Whitman: A Study

In Short

John Burroughs presents an impassioned, unapologetically sympathetic study of Walt Whitman's life and radical verse. Rather than measuring the poet against traditional literary rules, Burroughs evaluates Whitman as an elemental force of nature and a prophet of modern democracy. The book traces Whitman's development from his Long Island ancestry and Civil War hospital service to his revolutionary approach to art, morals, science, and culture. It endures as a vital early defense of free-verse poetry, advocating for a literature rooted in authentic character, physical health, and the expansive spirit of the American populace.

The Story

John Burroughs opens his study by openly disclaiming any cold, dispassionate distance from his subject. Guided by Goethe's principle that true insight springs only from a loving interest, he sets out to defend Walt Whitman against a hostile literary establishment. Burroughs establishes Whitman’s background and personal character first, tracing his rugged heritage to the Dutch Van Velser strain of Long Island and highlighting the profound influence of the sea upon his nature. He recalls seeing Whitman in Washington during and after the Civil War—a large, slow-moving figure in gray, riding on the front platforms of horse-cars or tending tirelessly to thousands of wounded, suffering soldiers in overcrowded military hospitals.

From these biographical foundations, Burroughs shifts to the core ideas and aims driving Leaves of Grass. He argues that Whitman's animating principle is ideal Democracy, which demands the total acceptance of all human beings, high and low. The poet intentionally adopts an all-inclusive persona that encompasses every aspect of American life, including its rowdy, coarse, and sinful elements, so as to demonstrate a boundless, saving compassion. Burroughs counters critics who accuse Whitman of monstrous egotism by framing his pride as a representative, "altru-egotism" that exalts the divinity inherent in every ordinary man and woman.

Addressing Whitman’s relation to art, Burroughs distinguishes between polished formal art—which relies on strict meters, exact rhymes, and traditional artifices—and creative art, which flows from raw life, heat, and spiritual power. Whitman intentionally rejects conventional verse forms and the "beauty disease," opting for an intensified prose cadence that aligns with natural laws rather than prosodical rules. Burroughs addresses objections raised by critics like E. C. Stedman, insisting that Whitman’s apparent narrowness or reliance on common speech reflects a deliberate choice to ground his work in primal realities rather than fastidious literary culture.

Burroughs systematically traces Whitman’s connection to all major facets of modern life. He explores how the poet treats sex with direct, healthful animality rather than Byronic levity or hidden prurience, framing robust physical health and motherhood as essential pillars of a great society. He demonstrates that Whitman’s work is uniquely steeped in the disclosures of modern science, fully embracing evolution, material decay, and the infinity of universal laws. Ultimately, Burroughs positions Whitman as the crowning product of nineteenth-century liberation—a poet whose work demands active, heroic effort from the reader, leaving behind a lasting model of self-reliance, moral strength, and spiritual freedom.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Burroughs admits his own partiality and loving enthusiasm for his subject, citing Goethe to argue that genuine criticism requires sympathy. He asserts that despite persistent adverse winds, Whitman's literary reputation will inevitably rise to its true level over time.

The tender comrade The study paints a vivid picture of Whitman’s physical presence and his deeply compassionate nature. Burroughs recounts Whitman's selfless war work in Washington, where he comforted thousands of native-born American soldiers suffering from grisly wounds and amputations in crowded hospital wards.

The democratic vision Burroughs unfolds the central philosophy of Leaves of Grass, demonstrating how its apparent egotism is actually a universal, democratic embrace. Whitman deliberately incorporates the coarse and rowdy elements of humanity into his poetic persona to reflect the whole of American life.

The rejection of artifice The argument contrasts mechanical, formal art with vital, creative power, defending Whitman's unrhymed, prose-like rhythms. Burroughs explains that Whitman deliberately avoided fine writing and the "beauty disease" to make his poetry as direct and rugged as nature itself.

The primal realities Examining Whitman's controversial themes, Burroughs justifies the poet's frank treatment of sex and the human body as a necessary antidote to effeminate, hectic art. He emphasizes that Whitman seeks to inspire strong, independent individuals, sturdy mothers, and healthy citizens capable of meeting life's harshest demands.

The modern summit Burroughs connects Whitman to the sweeping advances of democracy, individualism, and modern physical science. He concludes by declaring Whitman a singular, mountain-like figure in American literature whose work offers readers the invigorating gift of life itself.

The People

• John Burroughs

The author and narrator, who brings a naturalist’s eye and an intimate personal friendship to the text. He seeks to persuade readers that Whitman must be experienced directly as a living force rather than judged by narrow, academic standards of poetry.

• Walt Whitman

The central subject, depicted as a large, calm, gray-bearded figure carrying a "great mother-nature" alongside a masculine, elemental presence. He wants to create a distinctly American, democratic literature that honors the body, accepts all people, and reflects the vastness of his country. He resists literary conventions, facing intense critical hostility to remain true to his mission. By the end of the study, he stands as a heroic figure who turned his life and personal character into an enduring gift of vitality for future generations.

• E. C. Stedman

A respected contemporary critic brought into the discussion to represent thoughtful objections to Whitman’s work. He views Whitman as narrow, overly formal in his own unique chant, and excessively fond of the rough elements of society over the refined.

In Its Own Voice

"I make no claim that my essay is a dispassionate, disinterested view of Whitman."

Burroughs opens his preliminary remarks by openly declaring his personal affection and enthusiasm for the poet he defends.

"During the war and after, I used to see a good deal of Whitman in Washington."

The author grounds his biographical account in firsthand memories of watching the poet move through the crowds and horse-cars of Pennsylvania Avenue.

"The gift of Whitman to us is the gift of life rather than of literature, but it is the gift of life through literature."

Burroughs cites a British critic to summarize his overarching belief that Whitman's verse serves primarily to invigorate human character and practical living.

What It's Really About

The book explores what happens when a culture outgrows rigid, traditional forms and demands a literature suited to modern freedom. Burroughs argues that true poetry resides in character, health, and spiritual power rather than in technical ornamentation or polished rhymes. He examines how democratic ideals require an all-inclusive sympathy that honors the humblest laborer, the physical body, and the realities of human nature without shame. Beneath its literary defense, the text wrestles with the impact of modern science on human faith, demonstrating that a universe governed by physical law remains profoundly spiritual. Ultimately, the book asserts that great art must serve as a quickening force that prepares men and women to face real life with self-reliance and courage.

Why Read It Today

This study offers a rare, immediate window into the birth of modern American poetry from a critic who personally knew its greatest revolutionary. Readers drawn to literary history, the Civil War era, or the philosophy of Leaves of Grass will find Burroughs’s writing remarkably clear, warm, and deeply felt. It feels less like a dusty academic treatise and more like an extended, earnest conversation with a knowledgeable companion who is eager to share his deepest passion.

The reader must navigate nineteenth-century prose patterns, occasional repetitions of core arguments, and a non-fiction structure that prioritizes essayistic thematic exploration over a linear story arc. Additionally, Burroughs's untamed enthusiasm means he rarely entertains negative judgments of Whitman's work without immediately refuting them. Yet these period characteristics only heighten the book's authenticity. What stays with you long after reading is Burroughs’s vivid portrait of Whitman moving through Washington's war wards, alongside a persuasive argument that literature should be judged not by its decorative surface, but by its capacity to make us feel more fully alive.