A true poet puts in words the thoughts, feelings and expectations of other people in the society, but he cannot express and speak for every member in of the society. Therefore, an individual’s own voice is more effective than using an intermediary like the church. Ralph Waldo Emerson expounds on this idea in his text "The poet," showing that free expression of thoughts and ideas is an essential part of human living. Ideally, in the essay, “The poet” Emerson illustrates the qualities of a good poet in regards to communicating the thoughts and feelings of other people. The essay is divided into four major parts.
To begin with, Emerson notes that an ideal poet is more inclined to humanity than most people are. As such, the poet has a unique ability to observe, interpret and reveal the hidden secrets of the world. Further, Emerson notes that poetry, unlike other genres existed since ages ago. Arguably, Emerson asserts that the content rather than the style applied matters most in a poem.
The second subsection is centered on a poet’s method of communication. Emerson notes that a poet conveys nature. Therefore, a reader could use the language in the poem to identify the time it was written and the type of message intended. In addition, Emerson argues that a good poet should write poems that communicate wholly to ensure that no detail is left out. He further adds that poems should be efficient enough to withstand any criticism.
In the third part, Emerson asserts that a poet could use the idea of imagination to unlock the selfish thoughts of human beings. He notes that human beings are selfish as they only have themselves to think of. Contrary, the skill of imagination serves to bring out an inner reality of the events described in the poem. Hence, the reader can think broad and consequently find inspiration through the words and tone of the poem.
Lastly, Emerson notes that it is vital for America to have a true poet like Shakespeare and Dante were to Britain and Italy respectively. The primary responsibility of a poet it to express the wants and feelings of the society. Hence, America, needed a poet to convey varying messages, based on the current needs of the people.
The Historical Context of the Transcendental Process
Transcendentalism is an American philosophical movement which was developed between 1830 and 1840. Ideally, it was centered on the need for a new era. Hence, transcendentalists protested on the general state of the American society. The movement consisted of pioneer members such as Ralph Waldo Emerson who were major critics of the conformity nature of the society. In particular, they were opposed to the state of education at Harvard University. Thus, transcendentalists urged people to find their original relation to nature. Additionally, transcendentalists affirm that an individual is more effective when he is completely self-reliant. Whitman and Dickinson are legendary American poets, drawing their inspiration from Emerson; they were similarly opposed to people conforming to the thoughts of the world. Their poems advocated for the need to be true to one’s self and the importance of identifying one’s purpose in the universe. Whitman and Dickinson thus followed the intuitive process.
Differences between Whitman and Dickinson
Whitman and Dickinson are famous American Poets who played a key role in reforming the style of American poetry. Despite sharing similar inspirations in their writing, their works differ in vast ways. The first difference manifests in their styles of writing. Walt Whitman is relaxed and easy going in his poems. Notably, Whitman worked many jobs to survive in his life. His greatest inspiration, however, was drawn from his nursing job, where he encountered so many deaths making him develop a liberal attitude by questioning the essence of the war. In addition, after Emerson criticized Whitman for using distinct poetic structures, he responded by incorporating free verse, a style that is evident in all his poetries. On the other hand, Dickinson style of writing was organized and conservative. Unlike Whitman, Dickinson was born into a wealthy family, and hence she did not have to look for jobs. She spent her life in her parents’ house after dropping out of a religious school claiming that she had lost hope. Notably, despite having exemplary works, Dickinson did not seek popularity until after his death when most of his works were published. For instance, Emily Dickinson’s conservative nature reflects through the use of religious illusions like "I couldn't stop death."
Secondly, while Dickinson essays are short and straightforward, Whitman's poems are long and complex. Essentially, by applying free verse poetry, Whitman revolutionized the structural restrictions of poems to include a limitless number of lines and stanzas. As such, Whitman was more concerned with the message conveyance rather than its arrangement. Contrary, Dickinson's poems had a definite structure, which ideally included four-line stanzas. Furthermore, while Dickinson applies rhyme in his poems, Whitman fails to observe the essence of rhyme. Similar to lacking to a definite structure, Whitman did not observe the tradition of using rhythmical tones in his poems. As such, the long lines and stanzas as seen in his poems did not follow any particular order. On the other hand, Dickinson observes poetic styles and hence, applies slant ABCD rhyme to make her poems more interesting.
Lastly, Dickinson covers serious topics that raise controversial opinions. Particularly, her reaction to the issues often surprises the reader. For example, in the text 236, Dickinson, criticizes and demeans churchgoers arguing that she is better off because unlike them, she can talk directly to God in her house. Contrary, Whitman's free and liberal nature extends to his poems, which discuss natural and commonly identified societal concerns. For example, “Pioneers! O Pioneers!” was a tribute to all Americans who facilitated civilization. Additionally, “A Noiseless Patient Spider” symbolizes the poets attempt to interact and make connections with other people in the world.
