Critical response and controversy Leaves of Grass

leaves of grass (boston: thayer , eldridge, year 85 of states, 1860) (new york public library)

when book first published, walt whitman fired job @ department of interior, after secretary of interior james harlan read , said found offensive. poet john greenleaf whittier said have thrown 1855 edition fire. thomas wentworth higginson wrote, no discredit walt whitman wrote leaves of grass, did not burn afterwards. saturday press printed thrashing review advised author commit suicide. critic rufus wilmot griswold reviewed leaves of grass in november 10, 1855, issue of criterion, calling mass of stupid filth , , categorized author filthy free lover. griswold suggested, in latin, whitman guilty of horrible sin not mentioned among christians , 1 of earliest public accusations of whitman s homosexuality. griswold s intensely negative review caused publication of second edition suspended. whitman included full review, including innuendo, in later edition of leaves of grass.

an review of first publication focused on persona of anonymous poet, calling him loafer air of mild defiance, , expression of pensive insolence on face . reviewer viewed work odd attempt @ reviving old transcendental thoughts, speculations of school of thought culminated @ boston fifteen or eighteen years ago. emerson approved of work in part because considered means of reviving transcendentalism, though urged whitman tone down sexual imagery in 1860.

on march 1, 1882, boston district attorney oliver stevens wrote whitman s publisher, james r. osgood, leaves of grass constituted obscene literature . urged new england society suppression of vice, letter said: of opinion book such book brings within provisions of public statutes respecting obscene literature , suggest propriety of withdrawing same circulation , suppressing editions thereof. stevens demanded removal of poems woman waits me , common prostitute , changes song of myself , pent-up aching rivers , sing body electric , spontaneous me , native moments , dalliance of eagles , blue ontario s shore , unfolded out of folds , sleepers , , faces .

whitman rejected censorship, writing osgood, list whole & several rejected me, & not thought of under circumstances. osgood refused republish book , returned plates whitman when suggested changes , deletions ignored. poet found new publisher, rees welsh & company, released new edition of book in 1882. whitman believed controversy increase sales, proved true. banning in boston, example, became major scandal , generated publicity whitman , work. though banned retailers wanamaker s in philadelphia, version went through 5 editions of 1,000 copies each. first printing, released on july 18, sold out in day.

not responses negative, however. critic william michael rossetti considered leaves of grass classic along lines of works of william shakespeare , dante alighieri. woman connecticut named susan garnet smith wrote whitman profess love him after reading leaves of grass , offered him womb should want child. though found of language reckless , indecent , critic , editor george ripley believed isolated portions of leaves of grass radiated vigor , quaint beauty .

whitman firmly believed accepted , embraced populace, working class. years later, regret not having toured country deliver poetry directly lecturing. if had gone directly people, read poems, faced crowds, got immediate touch tom, dick, , harry instead of waiting interpreted, d have had audience @ once, claimed.