The Creative and Social Functions in Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself"

In Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, the creative and social function of the American poet adapts collective attributes. On a social level, Whitman's vision as a poet is essentially macrocosmic in its nature. Whitman's scale of vision incorporates the diversity of the American people. This may be seen in the lines: "For what I assume, you shall assume" (Song of Myself) where the poet collectively brings the American people together. Here, Whitman projects his individuality as the poet and assumes the general public will collectively be a part of his vision and his poetic spirit in which he views himself.

For Whitman, his social function is to extend the cosmic world of the poet with mankind. The two elements are not exclusive and they become richer and an essential part of the poet. In order to stabilize his macrocosmic vision in becoming one with the people, the formality of time blends the cohesiveness of the American people and with the large poetic breath that Whitman idealizes and envisions himself as recontinuing.

Along with the continuity, comes the final social attribute of reproduction. This is revealed in the line: "for the procreant urge in the world" (Song of Myself) where reproduction implies the diversity and multiplicity of the American people (physically) and the richness of poetry combined with the many different faces, poets, and the geographic factors Whitman takes into consideration. They physicality of reproduction implies the direct association of collectiveness that is Whitman's formal social function.

Whitman's poetry does not isolate the poet; rather the act of writing poetry involves a direct relationship with the cognitive and creative mind to the unknown and unfamiliar things around him. Whitman writes: "Trippers and askers surround me, for I do not know them" (Song of Myself). This connection with the unknown is to ultimately, form a collective nature with them so that they too, will become part of the collective nature of things.

On a creative level, Whitman's poetry assumes and voices the notion of filtering art for experience from his own experience where the end product possesses multiple meanings. He (literally) demands that the reader experience life and act on his or her own poetic terms where art interpretation becomes an individual process.

Whitman states: "I am the poet of the body and I am the poet of the soul" For Whitman, only in poetry, can America be one. There is a certain sense of unity and sensibility that is acquired in the harmony between body and soul. As Whitman relegates the act of writing poetry and poetic life and experience to both cognitive and physical faculties, he demands that a prerequisite to acquiring unity in the element of non-conformity and the search for empirical knowledge. This search is essentially a preach for developing individualism and creativity. Whitman states: "You shall not adopt from second hand..." Whitman desires that the American people will develop the breath of mind in which to think for themselves thus enriching the process of interpreting art and the creative process.

Finally, Whitman aspires (and is enriched by) the search of multiple meanings. This is illustrated in: "A child asked what is the grass? How cold I answer the child. I do not know any more than he?" Whitman develops the grass in its many contexts. This is the act that represents the filtering of art to suit one's own experiences and ideologies. If an individual and a nation as well, can aspire to developing multiple meanings, s/he has uncovered truths of the creative process, non-conformity and the search for empirical knowledge.