essay on i hear america singing

I Hear America Singing

By Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman’s poetic prose, ‘I hear America Singing’, free-flows with vibrancy, energy, and sheer respect for working class members of America.

Walt Whitman

Nationality: American

His deeply emotional, spiritual, and nature-based poems appeal to poetry lovers around the world.

Key Poem Information

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Central Message: America is united by working class people.

Themes: Celebration , Love

Speaker: The poet

Emotions Evoked: Bravery , Compassion

Poetic Form: Free Verse

Time Period: 19th Century

This is an idealistic poem that celebrates the United States and the many people who, working together, make the country what it is.

Walt Whitman’s ‘I Hear America Singing’ has been analyzed from various perspectives , including the poet’s inclinations, aspirations, and devotion to the working populace of a thriving American society. His poetic prose flows with beauty, energy, and sheer respect for working-class members of America.  

Celebrated American poet Walt Whitman published his poem ‘I Hear America Singing ‘ in the poetic collection titled ‘Leaves of Grass’ in 1860. He, along with Emily Dickinson(Bio | Poems), established the foundations of modern American poetry, championing the masses in his works.

Walt Whitman ( Bio | Poems ) sees a thriving American society from his happy-go-lucky perspective . According to him, America is en route to progress, with all the members of society contributing with a will and selfless zeal. Each character in this poem sings their songs as part of the working class. All in all, the poem is simplistic and straightforward.

It may be helpful to know that 'I Hear America Singing' is, in essence, a poem dedicated to the bourgeoisie section of the American public. From the shoemaker to the carpenter, boatman, mason, and mechanic, they all play their part in the bigger picture of America. The poem’s overall tone is upbeat, optimistic, and energetic. Using a flurry of motivational language, he downplays any notion of pessimism and the hardships working class society faces.

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Explore I Hear America Singing

• 2 Structure and Form
• 3 Detailed Analysis
• 4 Historical Context

‘I Hear America Singing’ by Walt Whitman celebrates the many different voices in Walt Whitman’s America.

This poem features the joyous expressions of every member of the working class. Whitman takes the reader through different professions and speaks about the unique songs they sing. Each person, from a word worker to a mason to a carpenter to a mother, contributes to the beauty of the American landscape.

The Poem Analysis Take

Expert Insights by Emma Baldwin

B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories

For Whitman, faith in labor is the greatest asset Americans have. Walter Whitman is highly appreciative of the diverse workforce, detailing their vitality and variety and indicating their actions as a core component of American society. He implies that this collaboration will go a long way toward creating an empowered society.

Structure and Form

Walt Whitman ( Bio | Poems ) was an experimental poet who explored different forms of poetry. He is also known as the father of free verse poetry. However, his poetry is not a bunch of non-rhyming lines. ‘I Hear America Singing’ is a well-structured poem. The piece lists a collection of manual laborers and features their work and their attitude toward everyday American life along the way. For example:

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deck-hand singing on the steamboat deck

Detailed Analysis

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

As the patriotic poem initializes, Walt Whitman ( Bio | Poems ) seems fixated on the working class of American society. The poet embarks on praising the working populace of American society, highlighting individualistic traits in sheer emotion. As a result, the poem resonates with a chirpy mood , inducing affirmative notes of encouragement towards its addressed subjects. The words, ‘I hear American singing’ are imperative to ongoing praise for the American labor class, envisioning them as equally important roles in contributing to American society.

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

Now, the poet sets himself in chronicling a variety of members embroiled in participating in their respective methods to American society. Each particular character/ professional is seen going on his destined path merrily, feeling prized in playing his role in the bigger picture.

Each character defines their own uniqueness as he sings with his occupation. In the grand scheme of things, all of these singing characters are depicted as Americans. Creating a socio-economic divide, it’s clear that the poet visualizes his personalized vision of America, one founded upon the hard work of the working class.

The primary idea of the government hypothesized by Walt Whitman is that of “for the people, by the people”. Very cleverly, Whitman has removed the upper echelons of societal individuals from his magnum opus. It’s his own vision of future America, an America embracing with open arms the bourgeoisie class in day-to-day roles of government.

Stanza Three

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day — at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs

It’s interesting to take into consideration the historical connotations mentioned herein. He has specifically dedicated two lines to the female populace of thriving America, entailing a sewing girl, a wife, and a mother. He deems their respective contribution to an emerging American nation as vital pivots necessary for driving prosperity and change. It’s an allegorical linkage to a time when women were barred from national voting. They had no consequent say in government machinery or elected officials.

Walt Whitman ( Bio | Poems ) had a polar opposite vision of America as opposed to the prevalent scenario. In this vision, women working domestically, as well as professionals, are deemed as equals, busied in contributing to society on the whole. Parenting is deemed a noble profession, pivotal for securing a prospective future generation.

Whitman appreciates and seems inclined towards individualism. The notion of individuals singing their personalized songs is worth appreciating and respecting. Singing is an outright allegory to individualism. Each individual is a cog in the American system and pivotal to democratic machinery in general. As a result, Whitman feels prized and proud of the dedication and due diligence the middle-class section puts in cultivating a society founded on respect and rights.

As the poem concludes, he hints at the right to celebrate and party after a long day’s work. He ends his swansong on a bright, chirpy note after highlighting individualistic contributions and all sundry professionals tied in a mechanized system.

Historical Context

This poem was published in ‘Leaves of Grass’ in 1860 and is one of Whitman’s best-known pieces of poetry. It speaks on and alludes to many issues American society faced at the time, including the rapid industrialization of cities and the expansion of factories, railroads, and urban areas.

During this time, the United States was also expanding westward, fueled by the idea of “Manifest Destiny” (coined around 1845), and was becoming firmly established on the world stage as a powerful nation.

This poem was also published on the eve of the American Civil War. The nation was soon to be divided over the issue of slavery.

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19th century, celebration, hard workers.

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You cite the bourgeoisie in your conclusion yet the roles mentioned in the poem represent the proletariat or working class.

That is mentioned in the historical context section.

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Asad, Omer. "I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman". Poem Analysis , https://poemanalysis.com/walt-whitman/i-hear-america-singing/ . Accessed 30 July 2024.

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I Hear America Singing Summary & Analysis by Walt Whitman

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"I Hear America Singing" is a poem by the American poet Walt Whitman, first published in the 1860 edition of his book Leaves of Grass. Though the poem was written on the eve of the Civil War, it presents a vision of America as a harmonious community. Moving from the city to the country, and the land to the sea, the poem envisions America as a place where people do honest, meaningful, and satisfying work—and celebrate that work in song. America emerges from the work of these many and diverse individual people: their separate work comes together to form a coherent whole. In this way, in the poem's account, America is a nation where individuality and unity are balanced, each producing and reinforcing the other.

• Read the full text of “I Hear America Singing”

The Full Text of “I Hear America Singing”

1 I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

2 Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

3 The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

4 The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

5 The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

6 The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

7 The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

8 The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

9 Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

10 The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

11 Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

“I Hear America Singing” Summary

“i hear america singing” themes.

Work and American Identity

• See where this theme is active in the poem.

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “I Hear America Singing”

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

“I Hear America Singing” Symbols

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“I Hear America Singing” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

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End-Stopped Line

Alliteration, parallelism, “i hear america singing” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Intermission
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “I Hear America Singing”

Rhyme scheme, “i hear america singing” speaker, “i hear america singing” setting, literary and historical context of “i hear america singing”, more “i hear america singing” resources, external resources.

"I Hear America Singing" Read Aloud — A photostory and reading of the poem.

What Is Free Verse? — A detailed history of free verse, from the Academy of American Poets.

1860 Version of "I Hear America Singing" — Images and text of the first printing of "I Hear America Singing" in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass, where it appears as "Chants Democratic and Native American #20." Because Whitman regularly revised his work—even published poems—it is different in important ways from the version most people study today.

Walt Whitman's Biography — A detailed biography of Whitman from the Poetry Foundation.    

Why Walt Whitman Called America the "Greatest Poem" — An article from the Atlantic Magazine about Whitman's views of American democracy.

"The Poet" by Ralph Waldo Emerson — The complete text of Ralph Waldo Emerson's "The Poet"—a key inspiration for Whitman.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Walt Whitman

A March in the Ranks Hard-Prest, and the Road Unknown

A Noiseless Patient Spider

Beat! Beat! Drums!

Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

I Sing the Body Electric

O Captain! My Captain!

O Me! O Life!

One's-Self I Sing

The Voice of the Rain

When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer

When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d

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“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman Essay

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Walt Whitman’s legacy is one of the sources that gave impetus to developing artistic literacy in American poetry. His innovative style opened up the possibilities of the poetic word in English. However, the national identity itself constructed in his poems seems no less valuable. His imagery and poetic worldview are probably why his heritage looks so important to all American cultures (Ahamed, 2021). For clear examples of the poet’s relations with their homeland, one should consider the poem “I Hear America Singing.” It is evident from the poem that his poetic virtues find their inspiration and nourishment on American soil.

Whitman values human labor in close connection with the environment as an American national value. In this seminal poem, Whitman perceives the native land at a deep level of human unity with nature and, at the same time, mastering it, working within the spirit. “I hear America singing” depicts a land of harmony and boundless self-realization, and these settings form the memorable song-like narrative of this poem, organizing its plot.

The composition and structure are centered around stereotypical representatives of the American people, the workforce. The poet hears the voices of Americans singing, and their songs are individual and, at the same time, consonant with their vocation and craft: “The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck” (Whitman, 1860). The poet does not give detailed artistic coloring for each song, but the reader can draw a few clues from this. First, it can be one single song of pride and celebration of labor, sung by each separately and together. Second, it can be concluded that these “songs” are the sounds of human production.

In addition to feeling a deep connection between man and nature, Walt Whitman could not help but feel the delight of the industrial revolution taking place before his eyes. The continuous and constant employment of a person with work and devotion to his vocation could be interpreted by him as a song in itself. The song is a manifestation of harmony, and in the noise of life around the world, Whitman hears the most accurate music. Finally, it is noteworthy that the song sung by the women in the poem is somewhat different. Whitman emphasizes the lines about women’s labor in italics as if implying the delicacy with which they should be voiced: “The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing” (Whitman, 1860).

The development of an unknown land, the realization of it as one’s own, and its cultivation lie at the heart of the American spirit, which is expressed through the symbolism of the song in Whitman’s poem. Each line of the poem shows a different facet of American life, touching day and night and showing time’s cyclical flow. Whitman creates a triumphant sense of utopia, where everyone is in complete self-sufficiency since their song belongs only to themselves. In this way, Whitman creates an idealized image of a working America, as strong and energetic as it is joyous.

Each of the poem’s heroes sings what belongs to him. Therefore, Whitman’s ideal is that everyone finds joy in their place. The imagery of the poem is highly idealized, but it demonstrates the bright and progressive aspirations of the poet, full of faith in the present and future of his country.

Harmony in the songs of the poem heroes implies the existence of harmony between them in society. The accord creates the feeling of working together for the good of society, but it also gives the reader the feel of a single and choral harmonious song of triumph. Thus, the land under development in the context of the takeoff of progress sets the theme and intonation of this extremely optimistic poem. The setting is a hardworking, romantic country, which determines the joyful and sublime mood of the poem. These elements dictate the narrative, expressed in one sentence, solemnly lasting like an actual song.

Ahamed, M. F. (2021). Poems of Whitman: A complete reflection of American consciousness. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 12 (12), pp. 3929-2935.

Whitman, W. (1860). I hear America Singing . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, October 30). “I Hear America Singing” by Whitman. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-hear-america-singing-by-whitman/

"“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman." IvyPanda , 30 Oct. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/i-hear-america-singing-by-whitman/.

IvyPanda . (2022) '“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman'. 30 October.

IvyPanda . 2022. "“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman." October 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-hear-america-singing-by-whitman/.

1. IvyPanda . "“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman." October 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-hear-america-singing-by-whitman/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "“I Hear America Singing” by Whitman." October 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-hear-america-singing-by-whitman/.

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Walt Whitman is America’s world poet—a latter-day successor to Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Shakespeare. In Leaves of Grass (1855, 1891-2), he celebrated democracy, nature, love, and friendship. This monumental work chanted praises to the body as well as to the soul, and found beauty and...

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I Hear America Singing

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother , or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Meanings of I Hear America Singing

Meanings of lines 1-4.

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

Meanings of Lines 5-7

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

Meanings of Lines 8-11

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

Summary of I Hear America Singing

Analysis of literary devices used in i hear america singing, analysis of poetic devices used in i hear america singing, quotes to be used.

“The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.”

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Walt Whitman: Poems

By walt whitman, walt whitman: poems summary and analysis of "i hear america singing".

In “ I Hear America Singing,” the speaker describes various "carols" that arise from different figures in the American working class as people go about their work. He hears the mechanics , the carpenter , the mason , and the boatman singing. The deckhand , shoemaker , hatter , wood-cutter , and ploughboy sing their own songs, as well. The speaker celebrates each individual song, which provides the connection between the worker and his/her task: for example, "the deckhand [sings] on the steamboat deck" and "the shoemaker [sings] as he sits on his bench." The speaker mentions the working women, as well. The mother and the young wife sing, as does the girl doing her sewing and washing. Each person in the poem has an individual carol, and together, they create the sound of "America Singing."

The poem consists of one stanza, which is made up of eleven lines. Whitman writes in his characteristic free verse. The structure is simple - it follows the simple list format that Whitman commonly employs in his poetry. One by one, he lists the different members of the American working class and describes the way they sing as they perform their respective tasks. He formats each line and sentence similarly, as many begin with the word "the," and contain phrases that are variations on "as he ___" or "on his way to ___." This structural choice gives the lines a quick pace and an a rhythmic whimsicality. Because of this, the poem gives the reader the sensation of hearing these carols in rapid succession.

This poem exemplifies the theme of musicality in Whitman's poetry. Whitman uses music to emphasize the interconnectedness of the human experience. Even though each worker sings his or her individual song, the act of singing is universal, and by extension, all of the workers unite under one common American identity.

Although Whitman is describing actual songs in this poem, there are instances earlier in the collection where he uses the word "sing" to stand in for "write" when referring to his poetry. This is because of Whitman's belief that poetry was strongest as an oral medium. Whitman wanted his poems to be spoken aloud because the words became more powerful when they can transcend the page. Because of this strong connection between music and poetry, Whitman often wrote his poems in a way that mimicked the natural rhythms of recitation and music.

The tone of the poem is joyful, whimsical, and hopeful. Whitman celebrates in the common American worker, magnifying his characters with descriptors such as "robust," "friendly," "blithe," and "strong." He highlights individuals that often go unnoticed in classic poems; these older verses focus on tales of brave soldiers and heroes. Ultimately, “I Hear America Singing” is a love poem to the nation. Whitman uses the small variations in individual experiences to crafts a wholesome, honest, and hardworking American identity.

Walt Whitman: Poems Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Walt Whitman: Poems is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

The Wound Dresser

D. empathetic

Why do you think Walt Whitman chose a spider to symbolize his soul?

Whitman chose the spider because like the spider, his soul is always trying to make connections to the world.

“Pioneers! O Pioneers!” why the repetition in the last lines?

Each stanza ends with the title line, "Pioneers! O Pioneers!" The repetition of this line accentuates the speaker's respect for the pioneers, as well as mimicking a rallying cry that brings them together and inspires them for the difficult journey...

Study Guide for Walt Whitman: Poems

Walt Whitman: Poems study guide contains a biography of Walt Whitman, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for Walt Whitman: Poems

Walt Whitman: Poems essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the poetry of Walt Whitman.

• An Analysis and Interpretation of Allen Ginsberg's America
• The Metaphor of Light in Whitman's Civil War Poems
• The Resposibilities of Creation
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E-Text of Walt Whitman: Poems

Walt Whitman: Poems e-text contains the full text of select poems by Walt Whitman.

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Analysis of I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman

Background The poem "I Hear America Singing" was written by Walt Whitman. It was published in 1867 in the book Leaves of Grass. An earlier version of the poem, with slight variations, appeared in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass labeled simply as "20" under the section titled "Chants Democratic." [1]

Structure The poem appears as a single stanza. However, some lines are broken into two but there is no enjambment. Counting the broken up lines as one line each, it can be concluded it is composed of eleven lines. When read through, especially aloud, the poem actually reads like a list. It has no set rhyme scheme or meter as it is written in free verse.

Analysis I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

From the first line, the reader is made aware the speaker (henceforth referred to with male pronouns) will be speaking of the diversity in America. He does not mention America as a whole; rather he builds a whole out of parts. This is evidenced by the "varied carols" mentioned in the line.

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The second line immediately develops the idea formed by the reader in the first line. Here, the speaker is specifying the carol, or song, of a specific group of people. This is one of the variations of America singing. He describes their song as "blithe and strong." He means their song shows indifference, or a state of being unconcerned, while also demonstrating strength. He also mentions "it should be" like this, implying he believes it to reflect their profession and personality.

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The reader is then told of the carol sung by another type of person, the carpenter. Instead of describing the actual singing, as done previously, the reader learns what the carpenter does as he sings. The line provides a small glimpse into the daily life of this person, adding more variety to the image of America being conjured by the speaker.

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The mason, someone who works with stone, appears joyous. That he will sing as he heads to work and leaves work insinuates he is in an upbeat mood. If not in a good mood, at least the resolve of the worker has not waned at the end of the day.

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

Each worker on the boat has his own domain. The boatman and deckhand sing songs respective to what is theirs.

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

Now, the speaker is mentioning more than one person per line. It is as if he is trying to fit as great a variety of people as possible into a short space. It is lovely, however, to imagine all these people singing as they go about their day. In this particular line, "the hatter singing as he stands" is an interesting image and use of words. The reader can almost imagine a hat-stand from this line.

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

All day long, the people are singing. Though this is directly stated after the ploughboy is brought up, it is likely true of all or most who have been introduced in the poem thus far. Perhaps the songs can be taken as an extension of the people’s moods and thoughts and that is why they are continuous.

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

"The delicious singing of the mother" is a description that certainly stands out from the rest. It is something that is highly pleasant and speaks to the importance of the mother. Within the same line, other women are mentioned for the first time in the poem.

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

This line speaks to individuality. Though every person is part of a group, that group of a larger taskforce, and that of the nation, every song has something unique. Each person sings "what belongs to him or her and to none else." Though there is unity throughout, that does not take away the uniqueness of the individual.

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Whatever the carol may be for the day, it is different for the night. Just as each person sings his or her own way, daytime and nighttime have distinct songs. The daytime song varies greatly while the nighttime song, generally, is lively and warm. At is alive with the animation of "young fellows."

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

These people are not ashamed and do not keep quiet. The songs are loud and harmonious. These are common people who appear in the poem. They are the workers of America who help keep it up and running. These are people who endure physical labor. These are people who are united and proud. This is reflected in the cheery tone of the poem.

Summary As previously mentioned, "I Hear America Singing" reads like a list. Of course, it has more musicality than a typical list but it does catalog an array of people. The speaker discusses the carols America sings by detailing the songs of groups of individuals. The reader is shown how regular, working people go about their day as they sing. Both high spirits and strength appear in the poem through the descriptions, creating a positive image of the people mentioned.

Theme The theme of this poem is work. It celebrates America in a very specific way. The portrayal of the average citizens is positive and energetic, something that is uplifting. The people do not seem to complain of their daily lives and tasks. Instead, they appear to enjoy and appreciate them. In this regard, a theme of pride also surfaces.

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I Hear America Singing

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I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

This poem is in the public domain.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — I Hear America Singing — The Analysis Of I Hear America Singing

The Analysis of I Hear America Singing

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Published: May 24, 2022

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• Work in Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing” Words: 611

Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman

Introduction.

Walt Whitman is a free verse innovator and reformer of American poetry, whose primary ideas are people’s closeness to nature and kinship of a person with all people and all phenomena of the world. Moreover, he gained fame as the first nationwide poet in the United States since an industrial theme, meaningful for an average American citizen, occupies a central niche in Whitman’s work. One of the magnificent instances, which concerns ordinary working life familiar almost to every American, is I Hear America Singing . This paper aims to examine how tone reveals the theme of unity, freedom, and dignity in American workers’ songs in the poem I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman.

I Hear America Singing displays an idealized vision of the American working class’s life. The plot smoothly shifts from the urban atmosphere to the country, from the coast to the sea, acquainting readers with various occupations, such as masons, farmers, mechanics, woodcutters, shoemakers, carpenters, and housewives. Moving through these professions, the poet gradually determines their main tasks; for example, “The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,” while the girl washes and sews (Whitman, 1867). Thus, Whitman depicts the picture of America as a place where every person can find fulfillment, dignity, and delight in honest labor and its outcomes. This idea was close to Whitman since he was born in a house builder’s poor family with nine children and had to change many professions, including messenger, teacher, reporter, and journalist (“Walt Whitman,” n.d.). Hence, in this poem, emphasizing the merit of work, Whitman demonstrates that many specific songs are combined to shape the single proud sound of America, acknowledging the personal value of each worker.

The tone of the poem is cheerful, optimistic, upbeat because it elevates the average American worker by enhancing their characters with such abstract expressions as “blithe,” “robust,” “melodious,” “friendly,” and “strong.” These adjectives are generally joyful, pleasant, and strong, suggesting the strength and delight of their songs. Besides, they are without any pretentiousness, simple and understandable for every American commoner irrespective of gender, not for aristocrats or the bourgeoisie. This accent acquires a national significance since, predominantly, a laborer leaves unnoticed in classic poetry chanting about brave heroes, soldiers, and lords. Furthermore, these descriptors indicate Whitman’s genuine and deep love for the nation and pencil an honest, industrious, flourishing, promising American identity. It is also worth noting that the poet applies the present tense to highlight his idea that the United States is a rising, hopeful, energetic country. It seems like Walt wanted his verse to be declaimed loudly and instill fervent hope, inspiration, self-respect, and perseverance in his comrades.

Nevertheless, although the poem celebrates workers’ individualism and self-sufficiency through “varied carols,” thereby deftly evading from praising the elite class, it highlights the importance of their unity. That is, no matter how unique each of these workmen may be, the author argues that only what they all sing makes America what it is, in the full sense of the term. This idea slips in the first line of the poem, namely, “I hear America singing,” further, as if clarifying, “the varied carols I hear” (Whitman, 1867). In addition, from line nine, where “Each singing what belongs to him or her and none else,” the poet consolidates them into an all-in-one chorus singing “their strong melodious songs” (Whitman, 1867). Inline ten, the words “friendly,” “party,” and “fellows” point to fraternity and comradeship. Finally, the shared feature of all laborers in the verse is singing while working. Whitman deliberately uses the conjunction “as” several times, precisely, in the third, fourth, and sixth lines, to focus readers’ attention to that the workers sing and work simultaneously.

Lastly, Whitman uses a set of sounds to stress the overall tone of the poem. Specifically, the repetition of the sound [ing] (“singing,” “sewing,” “washing,” “morning”) creates a bright, amiable, and exultant mood and underpins a merry and free atmosphere in listeners’ imagination (Yoneyama, 2002). The alliteration of the [d], [b], and [p] sounds in second, third, fifth, tenth, and eleventh lines (for instance, “be blithe,” “carpenter,” “plank,” and “beam”) establishes the distinct beat throughout the poem (Yoneyama, 2002). Additionally, in the tenth and eleventh lines, the author inserts words with vowel sound [o], including “belongs,” “fellows,” “robust,” “melodious,” to convey youthful, up-and-coming spirit. Therefore, Whitman uses various sounds to produce a subconscious feeling of exaltation, joy, youth, and strength.

In conclusion, the paper has explained how tone reveals the theme of unity, freedom, and dignity in American workers’ songs in the poem I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman. The theme is primarily related to an idealized vision of the American working class’s life, represented in the poem as strong, sound, hardworking, and hopeful. The verse’s tone is cheerful, optimistic, upbeat, elevating the American commoners by strengthening their characters with such abstract adjectives as “blithe,” “robust,” “melodious,” “friendly,” and “strong.” In addition, the tone highlights the importance of workers’ unity, which is especially revealed in the first and last three lines of the verse, thereby framing this principal idea. Finally, the variety of sounds, such as [ing], [d], [b], [p], and [o] stress the overall tone of the poem.

Whitman, W. (1867). I Hear America Singing . The Academy of American Poets. Web.

Walt Whitman (n.d.). The Academy of American Poets. Web.

Yoneyama, M. (2002). Whitman’s “America”: An explication of “I Hear America Singing.” 外国文学 , (51), 129-135.

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StudyCorgi. (2022, February 24). Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman. https://studycorgi.com/tone-in-i-hear-america-singing-by-walt-whitman/

"Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman." StudyCorgi , 24 Feb. 2022, studycorgi.com/tone-in-i-hear-america-singing-by-walt-whitman/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) 'Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman'. 24 February.

1. StudyCorgi . "Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman." February 24, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/tone-in-i-hear-america-singing-by-walt-whitman/.

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StudyCorgi . "Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman." February 24, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/tone-in-i-hear-america-singing-by-walt-whitman/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "Tone in “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman." February 24, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/tone-in-i-hear-america-singing-by-walt-whitman/.

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