Kana

【American Literature】

《week 14》

《Walt Whitman》

Walt Whitman: Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. He is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse.

《Free verse》

Free verse: Free verse is an open form of poetry. It does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural speech.

Free verse ←→Blank verse

《O Captain! My Captain!》

O Captain! My Captain!: O Captain! My Captain! is an extended metaphor poem written in 1865 by Walt Whitman, about the death of American president Abraham Lincoln. The poem was first published in the pamphlet Sequel to Drum-Taps which assembled 18 poems regarding the American Civil War. Throughout the paper there is a distinct rhyme scheme, which is unusual for Whitman. The rhyme scheme in it is AABCDEFE, GGHIJEKE, and LLMNOEPE for each stanza respectively. Two examples of alliteration are in line 10 “flag is flung”, as well as in line 19 “safe and sound”. Repetition occurs many times in this poem, for example “O Captain! My Captain”, and “fallen cold and dead”.

《Abraham Lincoln》

Abraham Lincoln: Abraham Lincoln was the 16^th president of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He led the United States through its Civil War.

• Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
• You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.
• Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
• Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.
• Force is all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived.
• Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
• I am not concerned that you have fallen – I am concerned that you arise.
• You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.
• I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.
• It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.
• I will prepare and some day my chance will come.
• That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
• The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.
• Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.
• Government of the people, by the people, for the people.

《Dead Poets Society》

Dead Poets Society: Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the northeast United States in 1959, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his student through his teaching of poetry.

Trailer → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lj185DaZ_o

《Emily Dickinson》

Emily Dickinson: Emily Dickinson was an American poet. She is now almost universally considered to be one of the most important American poets.

A Narrow Fellow in the Grass:

A narrow Fellow in the Grass

Occasionally rides -

You may have met Him? Did you not

His notice instant is-

The Grass divides as with a Comb -

A spotted shaft is seen,

And then it closes at your Feet

And opens further on -

He likes a Boggy Acre -

A Floor too cool for Corn -

But when a Boy and Barefoot

I more than once at Noon

Have passed I thought a Whip Lash

Unbraiding in the Sun

When stooping to secure it

It wrinkled And was gone -

Several of Nature's People

I know, and they know me

I feel for them a transport

Of cordiality

But never met this Fellow,

Attended or alone

Without a tighter Breathing

And Zero at the Bone.