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"WE TWO- HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D" SUMMARY 

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"WE TWO- HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D" SUMMARY 

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Transcendentalist ideas are different to every individual. To Emerson, transcendentalism represented nonconformity and individualism. To Thoreau, it was unity with nature. However, the universal idea of transcendentalism ties with nature. Walt Whitman used his writing as a way to state his political opinions, but for the most part, he wrote of his relationship with nature. In his poem, “We Two—How Long We Were Fool’d,” Whitman discussed the process of literally becoming one with nature. He stated, “We are Nature—long have we been absent, but now we return…” (Whitman, pg 114). This quote directly ties with transcendentalist ideals - the belief that humans must experience unity with nature. Whitman also said, We become plants, leaves, foliage, roots, bark…” (Whitman, pg 114). Once again he is describing his oneness with nature. This poem was made to describe the connection Whitman feels with the natural world.

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LITERARY TERMS FOR "WE TWO- HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D"

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LITERARY TERMS FOR "WE TWO- HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D"

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1. Simile: A simile makes a direct comparison, showing similarities between two different things using the words “like” or “as”. An example would be, “Now transmuted, we swiftly escape, as Nature escapes…” (Whitman, pg 114). Walt Whitman is relating his escape to nature’s escape.

2. Metaphor: A metaphor makes a comparison between two things that are unrelated but share common characteristics. An example would be, “We are Nature…” (Whitman, pg 114). In this quote, Whitman relates himself to nature. Man and nature are unrelated for the most part, but there is overlap in similarities.

3. Anaphora: Anaphora is the repetition of words at the start of clauses or verses. “We are bedded in the ground… we are rocks… we are two fishes…” (Whitman, pg 114). For the majority of the poem, the lines begin with the words “we are.”

4. Zoomorphism: Zoomorphism attaches animal attributes upon non-animal objects, humans and animal features are ascribed to humans or other objects. An example is, “We are two predatory hawks—we soar above, and look down…” (Whitman, pg 114). In this quote, Walt assigns himself the features of a predatory hawk.

5. Symbolism: Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense. An example would be, “We are oaks…” (Whitman, pg 114). The literal sense of an oak would be a tree. However, the oak tree symbolizes growth, strength, and endurance.

6. Imagery:Imagery is used to create visual representations of actions, objects and ideas in such a way that they appeal to our physical senses. An example would be, “We are what the atmosphere is, transparent, receptive, pervious, impervious; We are snow, rain, cold, darkness—we are each pro-duct and influence of the globe…” (Whitman, pg 114). This quote appeals to the physical senses by using the words “darkness” and “transparent.”

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"WE TWO—HOW LONG WE WERE FOOL'D"

WE two—how long we were fool'd!

Now transmuted, we swiftly escape, as Nature escapes;

We are Nature—long have we been absent, but now

we return;

We become plants, leaves, foliage, roots, bark;

We are bedded in the ground—we are rocks;

We are oaks—we grow in the openings side by side;

We browse—we are two among the wild herds, spon-

taneous as any;

We are two fishes swimming in the sea together;

We are what the locust blossoms are—we drop scent

around the lanes, mornings and evenings;

We are also the coarse smut of beats, vegetables,

minerals;

We are two predatory hawks—we soar above, and look

down;

We are two resplendent suns—we it is who balance

ourselves, orbic and stellar—we are as two

comets;

We prowl fang'd and four-footed in the woods—we

spring on prey;

We are two clouds, forenoons and afternoons, driving

overhead;

We are seas mingling—we are two of those cheerful

waves, rolling over each other, and interwetting

each other;

We are what the atmosphere is, transparent, receptive,

pervious, impervious;

We are snow, rain, cold, darkness—we are each pro-

duct and influence of the globe;

We have circled and circled till we have arrived home

again—we two have;

We have voided all but freedom, and all but our own

joy.

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"IN PATHS UNTRODDEN"

IN paths untrodden,
In the growth by margins of pond-waters,
Escaped from the life that exhibits itself,
From all the standards hitherto publish'd—from the
pleasures, profits, conformities,
Which too long I was offering to feed my Soul;
Clear to me, now, standards not yet publish'd—clear
to me that my Soul,
That the Soul of the man I speak for, feeds, rejoices
in comrades;
Here, by myself, away from the clank of the world,
Tallying and talk'd to here by tongues aromatic,
No longer abash'd—for in this secluded spot I can
respond as I would not dare elsewhere,
Strong upon me the life that does not exhibit itself,
yet contains all the rest,
Resolv'd to sing no songs to-day but those of manly
attachment,
Projecting them along that substantial life,
Bequeathing, hence, types of athletic love,
Afternoon, this delicious Ninth-month, in my forty-
first year,
I proceed, for all who are, or have been, young men,
To tell the secret of my nights and days,
To celebrate the need of comrades

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1. Oxymoron: This allows the author to use contradictory, contrasting concepts places together. An example of this is the poem would be the title, “In Paths Untrodden,” (Whitman, pg 95). That is an Oxymoron because paths are usually walked on and the word “Untrodden” means not having been walked on.

2. Personification: Attaching human traits to inanimate objects. An example would be “..I was offering to feed my soul..” (Whitman, pg 95) This is a personification because Whitman is giving the human trait of eating to his soul which does not eat.

3. Anastrophe: This device is where in the sentence the order of the noun and adjective are exchanged. The example in the poem would be “...tongues aromatic..” (Whitman, pg 95). Typically it would be aromatic tongues because the writer usually puts the adjective in front of the noun to describe it.

4. Amplification: Is when a writer embellishes the sentence by adding more information than needed to make the information worth more. An example would be “..this delicious Ninth-month, in my forty-first year..” (Whitman, pg 95). This sentence gives the ninth month of his forty-first year, saying that he is forty-one, he is embellishing by adding that he is ninth months into his forty-first year.

5. Connotation: This is the associations that people make with words that go beyond the literal meaning. An example would be “..athletic love..” (Whitman, pg 95). In the poem it probably refers to strong, physical love.

6. Hyperbaton: The author plays with the regular positioning of words or phrases and creates a differently structured sentence. The example in the poem would be, “..I proceed, for all who are, or have been, young men..” (Whitman, pg 95) The more grammatical way to have the sentence would be, “ I proceed for young men, for who are or have been.”

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This poem demonstrates the transcendental ideology of the time period, which is not conforming to what the norms of the time period would be. Walt Whitman had already demonstrated the transcendental ideology in his book. He already began by not going to highschool which the normal kids do, or not attending college, but he still became a successful writer. In this poem he states, “..escaped from the life that exhibits itself,” (Whitman, pg 95). Which could be inferred as taking a different take on life, expressing himself in a different way than the normal person would do so. In this poem he talks about the people conforming to the way that everyone thinks. “..from all the standards hitherto publish’d-- from the pleasures, profits, and conformities..” (Whitman, pg 95). As a transcendentalist, it is believed to not believe what everyone else believes in, it is better to have original thought in everything you are doing. This poem demonstrates many traits of the transcendentalist ideology, which Walt Whitman would have been considered one of the time if he were born to an older age.