This poem Chanting the Square Deific, is apart of Walt Whitman's famous book, Leaves of Grass. In this poem, Whitman describes God as being a four-sided square. I think that this is an interesting view because I have only been exposed to the three-sided view, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, Whitman adds another aspect to it.
In the first stanza, it talks about all of the different names that there are for God. In the very beginning God is called "Old Brahm" and "Saturnius" (Whitman). All of these names are names from different cultures. Anyway, I thought that it was interesting how He was described though. I noticed that instead of being described as loving and merciful, which is how many think of Him, He was being described as harsh and unforgiving. " Relentless I forgive no man-whoever sins dies- I will have that man's life; (Whitman).
However, in the second stanza it from Christ's point of view. This point of view is extremely different from the previous one. In this stanza He talks about his undying love and His great wisdom. "For I am affection, I am the cheer-bringing God, with hope and all-enclosing charity" (Whitman). This God, or this version of God, is definitely the more well known. This God seems more like the one that we as kids learn about and sing songs about in church (Oliver).
Then in the third stanza, it takes kind of a turn and goes on to talk from Satan's point of view. On the square he is on the total opposite side from God. It is kind of like on one side there is extreme goodness and on the other complete evil (Oliver). Unlike the previous two he is the exact opposite. He is crafty and devious. "With a sudra face and worn brow, black, but in the depths of my heart, proud as any (Whitman). Then in the last sentence, it talks about how time will never change him, just like time would never change God.
Finally, there is the fourth stanza. In the fourth stanza it is from the Spirits point of view. The spirit is "lighter than light" and "joyous, leaping easily above hell" (Whitman). The Spirit is supposedly in all of life. "Life of the great round world, the sun and stars, and of man, I, the general soul," (Whitman). Whitman also refers to the spirit as the most solid part of the square.
Each of these elements are one side of the square that Walt Whitman put together. In the middle of the square, there is self. I think that the square Whitman put together is very interesting.
Then in the third stanza, it takes kind of a turn and goes on to talk from Satan's point of view. On the square he is on the total opposite side from God. It is kind of like on one side there is extreme goodness and on the other complete evil (Oliver). Unlike the previous two he is the exact opposite. He is crafty and devious. "With a sudra face and worn brow, black, but in the depths of my heart, proud as any (Whitman). Then in the last sentence, it talks about how time will never change him, just like time would never change God.
Finally, there is the fourth stanza. In the fourth stanza it is from the Spirits point of view. The spirit is "lighter than light" and "joyous, leaping easily above hell" (Whitman). The Spirit is supposedly in all of life. "Life of the great round world, the sun and stars, and of man, I, the general soul," (Whitman). Whitman also refers to the spirit as the most solid part of the square.
Each of these elements are one side of the square that Walt Whitman put together. In the middle of the square, there is self. I think that the square Whitman put together is very interesting.
Oliver, Charles M. "'Chanting the Square Deific'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
Whitman, Walt. "The Walt Whitman Archive." CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC. (Leaves of Grass [1891-1892]) -. The Walt Whitman Archive. Web. 02 Apr. 2012.
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