Leaves of Grass | Characters & Character Analysis

Leaves of Grass Characters

Walt Whitmanappears in All

Walter Whitman (1819-1892) is considered to be one of the most famous American poets of his time. Born in Long Island, New York, Whitman was the second of nine children born to Quakers. The family was rather poor throughout Whitman's childhood, often leaving the poet to refer to his youth as unhappy and restless.

Whitman held many jobs before becoming known as a writer. Among the poet's careers were: journalist, government worker, teacher, printer, publisher, and volunteer nurse during the Civil War.

Whitman is best known for his poetry collection titled Leaves of Grass. First published anonymously in 1855 with the author's own money, the collection was comprised of twelve poems. Whitman continued to work on the project throughout the rest of his life, editing and expanding its contents. Many were incensed over Whitman's overt sexuality and controversial themes and the work was often dubbed as being obscene.

Whitman...
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