Analysis of Whitman's "City of Ships"

Walt Whitman's poem titled "City of Ships" from the collection titled "Drum Taps" exhibits many common characteristics of Whitman's poetry such as his passion for America, sympathy for Lincoln, and overall commentary on the social situation and trends of the current time period. In the first stanza of the poem, Whitman begins by explaining his love for these different ships in the wharf somewhere in New York. He explains their diversity well when he states, "O the black ships! O the fierce ships! O the beautiful sharp-bow'd steam ships and sail-ships" (Whitman). By explaining these differences in the physical ships, he expresses a sort of diversity. This has a direct correlation to the countries, who at that time had great ties via shipping with the United States. Whitman's enthusiasm for the diversity of these ships represents his worldliness and cultural depth. He truly enjoyed thinking about all of these leading world powers all coming into this one place and their rich culture in their homelands (Oliver). However, as the poem goes on, Whitman introduces the loaded topic of the Civil War in America. Overall, Whitman demonstrates his general ambiguity towards this war. On one hand, he is very patriotic in the sense that Lincoln had declared that this war must be fought, and he whole heartedly agreed, and so he knew what had to be done for the well being of the country in the long run. However, he worked as a medic for a little time near Washington DC, and while there, he saw some unbearable truths about war. He witnessed gruesome things which absolutely repulsed his good thoughts about the war (Oliver). Whitman illustrates this ambiguity in the last stanza when he says, "I chant and celebrate all that is yours-yet peace no more, In peace I chanted peace, but now the drum of war is mine, War, red war is my song through your streets, O city!" (Whitman). Really this quote from the poem is representing Whitman's call to action in times of war, but it fits well with my previous statements in that these were Whitman's initial thoughts. Even throughout the terrible times of war, which by the way had some large effects on the city of ships, New York, that Whitman had earlier professed his seemingly shallow and playful love for. Although the war has a grand effect on New York's ships, or overall diversity especially in economics, Whitman still loves it so. He expresses this when he calls the city, "Proud and passionate city-mettlesome, mad, extravagant city!" (Whitman). This sort of description lands his thoughts into the never ending pile of Walt Whitman American microcosm references. What he is really doing here, really throughout the entire poem, is demonstrating his appreciation of the overall diversity of America rather than simply the city in New York. However, at this time, America did not necessarily exhibit that of which it does in modern times. This fact even further illustrates Whitman's progressive and insightful views. As a whole, this poem seems to be another of Whitman's writing describing of a seemingly simple thing or occurrence truly representing something much more important such as the turmoil of the Civil War on America or the growing diversity of America.

Works Cited

Oliver, Charles M. "'City of Ships'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW093&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 7, 2011).

Whitman, Walt. "City of Ships." The Walt Whitman Archive. 2011. Web. 7 Mar. 2011.