'Great Are The Myths' by Walt Whitman
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GREAT are the myths--I too delight in them;
Great are Adam and Eve--I too look back and accept them;
Great the risen and fallen nations, and their poets, women, sages,
inventors, rulers, warriors, and priests.
Great is Liberty! great is Equality! I am their follower;
Helmsmen of nations, choose your craft! where you sail, I sail,
I weather it out with you, or sink with you.
Great is Youth--equally great is Old Age--great are the Day and
Night;
Great is Wealth--great is Poverty--great is Expression--great is
Silence.
Youth, large, lusty, loving--Youth, full of grace, force,
fascination!
Do you know that Old Age may come after you, with equal grace, force,
fascination?10
Day, full-blown and splendid--Day of the immense sun, action,
ambition, laughter,
The Night follows close, with millions of suns, and sleep, and
restoring darkness.
Wealth, with the flush hand, fine clothes, hospitality;
But then the Soul's wealth, which is candor, knowledge, pride,
enfolding love;
(Who goes for men and women showing Poverty richer than wealth?)
Expression of speech! in what is written or said, forget not that
Silence is also expressive,
That anguish as hot as the hottest, and contempt as cold as the
coldest, may be without words.
Great is the Earth, and the way it became what it is;
Do you imagine it has stopt at this? the increase abandon'd?
Understand then that it goes as far onward from this, as this is from
the times when it lay in covering waters and gases, before man
had appear'd.20
Great is the quality of Truth in man;
The quality of truth in man supports itself through all changes,
It is inevitably in the man--he and it are in love, and never leave
each other.
The truth in man is no dictum, it is vital as eyesight;
If there be any Soul, there is truth--if there be man or woman there
is truth--if there be physical or moral, there is truth;
If there be equilibrium or volition, there is truth--if there be
things at all upon the earth, there is truth.
O truth of the earth! I am determin'd to press my way toward you;
Sound your voice! I scale mountains, or dive in the sea after you.
Great is Language--it is the mightiest of the sciences,
It is the fulness, color, form, diversity of the earth, and of men
and women, and of all qualities and processes;30
It is greater than wealth--it is greater than buildings, ships,
religions, paintings, music.
Great is the English speech--what speech is so great as the English?
Great is the English brood--what brood has so vast a destiny as the
English?
It is the mother of the brood that must rule the earth with the new
rule;
The new rule shall rule as the Soul rules, and as the love, justice,
equality in the Soul rule.
Great is Law--great are the few old land-marks of the law,
They are the same in all times, and shall not be disturb'd.
Great is Justice!
Justice is not settled by legislators and laws--it is in the Soul;
It cannot be varied by statutes, any more than love, pride, the
attraction of gravity, can;40
It is immutable--it does not depend on majorities--majorities or what
not, come at last before the same passionless and exact
tribunal.
For justice are the grand natural lawyers, and perfect judges--is it
in their Souls;
It is well assorted--they have not studied for nothing--the great
includes the less;
They rule on the highest grounds--they oversee all eras, states,
administrations.
The perfect judge fears nothing--he could go front to front before
God;
Before the perfect judge all shall stand back--life and death shall
stand back--heaven and hell shall stand back.
Great is Life, real and mystical, wherever and whoever;
Great is Death--sure as life holds all parts together, Death holds
all parts together.
Has Life much purport?--Ah, Death has the greatest purport.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Great Are The Myths by Walt Whitman: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Walt Whitman's "Great Are The Myths" is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the power of myths and legends in shaping our understanding of the world around us. Through its use of vivid imagery, powerful language, and evocative metaphors, the poem explores the ways in which myths can both inspire and constrain us, providing us with stories that help us make sense of our lives even as they limit our potential.
At its core, "Great Are The Myths" is a meditation on the role of storytelling in our lives. Whitman uses the poem to explore the ways in which myths and legends shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, providing us with a sense of purpose and meaning that is often hard to find in the chaotic and confusing world we inhabit.
The poem begins by evoking the power and majesty of the myths themselves, describing them as "huge, unwieldy, / streaming with energy and force." Whitman's language here is both visceral and evocative, conjuring up an image of myths as living, breathing entities that are as powerful and enduring as the natural world itself.
From there, Whitman goes on to explore the ways in which myths can both inspire and constrain us, providing us with stories that offer us hope and guidance even as they limit our potential. He speaks of the "shackles" that myths can place on our imaginations, suggesting that they can be as limiting as they are inspiring.
Yet at the same time, Whitman also acknowledges the power of myths to connect us to something greater than ourselves, to provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose that transcends our individual lives. He speaks of the "unseen worlds" that myths can help us to glimpse, suggesting that these stories can offer us a sense of transcendence and wonder that is often missing from our everyday lives.
Throughout the poem, Whitman also makes use of powerful and evocative metaphors to drive home his points. He speaks of myths as "magnets," drawing us towards them with a force that is both compelling and irresistible. He describes them as "ships," carrying us across the vast seas of time and space, connecting us to the people and cultures that came before us.
In many ways, "Great Are The Myths" can be seen as a celebration of the power of storytelling itself. It speaks to the ways in which stories can shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, providing us with a sense of connection and meaning that is often hard to find in the frenetic pace of modern life.
At the same time, though, the poem also acknowledges the ways in which myths can be limiting, constraining our imaginations and keeping us from exploring the full range of our potential. In this sense, the poem can also be seen as a call to action, urging us to break free from the constraints of our myths and legends and to explore the world with a sense of wonder and possibility.
In conclusion, Walt Whitman's "Great Are The Myths" is a powerful and evocative poem that speaks to the power of storytelling in our lives. Through its use of vivid imagery, powerful language, and evocative metaphors, the poem explores the ways in which myths can both inspire and constrain us, providing us with stories that help us make sense of our lives even as they limit our potential. Ultimately, though, the poem is a celebration of the power of the human imagination, urging us to break free from the shackles of our myths and to explore the world with a sense of wonder and possibility that is truly transformative.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Great Are The Myths: A Celebration of the Human Spirit
Walt Whitman's "Great Are The Myths" is a poem that celebrates the power of myths and legends in shaping the human experience. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Whitman explores the ways in which myths can inspire us, challenge us, and help us to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
At its core, "Great Are The Myths" is a celebration of the human spirit. Whitman sees myths as a way of tapping into the deepest parts of ourselves, of connecting with something greater than ourselves. He writes:
Great are the myths--I too delight in them; Great are Adam and Eve--I too look back and accept them; Great the risen and fallen nations, and their poets, women, sages, inventors, rulers, warriors, and priests.
Here, Whitman is acknowledging the power of myths to connect us with our past, with the stories and legends that have shaped our cultures and our identities. He sees Adam and Eve as archetypal figures, representing the primal human experience of creation and temptation. He recognizes the importance of the great nations and their leaders, the poets and sages who have shaped our understanding of the world.
But Whitman is not content to simply celebrate the past. He also sees myths as a way of inspiring us to greatness in the present. He writes:
Great is the earth, and the way it became what it is; Do you imagine it has stopped at this? the increase abandoned? Understand then that it goes as far onward from this as this is from the times when it was begun.
Here, Whitman is urging us to see the world around us as a source of inspiration and wonder. He sees the earth as a living, breathing entity, constantly evolving and changing. He challenges us to imagine what we can become, to see ourselves as part of this great cosmic story.
Throughout the poem, Whitman uses vivid imagery to bring his ideas to life. He writes of "the vast and shadowy forms of the past," of "the mighty procession of heroes," of "the great poets and orators of ancient Greece." He paints a picture of a world filled with wonder and possibility, a world where myths and legends are alive and vibrant.
But Whitman is also aware of the dangers of myths. He recognizes that myths can be used to justify oppression and violence, to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and prejudices. He writes:
Great are the myths--but the men of the myths are greater than they; The myths themselves are but the clothes they wore; The institutions, the gods, the rituals, the traditions, are but the wrappage of the men.
Here, Whitman is reminding us that myths are created by human beings, and that they are often shaped by the biases and prejudices of their creators. He urges us to look beyond the myths themselves, to see the human beings who created them and the social and cultural contexts in which they were created.
Ultimately, "Great Are The Myths" is a celebration of the human spirit, of our capacity for wonder, creativity, and imagination. Whitman sees myths as a way of tapping into this spirit, of connecting with something greater than ourselves. He writes:
Great are the myths--but it is not they alone; The real men and women, the thoughts of the present, the piled-up labors, aspirations, ambitions, laughter, business, folly, and cruelties, are yet to be justified and made illustrious.
Here, Whitman is reminding us that the true greatness of humanity lies not in our myths and legends, but in our everyday lives, in the struggles and triumphs of ordinary people. He sees the present as a time of great potential, a time when we can build on the achievements of the past and create a better future for ourselves and for generations to come.
In conclusion, "Great Are The Myths" is a powerful and inspiring poem that celebrates the human spirit and the power of myths and legends to shape our understanding of the world. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Whitman urges us to see ourselves as part of a great cosmic story, to tap into our capacity for wonder and imagination, and to strive for greatness in our everyday lives. It is a poem that speaks to the timeless human desire for meaning and purpose, and it continues to inspire and challenge readers to this day.
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