Walt Whitman

In Our Time

BBC

History

4.6 • 9.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 May 2023

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the highly influential American poet Walt Whitman. In 1855 Whitman was working as a printer, journalist and property developer when he published his first collection of poetry. It began: I celebrate myself, And what I assume you shall assume For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. The book was called Leaves of Grass. In it, Whitman set out to break away from European literary forms and traditions. Using long lines written in free verse, he developed a poetry meant to express a distinctively American outlook. Leaves of Grass is full of verse that celebrates both the sovereign individual, and the deep fellowship between individuals. Its optimism about the American experience was challenged by the Civil War and its aftermath, but Whitman emerged as a celebrity and a key figure in the development of American culture. With Sarah Churchwell Professor of American Literature and the Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of London Peter Riley Lecturer in 19th Century American Literature at the University of Exeter and Mark Ford Professor of English and American Literature at University College London Producer Luke Mulhall

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.
0:04.7	Thanks for downloading this episode of In Our Time.
0:07.3	There's a reading list to go with it on our website and you can get news about our
0:10.7	programs if you follow us on Twitter at BBC In Our Time.
0:14.6	I hope you enjoyed the program.
0:16.2	Hello, in July 1855, a Brooklyn printer, journalist and property developer called Walter
0:21.2	Whitman publishes first collection of poetry.
0:24.0	It began, I celebrate myself, and what I assume, you shall assume.
0:29.1	For every atom belongs to me, as good belongs to you.
0:33.0	The book was called Leaves of Grass.
0:34.8	In it, Whitman set out to break away from European literary forms and traditions.
0:39.8	Using long lines written in free verse, he developed a poetry meant to express a distinctive
0:44.6	American outlook.
0:46.9	Leaves of Grass is full of verse that celebrates both the sovereign individual and the deep
0:51.0	fellowship between individuals.
0:52.8	Its optimism about the American experience was challenged by the civil war and its aftermath
0:57.1	but Whitman emerged as a celebrity and a key figure in the development of American culture.
1:03.1	We need to discuss what Whitman or Sarah Churchill, Professor of American Literature and Public
1:07.9	Understanding of Humanities at the University of London, Peter Riley, lecturer in 19th century
1:13.0	American Literature at the University of Exeter and Mark Ford, Professor of English and American
1:17.5	Literature at University College London.
1:20.1	Mark Ford, can you tell us about Whitman's family in early life?
	...

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