Reflecting on Time: Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass

🕒Whitman's speaker ponders the fleeting nature of human life and its indifference to future generations.

💀The speaker observes the constant presence of death and reflects on the unique mark each individual makes in the world.

💡Whitman uses repetition and anaphora to create an introspective and rhythmic effect in the poem.

🌟The poem reflects Whitman's transcendentalist philosophy, emphasizing the inherent goodness of the soul.

⏳The speaker believes that all processes of life and death are a preparation for the eternal.

What is the main theme of the poem?

—The main theme of the poem is the contemplation of time's relationship to death and the immortality of the soul.

How does Whitman use repetition in the poem?

—Whitman uses repetition to create an introspective and rhythmic effect, emphasizing the speaker's contemplation of time and the eternal.

What is Whitman's transcendentalist philosophy?

—Whitman's transcendentalist philosophy emphasizes the inherent goodness of the soul and the belief in the eternal nature of life and death.

What is the significance of the speaker's observation of death?

—The speaker reflects on the constant presence of death and highlights the unique mark each individual makes in the world.

How does the poem explore the concept of immortality?

—The poem suggests that all processes of life and death are a preparation for the eternal, emphasizing the immortality of the soul.

00:09Whitman's speaker contemplates time's effect on the living.

00:39The speaker reflects on the relationship between time and death.

00:58Each individual makes a unique mark on the world despite the fleeting nature of life.

01:11Whitman uses repetition to create an introspective and rhythmic effect in the poem.

01:27The poem reflects Whitman's transcendentalist philosophy.