Leaves of Grass · Chapter
L. of G.'s Purport explained
The poet declares the purpose of Leaves of Grass: not to exclude or condemn evil, but to add, fuse, complete, and celebrate the immortal and the good.
What happens
The poet declares the purpose of Leaves of Grass: not to exclude or condemn evil, but to add, fuse, complete, and celebrate the immortal and the good. The song spans vast realms of space and time, encompassing evolution, growth, and generations. Begun in ripe youth and pursued through war and peace, day and night, it ends in sickness, poverty, and old age, with death ever present.
Themes in this chapter
Death and Immortality
The poem explicitly contrasts life with death, acknowledging death's constant presence while celebrating the immortal and the good.
The Poet as Prophet and Unifier
The poet's mission is to add, fuse, complete, and extend, spanning vast realms and generations.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Not to exclude or demarcate, or pick out evils from their formidable masses (even to expose them,) But add, fuse, complete, extend—and celebrate the immortal and the good.”
The purpose is not to separate or single out evils, but to integrate, unify, and honor what is eternal and virtuous.
Whitman defines the inclusive, celebratory aim of his work.
“I sing of life, yet mind me well of death: To-day shadowy Death dogs my steps, my seated shape, and has for years— Draws sometimes close to me, as face to face.”
Though I celebrate life, I am acutely aware of death, which has followed me for years and now confronts me directly.
The poet acknowledges the intimate presence of death in his later years.