Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Whitman project
I found the assignment directed at Whitman and his peers to be very
interesting. I would like to further develop this topic but looking more
specifically at one of his peers we have not discussed in class. I
think a comparison between Herman Melville and Walt Whitman,
specifically that of Moby Dick, would allow for an exploration of
the ways in which both these authors are able to extensively catalog
details, experiences, and occurrences to engage the reader in an
investigation of American life; more specifically, maybe an
investigation of American democracy which was a prevalent theme in Leaves of Grass as well as in Moby Dick.
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Kate,
ReplyDeleteI think this sounds like a wonderful idea - I really like that you are brining in Melville, someone that we have not considered in class. I feel as if Walt would have really been impressed with Melville, especially since Melville was a sailor and explored the world (right? I am just going off of memory here). Further, as you noted, Melville was one of the first true American authors, something Whitman would surely have noted.
How do you think you'll go about the project? What sort of format will it be? Video, paper, play, speech? Either way I think you are on to some great work!
Nice! Melville was writing some really awesome stuff a little bit earlier but they both are pioneers of American writing. It might be cool to see how they stack up against one another like a author versus author. What poems of Walt's would you look at specifically? What sections of Moby Dick?
ReplyDeleteOne aspect to possibly research is how both writers were viewed even during their own lifetimes. Melville was all but discarded as a literary figure even before his death although he wrote one of the most enduring classics in American literature. Not sure if that will provide any insight to your research... Good luck.
ReplyDeleteOkay . . . but Moby Dick is a long novel. Are there some concrete points of comparison? I'm thinking of particular motifs - - perfume, grass, bodies, etc. That would make your labor more economical and your final product more interesting . . .
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