Leaves of Grass · Chapter
We Two, How Long We Were Fool’d explained
The chapter celebrates the transformation and liberation of two beings who, having been deceived, now embrace their true nature as part of the natural world.
What happens
The chapter celebrates the transformation and liberation of two beings who, having been deceived, now embrace their true nature as part of the natural world. They become one with plants, animals, elements, and celestial bodies, ultimately finding freedom and joy in their union with each other and the universe.
Themes in this chapter
Unity of Soul and Body
The poem depicts the merging of two beings into a single, unified existence with nature, transcending physical and spiritual boundaries.
Celebration of Nature and the Universe
The chapter is a vivid celebration of the natural world, with the speakers becoming plants, animals, celestial bodies, and elements.
Characters to notice
- Narrator
The speaker who, along with a companion, undergoes a profound transformation into various natural forms.
- Walt Whitman
Implied as the poet behind the voice, expressing themes of unity with nature and the self.
Key passages
“We two, how long we were fool’d, Now transmuted, we swiftly escape as Nature escapes, We are Nature, long have we been absent, but now we return”
We two were deceived for a long time, but now we have changed and escape like nature does. We are nature itself, having been away for a while, but now we come back.
The speaker announces a transformation from deception to a return to natural essence.
“We have circled and circled till we have arrived home again, we two, We have voided all but freedom and all but our own joy.”
We have wandered in circles until we finally came back home, just the two of us. We have gotten rid of everything except freedom and our own happiness.
The conclusion emphasizes a journey of return and the ultimate embrace of freedom and joy.