Walter Whitman Jr. was an influential American poet, essayist and journalist who bridged transcendentalism and realism through his works, earning him the title of father of free verse.
Walt Whitman is an iconic American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist. His renowned works, such as Leaves of Grass, are praised for their unique style of versifying which has become known as the "American idiom." Whitman's thoughtful writing and devotion to honoring the common man revolutionized the American poetry tradition.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1819</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Walt Whitman is Born</div><div class='timeline-text'>On May 31, 1819, Walter "Walt" Whitman was born in West Hills, New York.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1842</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Novel Published</div><div class='timeline-text'>Whitman published his first novel, "Franklin Evans", a temperance novel.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1855</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>"Leaves of Grass" Published</div><div class='timeline-text'>Whitman self-published his collection of poems, "Leaves of Grass", which he would continue to revise and expand throughout his life.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1862</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Becomes a Civil War Nurse</div><div class='timeline-text'>Whitman volunteered as a nurse during the Civil War, an experience that deeply affected him and influenced much of his later work.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1873</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Suffers a Stroke</div><div class='timeline-text'>Whitman suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and forced him to retire from public life.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1881</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>"Leaves of Grass" Final Edition</div><div class='timeline-text'>The final edition of "Leaves of Grass" was published. It contained nearly 400 poems across 383 pages.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date'>1892</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Walt Whitman Passes Away</div><div class='timeline-text'>On March 26, 1892, Walt Whitman passed away in Camden, New Jersey.</div></div></div>
Walt Whitman, renowned American poet and journalist, was born on May 31, 1819 and died on March 26, 1892 at the age of 72. He is best known for his innovative poetry collections that are often considered to be part of the American Romantic Movement. His most famous anthology is the groundbreaking work, Leaves of Grass.