2.1 Song of the Open Road -Walt Whitman

 

                                                  SECTION TWO

         2.1 Song of the Open Road   -Walt Whitman

                            ICE BREAKERS

* Choose the mode of travel that you would like the most for a journey.                                                                                          

a) Airways   b) Waterways   c) Railways   d) Roadways                                                                          

Give reasons for your preference.                                       

ANSWERS

a)    Airways:- Safe mode and efficient services, Covering longest distance in short period, Best in emergency traveling , no physical barriers such as forests, hills, mountains and seas-oceans.

b)    Waterways:- Less use for public transport, Use only for international goods transport, Can’t cover all places, can see marine life in seas and oceans.

c)     Railways:- Traveling and transport with less amount, no traffic issues and easily accessible.

d)    Roadways:- Can travel anywhere with our own time, covers short and long distance, eco-friendly journey.

*Discuss with your partner, the preparations you would like to make for the journey chosen.                     

a)  Will buy our ticket and decide how to spend time in journey.                                                          

b) Will keep require medicines, food, cash , luggage bag , cellphone , charger and ID card etc.                                                                                                                                                              

c) Will get the full information and decide the place to stay for some days.                                                                                                                                        

d) Will make a plan before leaving place.

 

*Discuss the ways in which you would overcome the problems / hindrances / difficulties you face during your journey.                                                                                             

a) Will keep the contacts of relatives, friends and police in emergency.                                                                                                                     

b) Will be ready to face any problems in journey.                                                                             

c) Will take a help of local people.                                                                                                               

d) Will keep calm mind and will take right decision for solution.                                                             

e) Will use google map while traveling.

*During every journey we have to observe certain rules. Discuss your ideas of the journey without any restrictions. You can begin like this-

a) I would go alone/ with selected friends------                                                                                           

b) I would go with my family members and friends.                                                                                         

c) I would take some important things for safety.                                                                        

d) I would use my own vehicle (car or bike).                                                                                                

e) I would travel anywhere I want without any planning.

 

2.1 Song Of The Open Road

Introduction of the poet

         Walt Whitman (1819 to 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon and is often called ‘The Father of Free Verse.’ He grew up in Huntington in a family with difficult economic status. His major work ‘Leaves of Grass’ was published in July 1855. His ‘O Captain! My Captain!’, a poem written on the death of Abraham Lincoln, is widely popular. 

         The section one of ‘Song of the Open Road’ from ‘Leaves of Grass’, is a beautiful blend of self-awareness, free will and tenderness of heart. It gives us poet’s realization that along the journey of life one will face a test of wisdom which is not tested in any school or university. A road is something everyone uses, whether rich or poor and it forces all levels of people to associate with one another. The road signifies ‘mobility.’ One can take the road as a point to start over towards something new. Whitman talks about the people and places. He argues against staying in one place for too long, although the hospitality may be true.

 

                                  STANZA 1

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

 

*Afoot- going on , *light hearted- happily, *take to- begin/ start

*I- traveler/anyone/poet   *Long brown path- freedom image, earth

 

                                    STANZA 2

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,

Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,

Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,

Strong and content I travel the open road.

 

*Henceforth-from now, *good fortune- good luck, *whimper- sadness/unhappiness/cries/weak, *postpone- delay/waste time, *indoor- daily life, *libraries- knowledge,

*querulous- complaining/irritation, *criticism- blame to others

*content- happy/satisfied

                                     

STANZA 3

The earth, that is sufficient,

I do not want the constellations any nearer,

I know they are very well where they are,

I know they suffice for those who belong to them.

 

*sufficient/suffce- enough,    *Belong to- related to                         

*constellations- groups of influential people/fate

 

                                  

                                       STANZA 4

(Still here I carry my old delicious burdens,

I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go,

I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them,

I am fill’d with them, and I will fill them in return.)

 

*Delicious-tasty,(here)- sweet memories of the past *swear- affirm/ definitely, to get rid of- free from

 

2.1 Song Of The Open Road 

(FIGURES OF SPEECH)                                                                                                                  

1. Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road                                                                                

Synecdoche

A word Afoot, part of body is used to refer to the poet or traveler.                                                                                                                           

 

2. Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road                                                   

Inversion                    

The words are not coming in a proper prose order.  The correct prose order is ‘I take to the open road Afoot and light hearted’                                                                                                                                                                 

 

3. Healthy, free, the world before me                                                                            

Inversion                                                                                                                           

The words are not coming in a proper prose order . The correct prose order is ‘ The world before me is healthy and free’                                                                          

 

4. The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.                      

Symbol

The brown path is used as symbol for the road.                                                      

 

5. The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.                        

Alliteration

The letter 'b' is repeated here pleasingly.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

6. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune.                                                               

Repetition

The words are repeated here pleasingly                                                                                                      

 

7. Henceforth I whimper no more postpone no more, need nothing                                                                                                   

Repetition

The words are repeated here pleasingly.                                                                                              

 

8. Henceforth I whimper no more postpone no more, need nothing                                                                                                        

Climax 

The words are arranged here in ascending order.                                                                                                                 

 

9. Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms                                                             

Alliteration

The sound 'k' is repeated here pleasingly.                                                                                                          

 

10. Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms                                                                     

 Climax 

The words are arranged here in ascending order.                                                                                                  

 

11. Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms                                                                  

Tautology

The same meaning words repeated, querulous criticisms                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

12. Strong and content, I travel the open road                                                                                           

Inversion  

The words are not coming in a proper prose order                                                      

 

13. The earth is sufficient, I do not want the constellations any nearer                                                                                                         

Inversion 

The words are not coming in a proper prose order                                      

 

14. I know they are very well where they are, I know they suffice for those who belong to them                                                                                                

Repetition 

The words ' I know' are repeated here pleasingly.                                                                                                 

15. Still here I carry my old delicious burdens                                                                                                   

Paradox 

The absurd statement is made here.                                                                                                                         

 

16. Still here I carry my old delicious burdens                                                                                                 

Metaphor                                                                                                                                      'Delicious burdens'- is implicity/ indirectly compared with a memories.                                                                                                                       

 

17. I carry them, men and women , I carry them with me wherever I go                        

Repetition

The words I carry repeated here pleasingly.                                                                        

 

18. I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them, I am fill'd with them, and I will fill them in return.

Repetition  

The word 'fill' is repeated here pleasingly.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      SECTION  TWO                   

2.1 Song of the Open Road   -Walt Whitman      Critical Appreciation

About the Poem /Poet - The poem is written by Walt Whitman. He is an American poet, essayist and journalist. He is called "The Father of Free Verse'. The present poem is an ode. It is written in free verse. It is taken from Leaves of Grass'. 

Theme - The poem speaks about the poet's journey of life. The poet says that he is light- hearted because he is going to the healthy and free world. He can choose his own path. The poet has confidence in himself so he does not want good fortune. He says not whimper, postponing or any negative thing. He wants to be away from complains and criticisms: He is satisfied in what he has. He does not want anything from fate or from anybody. In his journey, he has sweet memories as well as burdens. He does not want to get rid of them because he has attachment with them. 

Poetic Style -The poem is in free verse so there is no rhyme scheme and rhyming pairs. The poem is metaphorical. Here 'the road' is the road of life, journey is life-period. You are free to make too many interpretations. Whitman separates his poem into four separate stanzas. With the exception of the first stanza, which contains only three lines, the other stanzas contain four lines of verse. The poem utilizes free verse; the lines are unrhymed and of varying lengths

The language/poetic devices used in the poem - The title of poem is suggestive and meaningful. It is metaphorical too. The poem is easy to understand büt figurative language is also used in it. Climax, inversion, metaphor, alliteration, repetition, synecdoche etc. add beauty to the poem. The poem is readable, inspiring and motivational. Here poet is not ready to stay in one place although his sweet memories are with that place. He is worshiper of freedom. He has democratic approach. 

Special features - It is free verse. The poet uses simple and lucid language. It is metaphorical poem. The poem has written in first person pronoun 'I'

Opinion/Values/Moral/Message of the poem - I think the poet is successful in conveying his message to the reader. Really it is inspiring and motivational poem. It has taught me a new way to look at life

 

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