Introduction to “I Hear America Singing”
Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing” was first published in the year 1860. It is one of his works from the collection known as “Leaves of Grass”. Whitman is often referred as the father of free verse. He worked with a vision to make America as democratic, and focuses on the individual’s role in doing so. Thus, the poem embodies these values, celebrating the diverseness and the unity of the American people. The poem is a great picture of American life, as each person contributes his or her voice to the collective song of America.
The poem is not very long. The author depicts the spirit of America in the 19th century. Whitman focuses on the routine of laborers including the carpenter, mechanic, mason, boatman, farmer, etc. He portrays the nobility of their work and the importance of each individual in the development of the nation. The poem is an amusing and positive representation of the American character, and the spirit of individualism and the unity of the people.
Whitman abundantly uses the literary techniques, such as imagery, tone and symbolism to paint the picture of America. The themes of the poem are central to understand Whitman’s broader poetic mission: to praise the common people and their contribution to the development of the country.
Themes in “I hear America Singing”
Theme#1
The Dignity of Work
The most eminent theme in the poem is the dignity of work. Whitman praises the virtues of the working man. He attempts to glorify the labor class of America. All members of the society regardless of the profession they hold, are presented as being orderly contributors to the nation’s strength.
The poem also underlines that the country does not only belong to politicians, scholars or the representatives of the high echelon, but also the builders, the creators and the working people.
Whitman starts the poem with a celebrated tone, acknowledging the individual voices of the workers:
“I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown.”
Whitman lists many occupations. For each one he says, they are “singing” as they work. Their singing shows they enjoy their labor and find satisfaction in it. Here, the word “singing” means that the workers are not only doing their errands but they are fully involved and content in their work.
Calling the songs “blithe and strong” tells us that these workers feel pride and purpose in what they do. Their singing voices reveal work, which brings the sense of pride and fulfillment.
The praise of work by Whitman reflects the American ideal of the self-made person. The poem indicates that the work is not just about earning money – it is a key of identification and contribution to the society.
By spotlighting physical labor, Whitman emphasizes the worth of hard work and the purpose it brings. This matches American beliefs in self-reliance and that all people, regardless of status, can contribute something important. The poem celebrates how work helps the people to shape their own identity and destiny.
Theme#2
Individualism and Collectivism
Another significant theme in “I Hear America Singing” is the balance between individuality and collectivism. Whitman praises each worker by admitting their collective contribution to form the American identity. In the meanwhile, the author also lays emphasis on the idea that these voices come together to create a harmonious effect.
The stanzas of the poem focus on different laborers, which shows their particular tasks and the pride in their work. But these individual songs also join together as part of the larger American chorus:
“Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.”
In these lines, Whitman emphasizes the individualism of the contribution of every person or every part of the country (‘what belongs to him or her and to none else’); at the same time, he also notes a unity of the whole of such contributions. Each worker is different in functions but being people with different functions they make America powerful and active.
The words like singing of ‘the party of young fellows’ at night again propose the structures of benevolence and cause. These workers spend most of the day working individually and, after their work, come out to play and entertain themselves, which reflects that their work not only fulfills their ambitions but also enhancing the welfare of the community.
The instant theme is central to the democratic vision of Whitman. He perceives the United States as a country with an emphasis on personal liberties, but where those freedoms are used to contribute in service of the collective interest. Whitman’s vision unfolds his belief in the importance of personal autonomy and social responsibility.
Theme#3
Optimism and National Pride
The poem “I Hear America Singing” contains a dint of optimism and national pride. Whitman’s illustration towards the American workers is rather constructive and optimistic – that can be explained by the fact that he is an American author and he fully trusts the American people.
It functions as a hymn to the accomplishments of the nation and the prospect of its development with the help of the voices of people singing.
The poem is infused with a lot of happiness and triumph, which Whitman establishes by imagining an America wherein everyone has his/her place in the society and in contributing to the success of the nation. The word ‘singing’ has been repeated in the poem, which has the same effect of optimism and the notion of oneness as heralds of prosperity for the Americans.
“The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.”
These lines impart the sense of passion and vigour, as the ‘young fellows’ sing ‘with open mouths’ and ‘strong melodious songs.’ The imagery shows the American spirit as energetic and vibrant. It suggests a bright future for people who work hard and stick to their values.
Whitman is also an optimist especially in portraying America where the poor man as well has an equal opportunity to get a chance for success. From this poem, one is able to glean that the American Dream is very much achievable, where the workers take satisfaction from their work and contribute to the development of the nation.
This is the most patriotic theme espoused by Whitman as he paints the picture of the country where diligence of the individual is compensated and the spirit of the community propels America to new heights.
Theme#4
The Harmony of Diversity
In the poem, the harmony of diversity is also the important theme. Whitman’s poem is devoted to the cast of Americans and the idea that it is this cast that gives the nation its peculiar strength and identity.
As a result, the different ‘songs’ sung by workers can be an indication of the many voices that make up the nation, yet they harmonize in different notes and the songs, each add a unique note to the collective chorus.
In the poem, Whitman enumerates many workers, mechanics, carpenters, boatmen, wood cutters and many others all of whom are preoccupied with their particular jobs. This diversity of labor reflects the broader diversity of American society, where people from different walks of life come together to build the nation:
“The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck.”
The inclusion of different workers reflects that all contributions are valuable. They are free and independent as the individuals are, and all their songs form a chorus as one; the American dream. Indeed, the poem structure, which is based on different voices of the country and divided according to people’s profiles, reflects the idea that America is a nation of many voices.
The instant theme is closely linked to the Whitman’s democratic vision. From his perspective, America’s power was found in the promises of the American democracy about the possibility of raising unification from variety.
In this way, Whitman tries to emphasize on the unity of American life and at the same time, the greatness of the country is expressed through the inclusions of the heroes that the country holds dear in the author’s scheme.
Poetic Devices Used in “I hear America Singing”
Repetition- Whitman repeats the line “I hear America singing” in the first and last lines. It creates a circular structure that emphasizes the idea of singing as a collective national force.
Cataloging- The poem lists various working people and occupations, such as mechanics, carpenters, masons, boatmen, deckhands, shoemakers, hatter, woodcutter, mother, young wife and the girl. This catalog forms a sense of the diversity of American people and work.
Anaphora- The lines begin with “the” and verbs ending in “ing” (singing, bawling, spinning, chanting, trilling). This repetition of structure creates a lyrical rhythm.
Imagery- The words, such as “strong”, “bold”, “gay” and “young” reflect evocative images connected with the strength and spirit of a young America.
Assonance- The repetition of vowel sounds, such as “i” and “ing” indicates musicality. For example: “mechanics working” and “The young fellow.”
Enjambment- The long lines of the poem run over without punctuation. It imitates the free flowing nature of a song.
See also: Themes in Beloved
