The Spotted Hawk Swoops By - Walt Whitman by Hazel Harvest (Student FVHS)

Question III: What images does the poet use? How do the images relate to one another? Do these images form a unified pattern (a motif) throughout the poem?

heharvest100_ — 2024-02-16 20:27:01 UTC

Whitman uses imagery to describe subjects and beings in his poem. In stanza III, he writes, "The last scud [mist] of day holds back for me, it flings my likeness after the rest and true as any on the shadow'd wilds, it coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk." This is describing the setting; it is nearing nightfall, and it is misty. The setting is also described later in the poem as a grassy field in stanza V, which quotes, "I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love."

The speaker is also partially described in both looks and personality. They claim that they are "not a bit tamed...untranslatable...[and] barbaric," while they are described to have "white locks," which could mean that they are old.

The speaker's looks and personality could tie into the theme of the poem, which is to live your life and not be afraid of death. This person has supposedly lived a long life, and is now carefree about death knowing how much they have accomplished. The setting can also tie into the theme, as the "day" could represent the speaker's life; as the day goes on, they age, and as it turns night, they are taken by death. This is why the speaker welcomes nature into himself when he can tell his time is nearly over.

5. Are there any symbols? What do they mean? Are they universal symbols or do they arise from the context of this poem?

avtruong105_ — 2024-02-16 20:27:04 UTC

One very prominent symbol in the poem is the spotted hawk that swoops angrily over the speaker, or Whitman himself. This hawk symbolizes death because he is ready for him to die, however Whitman is seemingly wasting his time, as if he is not ready to leave. This is stated in the first two lines of the poem when "The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and loitering."(Whitman 1-2) Here, Whitman is wasting time talking and waiting around, not ready to die yet, which is why the hawk is angry at him.

Another symbol that appears is nature itself. Nature represents the connection between Whitman and the reader. This is true because he describes himself fading away into nature and continuing its cycle that will eventually lead him to the reader. The quote, "I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love, If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles."(Whitman 9-10) describes how when he dies, he will always be there, just as a part of nature. The quote, "You will hardly know who I am or what I mean, But I shall be good health to you nevertheless, And filter and fibre your blood."(Whitman 11-13) shows how him, being a part of nature once he is dead, will still support the reader as the food they eat, even though he doesn't know them. Both sets of quotes show how nature represents the connection between Whitman and the reader.

Question IV: What figures of speech are used? How do they contribute to the tone and meaning of the poem?

heharvest100_ — 2024-02-16 20:27:27 UTC

Multiple figures of speech are used for the poem. In stanza I, Whitman writes, "The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my loitering." This would be a figure of speech, personification, because a hawk cannot speak, much less complain. However, since the hawk can also be considered a symbol of death in the context of this poem, it would make sense since death doesn't want the speaker to waste their life and have gotten nothing done before it is time to take them.

Alliteration is also used in several stanzas; in stanza IV, the speaker says, "I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags." This line is a bit of a stretch, but would still count as alliteration because of the fact that "effuse" and "eddies" both begin with the same letter. Another example of alliteration is in line XIV, which says, "Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged." "Failing," "fetch," and "first" are included in this alliteration. Overall, the alliteration in this poem contributes to the tone, which begins as rebellious but as the poem goes on turns into acceptance.

Biography Connection

avtruong105_ — 2024-02-16 20:27:39 UTC

The poem, "The spotted hawk swoops by," is connected to Walt Whitman as a person through his idea of universal brotherhood. Universal brotherhood is the idea of the oneness of society. It wishes to reduce wars and encourage living in peace & harmony as equals and it rejects all forms of classification or hierarchy. As stated in the answer to question 5., Whitman describes the connection between the reader and him through nature.

6. What is the theme (the central idea) of this poem? Can you state it in a single sentence? Elaborate on your idea.

avtruong105_ — 2024-02-16 20:28:44 UTC

The theme of this poem is to live life to the fullest, even if death begins to linger around and seemingly start taunting. Whitman does exactly this, and even states how that even when he is buried and forgotten, he will live life through nature as he becomes a part of it after death.

heharvest100_ — 2024-02-16 20:29:55 UTC

heharvest100_ — 2024-02-16 20:31:07 UTC

The Spotted Hawk Swoops By

avtruong105_ — 2024-02-16 20:32:10 UTC

The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me, he complains of my gab and my loitering.

I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.

The last scud of day holds back for me,
It flings my likeness after the rest and true as any on the shadow’d wilds,

It coaxes me to the vapor and the dusk.

I depart as air, I shake my white locks at the runaway sun,
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love,
If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.

You will hardly know who I am or what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.