Equality in "The Wound-Dresser" and "Song of Myself"Say no to plagiarism. Get an essay on measure on "Why Violence" Video games should not be banned? Get the original essay The theme of equality permeates both "The Wound-Dresser" and "Song of Myself" Whitman notes the judgments that people make. others and refutes them with his own ideas of impartiality strongly in Whitman's attitude toward the bravery of soldiers in "The Wound-Dresser" and section 18 of "Song of Myself" The narrators of both poems emphasize the valor. men who fought for either army However, this representation of equality differs depending on the poem Through the vehicles of imagery and repetition, Whitman creates a certain tone for each work, this. which ultimately allows him to effectively demonstrate the equality of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. 18 of “Song of Myself,” Whitman does not recognize the traditional values ​​of winning and losing. He plays "loud music" for soldiers on both sides of the war, declaring, "I don't play marches only for the accepted victors, I play marches for the defeated and killed" ("Song" 362-363 ). It takes the inevitable consequences of war, the winners and losers, and demonstrates the valor of all men who fight. Whitman first highlights the schism, between the "accepted victors" and the "slain people", created by the battle and emphasizes the similarity between the two armies. In order to achieve this equality, Whitman emphasizes those who have “failed” and elevates them in importance. By playing his song for all men, he esteems even those who have been defeated. He makes them valuable, commenting that “battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won” (“Canticle” 363-364). For Whitman to uplift men who have failed, he must fundamentally highlight their defeat. The reader understands the distinction between sides of the war and gains empathy for the losers through the narrator's affirmation of their worth. Whitman also discusses both sides of the war in "The Wound-Dresser" and, as in "Song of Myself". , demonstrates his belief that soldiers from both fronts should be honored for their courage. He calls them “unparalleled heroes” (“Dresser” 7) and rhetorically asks, “Was one side so brave?” The other was just as courageous” (“Dresser” 7). He calls these forces “the most powerful armies in the world” (“Dresser” 9). Notably, it is not a question of “army” but of “armies”. This simple act of pluralization demonstrates the equality of competition between the two. War does not take place between a weak force and a strong force; both are both powerful. Through this introductory paragraph, Whitman exposes the feeling of parity described in the rest of the poem. While in section 18 Whitman highlights the different aspects of the war and finally brings them together, in "The Wound Dresser" he gives anonymity to the soldiers in the hospital. He forgets to specify whether he works in hospitals for a particular camp or whether he travels to treat everyone who needs him. He refers to his patients only as “my wounded” (“Dresser” 26) or “the soldier.” Whitman asserts equality between armies, unifying all soldiers in their experience of suffering. Its complete lack of detail, even regarding the color of their uniforms (which would betray the army they are fighting for), makes the hospitals blurry and nondescript. The only details given concern the horror of the injuries caused by the fighting. In “The Wound-Dresser,” Whitman creates a dream-like state of remembrance. It represents the victims as aanonymous mass of sick people and does not classify its patients according to the camps for which they fought. On the other hand, Article 18 very clearly demarcates the camps and then attempts to raise the vanquished to the same level of esteem as the victors. Whitman demonstrates equality in very different ways in these texts, and this is manifested particularly clearly through his use of the auditory senses. In “Song of Myself,” the narrator’s strong assertions are reflected in the way he plays music loudly and confidently. On the other hand, the complete absence of sound in "The Wound-Dresser" contributes to the dreamlike quality of the narration, which in turn renders the men equal through a lack of description and difference, rather than through insistence on these. 18 deals almost exclusively with the auditory. The narrator talks about music throughout. A musical element permeates the section, with strong diction such as “beat,” “hammer,” and “thump” (“Song” 365-366) associated with the narrator's actions. Additionally, he uses the superlatives "loudest" and "gayest" to describe his playing style. These emphasizing words create strong images and jump out at the reader, emphasizing the narrator's strength of conviction regarding the men he is playing for. He wants the reader to follow the music, to recognize the value of every fallen man, not just those who were part of the winning side. Sound also plays a key role in “The Wound Dresser.” The complete absence of sound creates a tone that complements the lack of description of the victims. No man stands out by shouting out loud or arguing. The narrator helps one man after another, dealing with an endless parade of mutilated bodies. This contrasts sharply with the emphasis on music in section 18 of “Song of Myself.” The full account of his hospital stay is devoid of any sort of sound. This muted quality resonates because hospitals, especially war hospitals, would be filled with men screaming, men screaming. Therefore, presenting the narrator's experience as a silent one lends itself to this dreamlike quality. The sound editing is done by the narrator and is a conscious effort on his part. He implores the reader to “follow quietly” (“Dresser” 24). This silence reinforces the impersonal feeling of the hospital. Because no individual screams, the occupants of each bed become a faceless mass of humanity. In this way, the opposing sides in the war are erased. All that remains are the men who fought for their ideals and are now fighting for their lives. The narrator says, “I pacify with a soothing hand” (“Dress” 61), which means to comfort them, but it also corresponds to the silence that characterizes this story. The tone of each poem further stems from Whitman's extensive use of repetition. In section 18 of “Song of Myself,” repetition reinforces the adulation of the narrator and the musical air of his expression. The last two stanzas have the tone of a greeting. Beginning with “Long live to those who have failed” (“Song” 367) and followed by four lines that begin with “And to…” evokes an image of Whitman toasting these unsung soldiers. In particular, the repeated “And to” are reminiscent of a coda. They give the poem a certain rhythm that otherwise, because it is free verse, is lacking. Furthermore, he uses repetition to emphasize the term “hero” which appears three times in the last two lines. In these cases, he congratulates the defeated soldiers to place them on the same level of respect as the victors. The repetition in “The Wound-Dresser” highlights the incessant torrent of faceless patients. Whitman repeats the phrase “I advance” (“Dress” 34), or a variation, several times throughout the poem. THE.