

Walt Whitman
Whitman's Early Life
- Whitman's early life was varied, including farming, journalism, and printing.
- He published his first piece at 15 and developed a lifelong obsession with print.
Whitman's Varied Career
- After a fire in Manhattan, Whitman worked various jobs, including writing a temperance novel.
- He funded his first poetry book through property speculation.
Emerson's Influence
- Emerson's essays and lectures called for a distinctly American poet, influencing Whitman.
- Emerson believed American nature offered a chance to escape European tradition and be original.




































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