從星空到草葉：分析愛默生與惠特曼詩歌的不同

From Stars to Summer Grass

——Comparison between Poems of Emerson and Whitman

Abstract：

Based on the poems of Emerson and Whitman， this paper centers around the two transcendentalists’ different opinions on the relationship of nature and human beings. The author analyses the difference from three aspects： the way of understanding nature， the way of treating the sanctity of nature and the opinions on modernization.

Key words： Emerson； Whitman； transcendentalism； nature and human beings

“If a man would be alone， let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds will separate between him and what he touches，” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson in his essay Nature （1836）. Almost two decades later， Walt Whitman published the first edition of Leaves of Grass （1855）， in which he says “I lean and loafe at my ease… observing a spear of summer grass.” For Whitman， nature is no longer something “always present but inaccessible” like the stars； it is the summer grass that can be closely observed. The two different ways to study and understand nature reflect different opinions of Emerson and Whitman on the relationship between nature and human beings.

Firstly， Emerson considers that beauty of nature can only be understood by human beings through rational contemplation while Whitman holds that feeling natural beauty emotionally is a better way. Emerson expresses his philosophical ideas on nature； for example， in “Each and All”， Emerson explains a unifying themes on beauty and truth， individual and the natural world. The shells are never as enchanting when they are brought home； a caged bird never sings as sweetly as a free one. Unlike Emerson， Whitman draws inspiration from nature through the senses. In the second canto of “song of myself”， he sniffs the perfume of nature， listens to “echoes， ripples， and buzzed whispers” ，looks at “loveroot， silk thread， crotch， and vine” and his own “respiration”， “beating of heart”， “passing of blood and air though lungs” also totally blend into Nature and become part of it. As a result， Emerson’s passion for nature flows like a stream whereas Whitman’s pours like an inexhaustible waterfall. Emerson praises the beauty of nature in a reserved and indirect manner by depicting the soft breeze， the thick forest， and the gorgeous blossom in Rhodora. By contrast， Whitman， with an emotion out of control， passionately and directly expresses his love for nature in “Song of Myself”： “I am in love with it； I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked， I am mad for it to be in contact with me.” Therefore， Whitman is more of a Romanist than Emerson.

Secondly， nature is high above human beings for Emerson while Whitman holds that human beings are equal to nature. For Emerson， natural beauty is a sacred existence. In “Rhodora”， Rhodora is beautiful because of some holy reasons and we human beings are just their unconscious audience. According to Emerson， the deity “over me soared the eternal sky” （Each and All）， remaining distant from human beings. Nonetheless， as a pantheist， Whitman is convinced that divinity is not above the natural world but exists in everything and every human being is the microcosm of the divinity： “In the faces of men and women I see God，/ and in my own face in the glass.” （Song of Myself， 48）So， Whitman does not have a reverence toward nature as Emerson. Therefore， Whitman takes a more radical stance than Emerson on the relationship between God， nature and human beings.

Lastly， Emerson believes nature and human society are separated while Whitman believes human society is also a part of nature. For Emerson， scientific and industrial development forbids human beings from directly communicating with Nature and God， so he disdains modernisation of human society. In “A Letter”， Emerson claims that he will quit the “weary town” and head a place with woodland， mountains and brooks. In the last few lines of the poem， he uses scientific images like telescope， dials and thermometer to express his unscientific ideas. As a transcendentalist， Emerson pursues the conscious awareness of God through direct experience but science can never explain the spiritual connection with divine things. On the contrary， Whitman is excited about the industrial development. In “I Hear America Singing”， Whitman depicts the reconstruction of the country after the American Civil War. He speaks highly of manual work and is willing to be involved in modern civilisation. Thus， Whitman is more open to new things than Emerson， and in Whitman’s perspective， nature can fully embrace the development of human society.

In conclusion， from Emerson to Whitman， transcendentalists have changed their focus on nature from “stars” to “summer grass”. No longer being distant and abstract， nature is more understandable， more inclusive and less holy in Whitman’s time. At any time， for all mankind， nature is a beneficent living force， a source of inspiration and a harbour of human minds.