A comparison of the Civil War poetry of Herman Melville and Walt Whitman.

Abstract

Perhaps more than any other philosophy, the Transcendental influence of the mid-nineteenth century allowed Herman Melville and Walt Whitman to experiment with their writing. The unlimited opportunities of America spilled over into the works of these artists as each attempted a variety of genres, eventually creating masterpieces of innovation in Moby Dick and Leaves of Grass. But each had reached a period of hesitation by 1860, perhaps stilled by the imminent outbreak of war, or perhaps audited by the poor reader reception of their works. Yet with the Civil War, both found new voice. And they spoke out in poetry resonant with ever new experimentation. Their introductory poems to Drum Taps and Battle Pieces and Aspects of War reveal their new direction and new conviction to be the mouthpieces of that war. Whitman's opening poems vigorously assert the necessity of the war to preserve the union. Strong rhythmic cadences punctuate these poems with the symbolic drum taps that give their name to the collection. Whitman uses the free verse style that he had developed, cataloguing the various scenes of preparation for the war. Conversely, Melville's opening poems stress the solemn implications of a civil war. Poetry was an entirely new venture for him since all of his previously published works had been in prose, and these first poems exhibit the harsh discordant style that was to characterize his poetry. Yet for a very real purpose, the atrocities of war are portrayed in choppy, difficult rhythms and images. These opening poems demonstrate the vast gulfs in philosophy that separate these two men. Whitman's optimistic Transcendental approach assures him that the war can cleanse the country of its controversies, renewing it for its destiny as the New Eden. Melville, on the other hand, realizes the complex issues causing the war, and, given his basic distrust in God and His creation, Melville can only dread the breakdown of the country. Yet in spite of their differences, both face the war with patriotic devotion. As the collections progressed, the poets experimented frequently with style, achieving works very unlike others they had written. Some of Whitman's best war poetry is conventionally metered and rhymed. Yet his free verse works also demonstrate a fine honing of his poetic skills. He was especially proud of the Drum Taps poems because he felt them to be the most honest, pared-to-the-bone pieces he had ever written. Melville, too, allowed himself a wide range for experimentation. One critic claims that not once is a rhythm and rhyme scheme duplicated throughout Battle Pieces. Although Melville opted for retaining these poetic conventions, he still took obvious liberties, straining rhythms to stress unlikely words, and rhyming as only his upper New York dialect allowed. Some poems become increasingly sinister with the repetition of simple refrains that seem to grow in implication with each stanza, again stressing the complexities Melville saw in the war. In themes, too, these two men differed widely. Whitman clung to the Transcendental dream that universal brotherly love would end all strife and create in America the New Eden. This theme echoes through poem after poem in Drum Taps. Melville's poetry, however, reflects a great range of themes from the obvious one of opposition and reconciliation, to a preoccupation with death, to a conviction that law is necessary to preserve order, to a final despair that evil would overcome all. To illustrate these themes Whitman and Melville chose symbols and images of war closely related to their outlooks. Whitman's drum taps and lines of soldiers marching together illustrate the unity in spirit that he hoped would prevail. Melville selected diverse symbols and images which once again reveals his inability to accept any single philosophy.