Blog #7

Walt Whitman - Walt Whitman was a poet and journalist bron May 31, 1819 in West Hills, New York. He was the second of eight surviving children, so he grew up in an average family for that time period.He grew up on a decently large size of land however his father had sold some of it as he grew up. As Walt grew up his love for America that he has shown throughout his life can be attributed to his parents. His brothers are named after U.S. presidents, GW, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson. When Whitman was 17 he began teaching ata one room schoolhouse in LongIsland, where he taught for 5 years. He then turned his attention to journalism, starting his own weekly paper and eventually becoming the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
Walt made his name in poetry in 1855 when he self published a collection of 12  poems titled Leaves of Grass. The more free verse style of poetry departed Whitman from traditional rhyme and meter pieces.Although the book received little attention at first, after catching Ralph Waldo Emerson's eye gained slight popularity and resulted in Whitman releasing a 2nd version of 33 poems.
Whitman is known as perhaps the most influencial poet in American history.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- Henry Longfellow was born on February 27,1807 in Portland, Maine as the 2nd of 8 children in the family. He was enrolled in a dame school at the age of three and by age six was enrolled at the private Portland Academy. There he developed into a fine student and learned the art of speaking Latin. He wrote his first poem, a poem showing his love and patriotic beliefs called The Battle of Lovell's Pond in 1820. Two years later, at the age 15 he enrolled in Bowdoin College in Maine, where his grandfather was a founder of the college and father a trustee. Later in life he joined the language faculty at Havard University. His poem Voices of the Night brought him into the starlight popularity. He went on to write "The Village Blacksmith," Evangeline," and "Hiawatha." in his later years, showing where he got his name known for simplicity and gentleness in his pieces. He was known as a "thoroughbred gentleman" and always kept an optimistic view in all his writings. He wrote books during his teaching career at Bowdoin and Havard, giving him the title of one of the most influential writers of all time. 

Whitman and Longfellow, had for starters the fact that they were both great writers in common. Both are referenced as perhaps the most influential, innovative writer (or poet) in American history. Each having their own arguements. They also have other characeristics of writing and living in common. They were both part of the first generation to born into this "New America" where it was completely formed and a separate nation in its own. This gave them a different background than authors and thinkers in the past. Past writers of any sort had that feeling and rememberance of having Great Britain in their life and a lot of that history and beliefs transfered over into their artifacts of writing. Whitman and Longfellow had none of that, so their beliefs and feelings they expressed throught poetry differed, such as Whitman's love and belief in democracy and America. They also have a sort "openness" in their writings in common. Whitman was known to have no style, no structure to his writing, and has been criticized because of it. But isn't poetry based on the open mind and the idea that you can truly do what you want to express what you feel. From what I have learned about poetry is that the authors that "break the rules" and be innovated are the ones we glorify. Longfellow had structure, but was so optimistic and free flowing in his writings and poems that he as well comes off in this category. 

The difference between the two men are vast, as are all differences between two people. But one that caught my eye is how they were raised, Whitman grew up in a large family, (which so did Longfellow) but it seems to come off that his family struggled. His father had sold their land and struggled trying retrieve back throughout Walt's life. As Walt grew older his family issues grew, his brother was an alcoholic and his sister was mentally impaired. Longfellow, although shared the same amount of siblings, grew up in the first brick house in Portland, Maine. His grandfather sounds like the kind of grandpa who gives his grandchildren and family more than they need. His grandfather was a founder at Bowdoin College and father a trustee so I imagine the money couldn't have been too tight.
Although the two writers have their own stories, own styles, and own legacies, I have learned that both men can be paired together as some what simliar, but I am now definitely sure that both authors were great writers, and all the claims of them being "one of the most innovative and influential writer or poet in history" is a valid and true point.