In class today, we discussed Whitman’s controversial perspective on enlightenment, the divine, and humans’ relationship with nature. His sexual descriptions of the union of the body, soul, and nature and portrayal of embodied epiphanies promote the embracement of bodily pleasures, which opposes traditional theological beliefs of the body as a vessel for the soul. Many religions promote the idea that the resistance of the sinful, bodily desires, such as sex and gluttony, in an effort to fortify the pure soul. In contrast, Whitman equates the body and the soul. Through his sensual descriptions of epiphanies in nature, he shows that people do not need to suppress their bodily urges in order to achieve enlightenment.

Our discussion of sexual suppression and desire made me think of section 11, which describes a lonely woman who watches 28 bathing, young men from behind the blinds of her window. Ever since we read this poem for the first time, I’ve kept thinking about this section. I would think that his sensual descriptions of the woman’s sexual desires were controversial and considered inappropriate.

  • How does Whitman capture the woman’s sexual desires? How does he portray sexual resistance?
  • Is Whitman making a political statement about gender in this section? Does it relate/support his vision of democracy?
  • Why 28? I wonder if this number is significant…
  • What is the meaning of the “unseen hand”?
  • Why does Whitman include this section? How does it relate to Whitman’s beliefs about the body and embodied epiphanies? How does it relate to the poem’s overall purpose?

Answer a question(s) or share any thoughts you have about this section! I would love to hear what you all thought of it.

Beth’s CS for February 9

50 thoughts on “Beth’s CS for February 9”

Leave a Reply