Whitman, Slavery, and the Emergence of Leaves of Grass

In Whitman, Slavery, and the Emergence of Leaves of Grass, Volume 1, Martin Klammer provides a rigorous examination of how race relations shaped the foundation of American poetry. This work of literary criticism argues that Walt Whitman's evolving attitudes toward slavery were central to his creative development. By analyzing the historical context of the mid-nineteenth century, Klammer traces Whitman's shift from pro-slavery stances to Free Soilism and eventual deep sympathy for enslaved people.

The text explores how national crises, such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Anthony Burns case, influenced the publication of the 1855 edition of Leaves of Grass. This volume situates Whitman's poetry within the broader social science contexts of discrimination and race relations. It offers a thorough investigation into how a vision of a multiracial, egalitarian society became a cornerstone of Whitman's poetic identity and his lasting contribution to American literature.