How does Walt Whitman's atitude change toward death during his poem "When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom'D" What does he learn?
I know that through the poem he speaks of the death, but I don't know how his atitude changed. I think he learns the truths of life and death, but I'm not sure how his atitude changed. I'm having a hard time understanding this. Any help would be appreciated.
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To understand how Walt Whitman's attitude changes toward death in his poem "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd," we will need to closely analyze the progression of the poem. Let's break it down into sections:
1. In the opening stanzas, Whitman sets a melancholic tone as he mourns the death of President Abraham Lincoln. He describes the lilacs and the death symbolizing the passage of time and the cycle of life.
2. As the poem progresses, Whitman's attitude shifts from mourning to acceptance. He personifies death as an omniscient figure, "the gray-brown bird," who watches over and accompanies the narrator in his journey.
3. In the middle section of the poem, Whitman depicts his deep connection with nature. He finds solace and comfort in the natural world, specifically in the lilacs, the hermit thrush, and the Western star. This connection with nature helps him cope with the loss and gradually transforms his attitude toward death.
4. Towards the end of the poem, Whitman's attitude changes again. He moves from acceptance to a more complex understanding of death. He reflects on the eternal cycle of life and the cyclic nature of existence. He realizes that death is both sad and necessary, but it is not the end. He finds consolation in the fact that the dead continue to live on in the memories of those who loved them.
Overall, Whitman's attitude toward death in "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" evolves from mourning to acceptance, and finally to a philosophical understanding of the interconnectedness of life and death. Through this journey, he learns the truths of life's transience, the importance of connection with nature, and the enduring power of memory.