Mason

Wow, that's pretty bold, especially for that time period. He's placing the physical self above religious doctrine. It's like he's saying the body itself is a temple.

Wow, that's pretty bold, especially for that time period. He's placing the physical self above religious doctrine. It's like he's saying the body itself is a temple.

It makes you wonder what people's reactions were back then. This had to be pretty revolutionary stuff.

It makes you wonder what people's reactions were back then. This had to be pretty revolutionary stuff.

Yeah. And it wasn't just about shocking people. He had a deeper point, right? Like in section 21, where he talks about both the pleasures of heaven and the pains of hell existing inside him. It's like he's saying that to truly know yourself, you have to acknowledge all of it, the good and the bad.

Yeah. And it wasn't just about shocking people. He had a deeper point, right? Like in section 21, where he talks about both the pleasures of heaven and the pains of hell existing inside him. It's like he's saying that to truly know yourself, you have to acknowledge all of it, the good and the bad.

So he's not saying go wild and do whatever you want. It's more about self-acceptance on this deeper level.

So he's not saying go wild and do whatever you want. It's more about self-acceptance on this deeper level.

all the complexities and contradictions. He doesn't make it easy. And he does it all in this incredibly powerful language that just draws you in. There's one section that really captures this bold approach to the body. Section 28.

all the complexities and contradictions. He doesn't make it easy. And he does it all in this incredibly powerful language that just draws you in. There's one section that really captures this bold approach to the body. Section 28.

It's incredibly sensual, almost violent in the imagery. He describes this encounter with like such force, such raw passion that it's almost unsettling.

It's incredibly sensual, almost violent in the imagery. He describes this encounter with like such force, such raw passion that it's almost unsettling.

It's definitely a complicated passage.

It's definitely a complicated passage.

It definitely challenges our modern sensibilities. It makes us confront the raw power of physical desire, which was pretty much never talked about openly in Whitman's time.

It definitely challenges our modern sensibilities. It makes us confront the raw power of physical desire, which was pretty much never talked about openly in Whitman's time.

And letting us figure it out for ourselves. It's interesting, though, because even with all this talk about the body, Song of Myself doesn't feel like a sexy poem, you know, in the typical sense. It's more about this deep spiritual connection with yourself and with the universe.

And letting us figure it out for ourselves. It's interesting, though, because even with all this talk about the body, Song of Myself doesn't feel like a sexy poem, you know, in the typical sense. It's more about this deep spiritual connection with yourself and with the universe.

So the body becomes this bridge between personal experience and universal truth. He takes these big philosophical ideas and grounds them in the physical reality of our existence.

So the body becomes this bridge between personal experience and universal truth. He takes these big philosophical ideas and grounds them in the physical reality of our existence.