I am writing my poem on Whitman's "The Ship Starting". "The Ship Starting" displays many of the characteristics that Whitman commonly uses, including the all too familiar sense of "Self". This poem was one of the first poems in Whitman's "Leaves of Grass". The poem itself is full of descriptions and symbolism, as well as humanity's strive to move forward.
"LO! the unbounded sea!
On its breast a ship starting, spreading all her sails---an ample Ship, carrying even her moonsails; The pennant is flying aloft, as she speeds, she speeds so stately---below, emulous waves press forward, They surround the Ship, with shining curving motions, and foam." (Whitman)
The symbolism in this poem is essentially what makes it reflective of Whitman's "Self". If one was to read this poem in a literal way, it would appear to be boring and unrelated to Whitman or "Self". This poem, in a literal sense, is about a majestic ship that sails the vast ocean. The ocean and the ship are both personified, making them appear to be interacting with one another as the ship glides along. This four-line poem exalts the power of a ship "spreading all sails" as it starts a voyage on "the unbounded sea." The ship's sails make "emulous waves", which means that the sails in the wind are similar appearing to the waves (Oliver). One symbol in "The Ship Starting"is the ship itself. The ship carries it's passenger's across the ocean, always taking them to their destinations. The ship could be seen as Earth, or perhaps it could be seen as the life of humans itself. Without the ship, the passengers could not survive, and that is how it is for humans and the Earth. Humans must navigate the course of their lives on Earth and attempt to find their way. Through Whitman's concept of "Self" we are all one and thus are all one person. All humans share the same Earth, just like the passengers on the ship all share the same vessel.
The first line of "The Ship Starting" introduces the "unbounded sea", which, if taken literally, is just expressing the vast ocean. But upon looking closer, it becomes apparent that the "unbounded sea" actually represents the the ship's home- where it naturally resides. Ships travel the ocean constantly, and the ocean is their natural home. It represents the untamed Earth and the place where the ship must navigate and the passengers must spend their lives navigating without being overcome by it's rough and destructive nature.
The third symbol in the poem are the waves. Whitman describes the waves with the adverb "emulously". This basically means that the waves are pushing the ship along, urging it to go faster. The ship, Earth/humanity, is urged to go faster and carry humans farther into the ocean. The ship and the waves, who carried the ship along, urged the human race to excel and to be the best there ever was, which Whitman was a strong proponent of. The waves are thus representative of the collective self and the human desire to become the best. These three symbols are all personified, and once one discovers the meaning to one symbol, the meaning to the next symbol is then revealed. Without one symbol, the other symbols could not exist.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. "11. Ship Starting, The. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 03 Mar. 2011.
Oliver, Charles M. "'The Ship Starting'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW417&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 3, 2011).
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