Song of Myself Summary, Explanation, Word Meanings | BSEB Class 12

Song of Myself Introduction

The poem ‘Song of Myself’ written by Walt Whitman, was one of the best known and most influential poems ever written by an American. Walt Whitman had some radical ideas about America, democracy, spirituality, sexuality, nature and identity. He used ‘Song of Myself’ to explore these ideas while preaching self-knowledge, liberty and acceptance for all. ‘Song of Myself’ is not a poem with a clear plotline or a single point to make. Although Whitman has some distinct themes that come up over and over again, he was juggling so many ideas, characters, images and symbols all at once that reading this poem was like holding on to a runaway horse- you just have to let it take you where it will.

Song of Myself Summary

This is an extract of the poem ‘Song of Myself‘ written by Walt Whitman. In this poem, the poet talked about himself. He enjoyed himself and sang for himself. He wanted his readers to know that he was not different from others. He wanted everyone to suppose or accept the truth that even the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist in his body belonged to his soul. He wanted the readers to know that whatever he explained in the poem was the truth and it came from his heart. According to the poet, every atom that belonged to him belonged to every human being. He emphasized that two human beings were made of the same soil. The poet used to walk here and there and also invited his soul. He took support, moved and rested according to his comfort. He watched the spiky green grass in the summer that grew everywhere. He enjoyed nature. He even said that his tongue and every small particle of blood that he had in his body was formed by this grass and the air that everyone was living in. He explained how much he loved the world, especially nature, and how everything fits together just as it should.

He was born from his parents, they were born from their parents & their parents the same. The poet was 37 years old but still in very good health. He hoped to stay healthy and fit till his death.

The poet suspended all his religious beliefs and the system of thoughts. He was telling his readers to “retire” what they had learned in school- suspend your formal learning but never forget it. He felt that life was the finest gift given by God. The poet said that everyone should think that there is nothing in life. So, we should always be happy and try to make others happy. The poet said that he always believed in good or bad and he was ready for every danger in nature without checking with the original energy. The poet was ready for every danger in his life. He accepted that life was no bed of roses. It was full of difficulties but also, happiness.

Song of Myself Summary in Hindi

यह वॉल्ट व्हिटमैन द्वारा लिखित कविता ‘सॉन्ग ऑफ माईसेल्फ‘ का एक अंश है। इस कविता में कवि ने अपने बारे में बात की है। उन्होंने खुद का आनंद लिया और अपने लिए गाया। वह चाहते थे कि उनके पाठक जानें कि वह दूसरों से अलग नहीं हैं। वह चाहते थे कि हर कोई इस सत्य को मान ले या स्वीकार कर ले कि उसके शरीर में मौजूद रासायनिक तत्व का सबसे छोटा कण भी उसकी आत्मा का है। वह चाहते थे कि पाठकों को पता चले कि उन्होंने कविता में जो कुछ भी समझाया वह सच है और यह उनके दिल से आया है। कवि के अनुसार, प्रत्येक परमाणु जो उसका था वह प्रत्येक मनुष्य का था। उन्होंने इस बात पर जोर दिया कि दो इंसान एक ही मिट्टी से बने हैं। कवि इधर–उधर टहलता था और अपनी आत्मा को भी आमंत्रित करता था। उसने अपनी सुविधा के अनुसार सहारा लिया, चला और आराम किया। उसने गर्मियों में हर जगह उगने वाली कांटेदार हरी घास को देखा। उन्होंने प्रकृति का आनंद लिया। उन्होंने यहां तक ​​कहा कि उनकी जीभ और उनके शरीर में मौजूद खून का हर छोटा कण इस घास और उस हवा से बना है जिसमें हर कोई रह रहा है। उन्होंने बताया कि वह दुनिया से कितना प्यार करते हैं, खासकर प्रकृति से, और कैसे सब कुछ एक साथ फिट बैठता है जैसा होना चाहिए । 

वह अपने माता–पिता से पैदा हुआ था । कवि 37 वर्ष के थे लेकिन अभी भी बहुत अच्छे स्वास्थ्य में थे। उन्होंने आशा व्यक्त की कि वह अपनी मृत्यु तक स्वस्थ और फिट रहेंगे।

कवि ने अपनी सभी धार्मिक मान्यताओं और विचार प्रणाली को स्थगित कर दिया। वह अपने पाठकों से कह रहे थे कि उन्होंने स्कूल में जो कुछ सीखा है उसे “सेवानिवृत्त” कर दें – अपनी औपचारिक शिक्षा को स्थगित कर दें लेकिन इसे कभी न भूलें। उन्हें लगता था कि जीवन ईश्वर द्वारा दिया गया सबसे बेहतरीन उपहार है। कवि ने कहा कि हर किसी को यह सोचना चाहिए कि जीवन में कुछ भी नहीं है। इसलिए हमें हमेशा खुश रहना चाहिए और दूसरों को खुश करने का प्रयास करना चाहिए। कवि ने कहा कि वह हमेशा अच्छे या बुरे में विश्वास करते थे और मूल ऊर्जा की जांच किए बिना वह प्रकृति में हर खतरे के लिए तैयार थे। कवि अपने जीवन में हर खतरे के लिए तैयार थे। उन्होंने स्वीकार किया कि जीवन गुलाबों का बिस्तर नहीं है। यह कठिनाइयों से भरा था, लेकिन साथ ही, खुशियाँ भी।

Video Explanation of Song of Myself

Song of Myself Poem Explanation

Poem:
I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
for every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. 

Word meaning
Celebrate- rejoice, have a good time
Assume- accept that something is true, suppose
Atom- the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist.

Explanation of the above poem: The poet Walt Whitman talked about himself and said that he always enjoyed himself, had a good time and he also sang for himself. He wanted his readers to know that he was not different from others. He wanted everyone to suppose or accept the truth that even the smallest particle of a chemical element that could exist in his body, belonged to his soul. Whatever he explained in the poem, he wanted his reader to know was the truth and came directly from his heart. According to the poet, every atom which belonged to him, belonged to every human being that existed and that, two human beings were made of the same soil.

Poem:
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air

Word meaning
loafe (old spelling): loaf (modern spelling), wander, walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way.
Lean- take support, rest
Spear- mast, spike, top point

Explanation of the above poem: The poet walked here and there and also invited his soul. He took support, moved and rested according to his comfort. He watched the spiky green grass in the summer that grew everywhere. He enjoyed nature alot. He even said that his tongue and every small particle of blood that he had in his body was formed by this grass and this air that everyone was living in. He explained how much he loved the world, especially nature, and how everything fits together just as it should.

Poem:
Born here of parents, born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin. 

Explanation of the above poem: He was born from his parents, they were born from their parents & their parents the same. The poet was now 37 years old but still in very good health.

Poem:
Hoping to cease not till death, 

Word meaning
Cease- come or bring to an end

Explanation of the above poem: The poet hoped that he could stay healthy and fit till his death.

Poem:
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten, 

Word meaning
Creeds-  religious beliefs
Schools– systems of thought
in abeyance- suspended, withheld
Sufficed- to be enough

Explanation of the above poem: The poet suspended the religious beliefs and the system of thoughts. He was telling his readers to “retire” what they had learned in school, to suspend their formal learning but never forget it. He felt that life was the finest gift given by God. The poet said that everyone should think that there is nothing in life. So, we should always be happy and try to make others happy.

Poem:
I harbour for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy. 

Word meaning
Harbour- believe, keep feelings or thoughts in mind
hazard- peril, danger 

Explanation of the above poem: The poet explained that he always believed in good or bad and he was ready for every danger in nature which prevailed unrestricted with the original energy. The poet was ready to face every danger in his life. He accepted that life was no bed of roses. It was full of difficulties and also gave happiness.

Poetic/Literary Devices

Following poetic/literary devices have been used in the poem Song of Myself: