Jonathan Harrison March 13, 2009

Walt Whitman

"Whitman's sexuality is often discussed alongside his poetry. Though he is usually labeled as either homosexual or bisexual,[4] it is unclear if Whitman ever had a sexual relationship with another man[5] and biographers continue to debate his sexuality."

This quote couldn't reigns true throughout the poem "Song of Myself" as homoerotic examples are given throughout the text. Whitman was clearly homosexual and the question of whether he actually hooked up with another man is almost comical and shows the stubbornness to this day of some ignorant critics.

The poem "Song of Myself" tells in detail of the experience that we call being American. It leads us to all types of places as we start in a bedroom parlor and soon led to be naked in the woods. The tale continues to depict an American experience as all ranges of people are described from the aristocrat to the negro as Whitman uses realism to clearly convey the message of what it was like to be an American.

The poem "Song of Myself" was a adventure that dealt with aspects of all human nature. There are still the strong patriotic influences in this piece of writing as Whitman again proclaims the greatness of America. The description of the streets, with details as fine as the hairy chested anvil worker, paint a vivid picture of what it was like to live in the U.S. The poem does not focuses solely on Realism though as it has a heavy dose of sexuality placed into it. Whitman flows from male heterosexuality to women's sexuality, all the way to homosexuality. The poem is discovery into what sexuality is itself and the different forms it can take. People may have been offended about this poem at the time, for it was pretty revealing for its time period, but it does a great job of dealing with issues that all men and women have to deal with, a little issue we call sex. The Realism is still quite evident throughout this poem as the reader again gets the sense that he or she are actually present in the events that are being described. It is no wonder that some writers have called this the greatest work in American history.