# Endnotes explained — Leaves of Grass

> Chapter companion for Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.

## What happens

Whitman reflects on his final songs written during a critical illness in his seventieth year, emphasizing development, continuity, immortality, and transformation as life's core meanings. He includes notes on the soothing power of sunset bird songs, the gentle death of an old sailor, his hospital visits during the Civil War, a tribute to General Sheridan, and references to Champollion, the Elizabethan age, Kant, and Sir Walter Scott.

## Themes in this chapter

### Death and Immortality

Whitman discusses the end and close of all, yet finds development, continuity, immortality, and transformation as chief life-meanings, and describes the gentle death of an old sailor.

### The Poet as Prophet and Unifier

Whitman reflects on his own final songs and their emotional and solemn action, seeing them as an end and close of all, while also linking past and future.

### America and Its People

Whitman praises the military talents of the United States and its rank and file, and traces the nation's ferment back to the Elizabethan age.

## Character check-ins

### Walt Whitman

Reflects on his own illness and final songs in his seventieth year, and writes a tribute to General Sheridan.

### General Philip Sheridan

Whitman adds his tribute to Sheridan, praising his military talents and bright place in history.

### Shakespeare

Mentioned as part of the Elizabethan age that Whitman sees as foundational to the United States.

### Walter Scott

Whitman references Scott's Complete Poems, especially the Border Minstrelsy, which he read thoroughly.

### Champollion

On his deathbed, Champollion handed the revised proof of his Egyptian Grammar to the printer, calling it his carte de visite to posterity.

## Key lines

> Behind a Goodbye there lurks much of the salutation of another beginning—to me, Development, Continuity, Immortality, Transformation, are the chiefest life-meanings of Nature and Humanity

A farewell contains the promise of a new start; for Whitman, growth, continuity, eternal life, and change are the most important aspects of existence.

_Whitman emphasizes that endings are also beginnings, and that these concepts are fundamental to life._

> He went out with the tide and the sunset

He died peacefully as the tide ebbed and the sun set.

_A surgeon's description of an old sailor's gentle death, which Whitman found poignant._

> Be careful of this—it is my carte de visite to posterity.

Take care of this proof; it is my calling card to future generations.

_Champollion's cheerful words on his deathbed, handing over his Egyptian Grammar._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se/chapters/endnotes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se/chapters