Zeitschrift für Kunst- und Sozialwissenschaften

Walt Wittman: The Universal Poet and the American Ideal- A Socio-cognitive Analysis

Abstract

Mohanad Ghanim Glayl*

Walt Whitman is one of America's most iconic poets. He is renowned for his innovative and linguistic style, which embodies the spirit of revolution. His poem "Song of Myself" from his collection "Leaves of Grass" captures the essence of this revolutionary spirit, as it challenges traditional norms and explores the possibilities of realizing the American ideal. The study delves into the process of power and its ability to regenerate a sense of life. This analysis not only sheds light on Whitman's unique use of language and form but also explores how his poetry captures the possibilities of realizing the American ideal. Whitman’s use of the present participial form in the closing lines of "Song of Myself," where he writes "I stop somewhere waiting for you," is a prime example of his innovative linguistic style and his vision of the present being connected to both the past and the future. This paper attempts to analyze this poem in the light of socio-cognitive approach.