ART - Whitman and Dickinson Lesson

Reading Assignment: Whitman

You will now read three poems by Walt Whitman.

• • Excerpts from Song of Myself
  • "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"
  • "I Hear America Singing"

As you read, examine Whitman's choice of words and details. This will help you make inferences about the writer's attitude and gain insight into his or her feelings and beliefs.   For example, in "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," the words "tired" and "sick" suggest that Whitman has a negative attitude toward the astronomer and toward science in general, while the phrase "mystical, moist night air" and the detail about looking up "in perfect silence" at the stars suggest that Whitman has a positive attitude toward the nighttime sky and a more poetic approach toward viewing it.

Excerpts from Song of Myself Text Link Links to an external site.

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" Text Link Links to an external site.

"I Hear America Singing" Text Link Links to an external site.

Audio Link of Whitman's Poems (in Alphabetical order) Links to an external site.

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) lived in almost total isolation from the outside world.   However, she did spend a lot of time with her family, read widely, and corresponded frequently with people whom she admired. Dickinson's poetry reflects her loneliness, but it is also marked by the intimate recollection of inspirational moments and suggests the possibility of happiness.

She wrote over 1800 poems, but only a handful were published during her lifetime, though she shared many with friends, some of whom urged her to publish them. After her death, her sister discovered hundreds of poems she had written, bundled up, and stored throughout the house. From this discovery, a first volume of Dickinson's poetry was published in 1890, but it wasn't until 1955 that a complete edition of her poetry was published.

Dickinson is known for her striking language and highly imaginative view of the world. She uses slant rhyme (words that almost rhyme, but not quite - also known as half rhymes or near rhymes) in many of her poems, and the cadence (the rising and falling rhythm and pacing of a piece of writing, particularly a poem) in her poetry is easily detectable. Look for both of these literary examples as you read her poetry.

Learn additional information about Dickinson  by viewing the presentation below. Click the > to advance slides. 

Reading Assignment: Dickinson

You will now read four poems by Emily Dickinson:

• • "There's a Certain Slant of Light"
    • ''There's a Certain Slant of Light'' Why do you think certain words are capitalized while others are not? Consider the first six lines and Dickinson's description of depression. She notes the oppressive sound of church bells heard in the bleak afternoon. This depression is more than just ordinary sadness. It hurts the entire landscape which listens and holds it breath for some revelation, yet perceives only the look of death.
  • "I Heard a Fly Buzz"
    • ''I Heard a Fly Buzz'' The speaker says she hears a fly buzz as she lies on her deathbed. Dickinson uses onomatopoeia and slant rhyme to explain this strange experience. Why do you think there is one example of true rhyme in the last stanza (me/see). Could Dickinson be building tension? A sense of true completion only comes with the speaker's death. Also, notice the dashes inserted throughout the poem, which interrupt the meter.
  • "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"
    • ''Because I Could Not Stop for Death'' Death is personified throughout this well-known poem. Why is it ironic that the speaker describes death as being kind? Death stops for the speaker, and she rides around with him in a carriage viewing the sights of the town. She realizes that she has grown cold as death takes her to her new house, ''A swelling in the ground.'' Why do you think death is mentioned so often in Dickinson's poetry?
  • "Success Is Counted Sweetest"
    • ''Success Is Counted Sweetest'' A common idea in Dickinson's poetry is that not having something increases our appreciation or enjoyment of it. Success is sweeter to those who rarely succeed. Why do you think she uses alliteration in the first stanza? In stanza two, the color purple is mentioned which usually represents royalty. Is this an appropriate association in this poem? In the third stanza, the dying man is agonized at hearing the triumphant sounds of the other side. They are distant but clear.

"There's a Certain Slant of Light" Text Link

"I Heard a Fly Buzz" Text Link

"Because I Could Not Stop for Death" Text Link

"Success Is Counted Sweetest" Text Link

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