Walt Whitman – Biography
Walt Whitman – Biography
Early Life
Walt Whitman was born Walter Whitman on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island, New York, USA. He was the second of nine children in a working-class family. His father, Walter Whitman Sr., was a carpenter, and his mother, Louisa Van Velsor Whitman, was a homemaker.
Whitman received little formal education but loved reading and writing from a young age. By age 12, he was working as a printer’s apprentice, and by 17, he had begun teaching in local schools.
Personal Life
Whitman never married, and much of his personal life remains private. Scholars believe he had close relationships with both men and women, but he was intensely private about his personal feelings. He lived a life dedicated to writing, journalism, and public service.
Literary Career
Walt Whitman is considered one of the greatest American poets and a central figure of American Romanticism and Transcendentalism.
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He began his career as a journalist and editor, writing essays, articles, and political commentary.
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Whitman is best known for his poetry collection “Leaves of Grass”, first published in 1855. He continually revised and expanded it throughout his life.
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His poetry celebrated democracy, individuality, nature, the human body, love, and the spirit of America.
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Whitman’s style was revolutionary for his time: he used free verse, long lines, repetition, and vivid imagery, breaking away from traditional poetic forms.
Some of his famous poems include:
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“Song of Myself” – a central work in Leaves of Grass, celebrating individuality and the human spirit.
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“O Captain! My Captain!” – written in memory of Abraham Lincoln.
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“I Sing the Body Electric” – celebrating the human body and its connection to the soul.
Later Life
During the American Civil War, Whitman worked as a volunteer nurse in hospitals in Washington, D.C., caring for wounded soldiers. This experience deeply influenced his later poetry.
In his later years, Whitman lived in Camden, New Jersey, where he continued writing, revising Leaves of Grass, and corresponding with admirers and fellow writers.
Death
Walt Whitman died on March 26, 1892, at the age of 72 in Camden, New Jersey, due to pneumonia. He was buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden.
Legacy
Whitman is celebrated as the father of free verse and a pioneer of modern American poetry. His works continue to inspire readers with their celebration of democracy, individuality, and the beauty of everyday life. He is remembered as a poet who gave voice to the American experience and human spirit.
✨ Famous Quote by Walt Whitman:
“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.”
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