A Study Guide for Walt Whitman's "Miracles"

By Gale and Cengage

A Study Guide for Walt Whitman's "Miracles," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Poetry for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Poetry for Students for all of your research needs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cengage Learning - Gale
• Release date: Sep 28, 2016
• ISBN: 9781535828659

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11

Miracles

Walt Whitman

1856

Introduction

Walt Whitman's poem Miracles first appeared as Poem of Perfect Miracles in the 1856 version of Leaves of Grass, which was the collection's second edition. Over the many editions of Leaves of Grass, Whitman shortened the poem from its original thirty-five lines to the twenty-three-line version analyzed here. The poem can be found in the Norton Critical Edition of Leaves of Grass (as well as any other edition of the collection).

Miracles, though not one of Whitman's more celebrated poems, encompasses many of the themes common to Whitman's work: the wonders of nature, a celebration of life, and an appreciation for small moments and sensual pleasures. The style of the poem is characteristic of many of Whitman's better-known poems, including Song of Myself and I Sing the Body Electric.

Author Biography

Whitman was born Walter Whitman, Jr., on May 31, 1819, in West Hills, Long Island, New York. He was the second of four sons born to Walter Whitman, a carpenter, and his wife, Louisa. Whitman attended school until he was eleven years old; his family lacked the means to continue his formal education, so Whitman went to work, but continued to study on his own.

In 1836, Whitman tried teaching, but found it a frustrating endeavor. In 1838, he started his own small Long Island newspaper; though the paper did not last long, the experience led to journalism work for other more established newspapers. In 1842, he became the editor of a well-known New York daily newspaper called the Aurora. In the Aurora he was able to publish his articles on politics, literature, and entertainment, as well as short stories and poems. He also contributed stories to other