aims to trace how poems work through a religious attitude not conventional, but rather speculative, theological, and meditative, and mystical. The poem further focus on the tension between poetic seeing and that idolatry represented by Christian reviles. In contrast to Dickinson, she attaches value to a blind and wandering language as a spiritual instrument. In addition, Dickinson aims at finding a place where God marks his domain. Her poems reflect theological thinking characterized by extra cultural, physical, practical and virtually mystical (Monte 21-51). However, in comparison to Taylor's poem, in "Divine Unnameability," her interest is similar to Taylor's because it brings her outside her transcendental times.

Both Kierkegaard and Dickinson are poets who have shown they can lay the groundwork to deal with hope because they can adumbrate the Christianity queasy. This Christianity re-attaches to self-reliance its due of solitary terror. This is further possible because Kierkegaard can explain how Dickson avoids the transcendental alternative despite the risk of losing, first center, then identity and finally coherence. Dickinson and Kierkegaard poetry works are fundamental to the religious experience because they yield the sense of God as centered in the world making God's order manifest through revelations (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176).

In one of Kierkegaard poems, he tries to displace God from the center of the world influencing the identity between human reason and God. This identity forms a significant point for transcendental confidence and dependence of Romanticism. According to Dickinson, it is evident that her interest in the "center" stops as she comes out to see the center then the circumference. At the center, Dickinson finds the doctrine in the place where God asks hard questions. However, at the circumference, she finds the blasphemy of the devil's doubts. The poet means that, if the center reflects self-reliance and idolatry for the hard questions, then the circumference can associate the poet with Satan.

In most of her poems, Dickinson proves she is not a Transcendentalist. However, many critics who suggest that Dickinson seeks a somewhat timeless transcend, that is why they categorize her as Transcendentalist. In addition, Dickinson is familiar with transcend writings, but she did not invoke and evoke a sense of transcend that does not involve Christian belief (Monte 21-51). In addition, Dickinson does not explicitly link herself with her thought. In contrast to Whitman, for example, this poet connects her body of work and poetry, which appears conflicted to qualify as Transcendentalist. Although Dickinson shares Transcendentalist enthusiasm for intimations of divination in the globe, she finds power of such divinity too great for human beings to bear (Dickinson and Thomas 40-176). One of her critics suggests that Dickinson takes a simplistically rebellious approach that calls for urgent spiritual inquiry.