'To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire' by Walt Whitman

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

COURAGE yet! my brother or my sister!
Keep on! Liberty is to be subserv'd, whatever occurs;
That is nothing, that is quell'd by one or two failures, or any
number of failures,
Or by the indifference or ingratitude of the people, or by any
unfaithfulness,
Or the show of the tushes of power, soldiers, cannon, penal statutes.

Revolt! and still revolt! revolt!
What we believe in waits latent forever through all the continents,
and all the islands and archipelagos of the sea;
What we believe in invites no one, promises nothing, sits in calmness
and light, is positive and composed, knows no discouragement,
Waiting patiently, waiting its time.

(Not songs of loyalty alone are these,10
But songs of insurrection also;
For I am the sworn poet of every dauntless rebel, the world over,
And he going with me leaves peace and routine behind him,
And stakes his life, to be lost at any moment.)

Revolt! and the downfall of tyrants!
The battle rages with many a loud alarm, and frequent advance and
retreat,
The infidel triumphs--or supposes he triumphs,
Then the prison, scaffold, garrote, hand-cuffs, iron necklace and
anklet, lead-balls, do their work,
The named and unnamed heroes pass to other spheres,
The great speakers and writers are exiled--they lie sick in distant
lands,20
The cause is asleep--the strongest throats are still, choked with
their own blood,
The young men droop their eyelashes toward the ground when they meet;
--But for all this, liberty has not gone out of the place, nor the
infidel enter'd into full possession.

When liberty goes out of a place, it is not the first to go, nor the
second or third to go,
It waits for all the rest to go--it is the last.

When there are no more memories of heroes and martyrs,
And when all life, and all the souls of men and women are discharged
from any part of the earth,
Then only shall liberty, or the idea of liberty, be discharged from
that part of the earth,
And the infidel come into full possession.

Then courage! European revolter! revoltress!30
For, till all ceases, neither must you cease.

I do not know what you are for, (I do not know what I am for myself,
nor what anything is for,)
But I will search carefully for it even in being foil'd,
In defeat, poverty, misconception, imprisonment--for they too are
great.

Revolt! and the bullet for tyrants!
Did we think victory great?
So it is--But now it seems to me, when it cannot be help'd, that
defeat is great,
And that death and dismay are great.

Editor 1 Interpretation

To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire: A Poem of Hope and Disillusionment

Walt Whitman's "To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire" is a poem that speaks to the ideals of revolution and the disillusionment that can come when those ideals are not fully realized. Written in 1871, the poem is a response to the failed European revolutions of 1848 and the subsequent rise of authoritarian regimes across the continent. In this literary criticism, I will explore the themes of hope and disillusionment in the poem and offer my own interpretation of its meaning.

Hope and Revolution

At its core, "To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire" is a poem about hope. The speaker addresses the titular revolutionaire, acknowledging the passion and courage that led them to fight for a better world. The speaker notes that the revolutionaire's cause was just, and that their struggle was not in vain:

Not he, nor his brave comrades, nor the armies artillery, nor the least bullet of victory,
Sanitary, engineer, or pioneer, nor mine of the modern, or medieval mine.
Neither he or they slept at the perilous post,
(Trust no future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead bury their dead!
Act, act in the living present! Heart within, and God o'erhead!)

Here, the speaker acknowledges the sacrifices made by the revolutionaire and their comrades. The revolutionaire may have been "foil'd," but their efforts were not in vain. The speaker urges the revolutionaire to continue fighting, even in the face of defeat, because the fight itself is what gives life meaning.

This theme of hope is woven throughout the poem, with the speaker repeatedly noting that the revolutionaire's cause was just and that their struggle was noble. However, this hope is tempered by a sense of disillusionment.

Disillusionment and the Limits of Revolution

The revolutionaire may have been fighting for a just cause, but the speaker notes that the revolution itself was ultimately limited by the flawed nature of humanity.

Not the peacefulest citizen in the grassy dales, with his insignificant truck,
Not the mechanics who wanted a better wage, not the farmers' sons, and daughters,
Not the émigré who has left the old land behind,
Not to embark for America, not to fulfill dreams, nor the rich who inherit their fathers' estates,
(Not the émigré, nor the heirs, nor the moneyed, nor the handsome;

None of these, more than the poor workman's child, do I rate highly.)

Here, the speaker acknowledges that the revolution was not an isolated event, but rather a product of the social and economic conditions of the time. However, even as the speaker notes the limitations of the revolution, they also hold out hope for a better future.

And though the reformers absorb many well-meaning persons,
They do not make the well-doing, not the well-meaning,
They do not make the atmosphere of writers, singers, and other artists,
They do not make the poets—the poems make the reformers.

The speaker acknowledges that the revolution may not have achieved its goals, but they also note that the struggle itself has the power to inspire change. The artists, writers, and poets who are inspired by the revolution have the power to shape the future, even if the revolution itself has failed.

Interpretation

"To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire" is a poem that speaks to the power of hope and the limitations of revolution. The revolutionaire may have been fighting for a just cause, but the speaker notes that the revolution itself was ultimately limited by the flawed nature of humanity. However, even as the speaker acknowledges the limitations of the revolution, they also hold out hope for a better future. The struggle itself has the power to inspire change, even if the revolution itself has failed.

At its core, "To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire" is a poem about the human condition. The revolutionaire represents the best of humanity, with their passion and courage in the face of adversity. However, the speaker notes that even the best of humanity is ultimately limited by our flaws and limitations.

The poem is also a commentary on the power of art and literature to inspire change. The revolution may have failed, but the artists, writers, and poets who were inspired by it have the power to shape the future. The poems make the reformers, not the other way around.

In my interpretation of the poem, I see a message of hope and resilience. The revolutionaire may have been "foil'd," but their struggle was not in vain. The fight itself is what gives life meaning, and the power of art and literature to inspire change ensures that the struggle will continue.

Conclusion

As a reader, I find the poem to be both inspiring and thought-provoking. It acknowledges the limitations of revolution, while also holding out hope for a better future. The power of art and literature to inspire change is a message that resonates with me, and I believe that it is a message that is just as relevant today as it was in 1871.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire: A Masterpiece by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman, the American poet, essayist, and journalist, is known for his unique style of writing that celebrates democracy, individualism, and the beauty of nature. His poem, "Poetry To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire," is a masterpiece that captures the essence of the revolutionary spirit and the struggle for freedom.

The poem was written in 1871, during a time when Europe was undergoing a period of political upheaval and social unrest. The revolutions of 1848 had failed to bring about lasting change, and the continent was still ruled by monarchs and aristocrats. Whitman, who was a staunch supporter of democracy and human rights, was deeply affected by the plight of the European revolutionaries and their struggle for freedom.

The poem is addressed to a "foil'd European revolutionaire," someone who had fought for freedom but had been defeated. Whitman acknowledges the pain and disappointment of the revolutionaire, but also encourages him to continue the fight for freedom. He writes:

"Courage yet, my brother or my sister! Keep on—Liberty is to be subserv'd whatever occurs; That is nothing that is quell'd by one or two failures, or any number of failures, Or by the indifference or ingratitude of the people, or by any unfaithfulness, Or the show of the tushes of power, soldiers, cannon, penal statutes."

Whitman's message is clear: the struggle for freedom is never easy, and setbacks and failures are inevitable. But the fight must go on, no matter what obstacles stand in the way. He urges the revolutionaire to have courage and to continue the fight for liberty, even in the face of adversity.

The poem is also a celebration of the power of poetry and literature to inspire and uplift the human spirit. Whitman writes:

"Of all races and eras these States with veins full of poetical stuff most need poets, and are to have the greatest, and use them the greatest, Their Presidents shall not be their common referee so much as their poets shall."

Whitman believed that poets had a special role to play in society, and that their words could inspire people to greatness. He saw poetry as a powerful force for change, and believed that it could help to bring about a better world.

The poem is also notable for its use of imagery and symbolism. Whitman uses the image of the eagle, a symbol of freedom and power, to represent the revolutionary spirit. He writes:

"Ever the eagle, with wings outspread, soaring high in the sky, The emblem of liberty."

The eagle is a powerful symbol of freedom and independence, and Whitman uses it to represent the revolutionary spirit that he so admired.

Overall, "Poetry To A Foil'd European Revolutionaire" is a powerful and inspiring poem that captures the essence of the revolutionary spirit. Whitman's message of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity is as relevant today as it was in 1871. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry and literature to inspire and uplift the human spirit, and a reminder that the fight for freedom and justice is never over.

Editor Recommended Sites

LLM Prompt Book: Large Language model prompting guide, prompt engineering tooling
Optimization Community: Network and graph optimization using: OR-tools, gurobi, cplex, eclipse, minizinc
NFT Bundle: Crypto digital collectible bundle sites from around the internet
Graph Database Shacl: Graphdb rules and constraints for data quality assurance
Named-entity recognition: Upload your data and let our system recognize the wikidata taxonomy people and places, and the IAB categories

Recommended Similar Analysis

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou analysis
Locksley Hall by Alfred, Lord Tennyson analysis
Shadow- A Parable by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
Sonnet 146: Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth by William Shakespeare analysis
During Wind and Rain by Thomas Hardy analysis
Each And All by Ralph Waldo Emerson analysis
To Nature by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Peggy by Robert Burns analysis
Up -Hill by Christina Georgina Rossetti analysis
The Patriot by Robert Browning analysis