Transcendentalist poetry
The workings of Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson compare to that of Walt
Whitman in several ways. If one is to look closely at each poem, it is clear that the ideas of
transcendentalism are evident and relevant in both poems. Of course, Walt Whitman was one
of the first poets to utilize these ideas in his poetry. Especially seen in the poem I Sing the Body
Electric. Hughes and Johnson credit much of their work to that of Walt Whitman.
In the poem Democracy by Langston Hughes, there are many ideas of transcendentalism
are shown. For example, in the poem Hughes describes he tires of people constantly
complaining about their lives and taking no action. Hughes explains that if one is to make a
change in the world, he must be part of it and not sit back and watch as the world goes by.
Hughes also describes the evils of conformity which is a key idea of transcendentalism. When
he says freedom is a prize that must be achieved, he means that not everyone has the chance
to have freedom. So it’s important to fight for it.
In the poem Beauty that is Never Old by James Weldon Johnson, the ideas that
Whitman revolutionized are embraced. The ideas that Whitman initiated were interpreted and
adapted by Johnson. Johnson does this by making references to breasts and other body parts.
Johnson also vividly describes scenes and objects throughout his poem. He describes the days
as sunless and the nights of starry skies. Johnson also uses a lot of repetition much like
Whitman does. HE constantly refers back to the beauty of old and how majestic and pretty it is.
Both Hughes and Johnson credit all of their works of art to Walt Whitman.
Overall, Whitman has huge on the fundamentals of poetry. He changed the game unlike
most poets. Whitman was able to do more in a few years, then most poets do in their entire
life. This is why Hughes and Johnson credit much of their work to Whitman. They too believed
in expressing their full opinions into their poetry much like Whitman. All in all, Whitman made
great strides in the fields of poetry and literature.