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2.1 Song of The Open Road

Walt Whitman's poem "Song of the Open Road" celebrates freedom and optimism. The poem follows the speaker as he takes to the open road, feeling healthy, free and content with the world before him. He declares that he will no longer complain or feel burdened, and that he has all he needs in nature and people. The poem encourages readers to embrace life's opportunities and fill themselves with lightheartedness.

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Hariom yadav
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242 views10 pages

2.1 Song of The Open Road

Walt Whitman's poem "Song of the Open Road" celebrates freedom and optimism. The poem follows the speaker as he takes to the open road, feeling healthy, free and content with the world before him. He declares that he will no longer complain or feel burdened, and that he has all he needs in nature and people. The poem encourages readers to embrace life's opportunities and fill themselves with lightheartedness.

Uploaded by

Hariom yadav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SECTION TWO (POETRY)

2.1 SONG OF THE OPEN


ROAD

Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
(1819-1892)

● American Poet,
Essayist and
Journalist

● The Father of
Free Verse
Afoot and light-hearted I
take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world
before me,
The long brown path before
me leading wherever I
choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-


fortune, I myself am good-
fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no
more, postpone no more,
need nothing,
Done with indoor
complaints, libraries,
querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel
the open road.
The earth, that is sufficient,
I do not want the
constellations any nearer,
I know they are very well
where they are,
I know they suffice for those
who belong to them.

(Still here I carry my old


delicious burdens,
I carry them, men and
women, I carry them with me
wherever I go,
I swear it is impossible for
me to get rid of them,
I am fill’d with them, and I
will fill them in return.)
VOCABULARY (NEW WORDS)
1. Afoot- going on foot, 6. whimper - low voice of cry
walking, in motion or agony, unhappiness,
2. brown path- bare land sadness
3. postpone- to stop for 7. querulous -
few days argumentative, complaining
4. suffice- enough, 8. constellations - Here it
adequate, sufficient means group, collection,
5. deliciuos gathering of people
burdens(here)- sweet 9. light-hearted – cheerful,
memories of the past care-free
10.take to – begin
FIGURES OF SPEECH
1) The long brown path before me 4) Still here I carry my old delicious
leading wherever I choose....... burdens.....
Alliteration - Sound of letter ‘l’ is Paradox- Delicious and burden
repeated. express opposite meaning.

2) Henceforth I as not good- fortune, 5) Done with indoor complaints,


I myself am good- fortune...... libraries, querulous criticism.....
Repetition - Word ‘good –fortune’ is Tautology- ‘Complaint and Querulous’
repeated. expresses same meanings.

3) I carry them, men and women, I 6) Still here........burdens


carry them with me wherever I go..... Metaphor - Old sweet memories are
Repetition - Words 'Carry them’ are indirectly compared to something
repeated. delicious.
7) Henceforth I....need no more – 11) Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open
Climax....Words are arranged in road.
their ascending order of importance Inversion- The words are not in a correct prose
order. The correct prose order is – I take to the
8) Querulous Criticism open road afoot and light hearted.
Alliteration- Sound ‘k’ is repeated.
12) Done with indoor complaints, libraries,
9) Strong and content I travel the querulous criticisms.
open road. Climax- Ideas are arranged is ascending order.
Inversion- The words are not in a
correct prose order. The correct 13)Song of the road - Personification
prose order is – I travel the open Non-living object road is shown singing.
road strong and content.
14) I carry my old delicious burdens
10)I am fill’d with them, and I will fill Paradox-Burdens are described as delicious.
them in return
Repetition- The word ‘fill’ is repeated
MESSAGE OF THE POEM

It teaches us to be
optimistic and happy.
We have everything
including freedom and
opportunities. It
encourages us to enjoy
the life in healthy and
free world. It motivates
us to fill our heart with
immense pleasure
NK Y O U
THA

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