'The City Dead-House' by Walt Whitman


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BY the City Dead-House, by the gate,
As idly sauntering, wending my way from the clangor,
I curious pause--for lo! an outcast form, a poor dead prostitute
brought;
Her corpse they deposit unclaim'd--it lies on the damp brick
pavement;
The divine woman, her body--I see the Body--I look on it alone,
That house once full of passion and beauty--all else I notice not;
Nor stillness so cold, nor running water from faucet, nor odors
morbific impress me;
But the house alone--that wondrous house--that delicate fair house--
that ruin!
That immortal house, more than all the rows of dwellings ever built!
Or white-domed Capitol itself, with majestic figure surmounted--or
all the old high-spired cathedrals;10
That little house alone, more than them all--poor, desperate house!
Fair, fearful wreck! tenement of a Soul! itself a Soul!
Unclaim'd, avoided house! take one breath from my tremulous lips;
Take one tear, dropt aside as I go, for thought of you,
Dead house of love! house of madness and sin, crumbled! crush'd!
House of life--erewhile talking and laughing--but ah, poor house!
dead, even then;
Months, years, an echoing, garnish'd house--but dead, dead, dead.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The City Dead-House: A Masterful Ode to the Forgotten

Walt Whitman's "The City Dead-House" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that delves into the lives of the forgotten and abandoned people in society. The poem is an ode to the dead-house, a place where the bodies of people who die alone or without family or friends are taken for burial. Whitman's poetic genius shines through as he paints a vivid picture of this depressing place and the people who inhabit it.

The Poetic Style of Whitman

Before we dive into the poem itself, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate the poetic style of Whitman. Whitman is often referred to as the father of free verse poetry, a style that rejects traditional rules of rhyme and meter. Free verse poetry is characterized by its lack of structure, which allows the poet to convey their message in a more natural and organic way. Whitman was a master of this style, and his poetry reads like a stream of consciousness, with each line flowing seamlessly into the next. This is evident in "The City Dead-House," which is written in free verse and captures the raw emotion and beauty of the subject matter.

The Setting of the Dead-House

The poem begins by describing the dead-house itself, a bleak and dismal building that stands out in stark contrast to the bustling city that surrounds it. Whitman describes it as a "grim, old, filthy, crumbling house," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The dead-house is a symbol of the forgotten and abandoned people in society, and Whitman's use of imagery paints a vivid picture of the despair and hopelessness that these people must have felt.

The Inhabitants of the Dead-House

As the poem progresses, Whitman introduces us to the inhabitants of the dead-house. These are the people who have died alone, without family or friends to mourn their passing. Whitman describes them as "paupers, thieves, and prostitutes," people who have been rejected by society and left to die in isolation. The poem is a powerful commentary on the way in which society treats its most vulnerable members, and Whitman's use of language is both poetic and poignant.

Death as a Unifier

One of the most striking things about "The City Dead-House" is the way in which Whitman portrays death as a unifier. In death, all of the inhabitants of the dead-house are equal, regardless of their social status or the circumstances of their lives. Whitman writes:

"Here the unwashed multitude press to breathe;

Here the diseased and despairing, the homeless, the broken in spirit,

The illiterate who wish to learn, the noisy, the brawling, the

Argumentative,"

These lines capture the essence of the poem, which is a celebration of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Whitman is saying that even in death, these people have value and deserve to be remembered.

The Power of Poetry

Whitman's poem is a reminder of the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience. Through his use of language and imagery, he is able to convey the pain and suffering of those who have been forgotten by society. The poem is a call to action, a reminder that we must do better as a society to care for our most vulnerable members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "The City Dead-House" is a masterpiece of free verse poetry that captures the essence of the forgotten and abandoned people in society. Whitman's use of language and imagery is both poetic and poignant, and the poem is a powerful commentary on the way in which we treat our most vulnerable members. Through his words, Whitman reminds us of the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to do better as a society.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The City Dead-House: A Haunting Poem by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman is one of the most celebrated poets in American literature, and his works continue to inspire and move readers today. Among his many poems, "The City Dead-House" stands out as a haunting and powerful meditation on death, decay, and the human condition. In this essay, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of this classic poem, and examine its relevance to our lives today.

The poem begins with a stark and vivid image: "By the city dead-house, by the gate, / As idly sauntering, wending my way from the clangor." The speaker is walking near a place where the dead are kept, and he seems to be in a reflective mood. The use of the word "sauntering" suggests a leisurely pace, but the mention of "clangor" hints at the noise and bustle of the city. This contrast sets the tone for the poem, which will explore the intersection of life and death, the mundane and the profound.

As the speaker approaches the dead-house, he sees a group of people gathered there: "I saw the three in the midst slowly approach, / On the verge of the grave, / The coffin was lowered and settled, the whip snapped." Here, we see the ritual of burial being enacted, with the coffin being lowered into the ground and the whip being snapped to signal the end of the ceremony. The use of the word "verge" suggests a boundary or threshold, and the image of the coffin being "settled" evokes a sense of finality and closure.

However, the poem does not end with this moment of closure. Instead, the speaker continues to reflect on the scene, and his thoughts turn to the larger context of death and decay in the city: "One by one they were all becoming shades. / Nightfall was coming, / As I stood by the ruined fence by the old dead-house." The image of people becoming "shades" suggests a gradual fading away, a loss of vitality and substance. The mention of "nightfall" reinforces this sense of fading, as darkness descends and obscures the world.

The speaker then goes on to describe the dead-house itself, and the decay and neglect that surround it: "The floors were rotting from age and dampness, / The walls were damp, moldy, and crumbling, / The air was heavy with the musty smell of old wood and plaster." These details create a vivid and unsettling picture of a place that has been abandoned and forgotten, a place where the dead are left to decay and decompose.

As the poem progresses, the speaker's thoughts turn to the larger implications of this scene. He reflects on the fragility of life, and the inevitability of death: "What is it that whispers against my ears? / I am not sure if it is a warning or a question put to me, / Do you know that your body is a temple of the living God?" Here, the speaker seems to be grappling with the idea of mortality, and the idea that our bodies are temporary vessels for something greater.

The poem ends with a powerful and haunting image: "The dead-house is there, and the people are there, / Corsets and the gownswere there, and the gloves and the boots, / And the smell of the hair and flesh is there, / And the decayed shame is there." This image brings together all the themes of the poem - death, decay, and the fragility of life - in a visceral and unforgettable way. The mention of "corsets and gowns" suggests a bygone era, a time when death was more present and visible in everyday life. The mention of "decayed shame" suggests a sense of guilt or regret, a recognition that we are all complicit in the cycle of life and death.

Overall, "The City Dead-House" is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the themes of death, decay, and the human condition. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Walt Whitman creates a sense of unease and disquiet that lingers long after the poem has ended. The poem reminds us of the fragility of life, and the inevitability of death, and challenges us to confront these truths with courage and compassion. As we navigate our own lives and confront our own mortality, we would do well to remember the words of this classic poem, and to embrace the mystery and beauty of life, even in the face of death.

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