1) Title - The title Song of the Open Road has a symbolic meaning. It represents happiness, joy and excitement. Here open roads means a place where people come together without any status or social rank. It gives freedom to start over towards something new.
2) Poet - The poem is written by an American poet, essayist and journalist Walt Whitman. He is known as ‘The Father of Free Verse.’ He grew up in Huntington in a family with difficult economic status. His major work ‘Leaves of Grass’ was published in July 1855. His ‘O Captain! My Captain!’, a poem written on the death of Abraham Lincoln, is widely popular.
3) Theme - The Song of the Open Road is a motivational poem, teaches to live a life of freedom. It is known as an ode or song of freedom, happiness, celebration of democratic life and optimism. These other major themes of this poem connected with the symbol ‘Road’. The theme of freedom in life is dominant in the poem. The poem starts with his inner approach of freedom. The beginning of the poem delineates the approach of freedom. A single step out of the door leads you towards freedom. And then you feel true meaning of freedom in the sense of happiness. You will be far away from the burdens of cares, stresses and sorrows. Freedom gives happiness, rejoice, and choice to take a walk and enjoy desires. Thus freedom is major theme which is interwoven with minor themes like joy, happiness, relief from stress etc.
4)
Poetic Style - The Song of the Open Road is written
in unconventional or free style suits with its idea of freedom. Walt Whitman
wrote this verse (Poem) into four stanzas. The first stanza comprises only
three lines and remaining three stanzas contain four lines. The poem is varying
in length. It is in the form of free verse and the lines are unrhymed. He makes
use of all different forms of punctuation marks. Punctuation marks found even
in the middle of the sentence. It is used to emphasize a particular phrase or
idea. Whitman is able to fully express himself, using punctuation, fragments,
and whatever suits his purpose. The free style of writing highlights the
freedom of life and thoughts.
5)
The Language and Poetic Devices – The poet used very
motivational language in the poem. It is narrated in the from a first person
speaker. The pronoun ‘I’ in the poem stand for any traveler, the reader, all
humans and Whitman himself. Walt Whitman used metaphorical and symbolic
language in the poem. There is no rhyme scheme in this poem. This poem is in
free verse. The poetic devices and figure speech like repetition, metaphor,
symbolism, paradox and inversion are notably used in the poem.
6) Special features – The special feature of this poem is writing style and its subject. The poem is very symbolic. It has very unconventional subject than other poems. The road in the poem does not mean only the road to travel. The poet wants to suggest the road of life. The tone of the poem is very vibrant and joyful. This optimistic poem gives us hope and shows that freedom in one’s life is possible.
7) Message, values, morals – The poem is about being confident and independent. The poem message us live a free life. We have to give ourselves permission to do good things.
8)
Your opinion - I like the poem because it gives
clear and important message that you are the maker of your own luck and
destiny. You are your good- fortune, just walk freely on the open road of life
without cry. A single step leads you towards happiness and burden less life.
This poem grabs my spirit, inspire me and touch my heart.
Thx sir
ReplyDeleteThanks Sir
ReplyDeleteIt's ok.....👍
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