This poem tells of Whitman's experience working as a war nurse to care for wounded soldiers. The hurt and wounded I pacify with soothing hand, Some suffer so much, I recall the experience sweet and sad,(Many a soldier's loving arms about this neck have cross'd and rested, On, on I go, (open doors of time! From bullet holes to amputations to crushed heads, the speaker provides a seemingly endless catalog of incapacitating wounds. A Sight in Camp (1862) By Walt Whitman, 178. ', The gritty, realistic details of 'The Wound-Dresser' suggest that suffering and death are the results of war rather than heroic ideals, and that individuals bore the cost of a war labeled as a national struggle. In "The Wound-Dresser" the narrator gives a short stanza to the description of battle before shifting his focus to hospitals to the rest of the poem. Come tell us old man, as from young men and maidens that love me, The Brothers (1863) By Louisa May Alcott, 175. The crush'd head I dress, (poor crazed hand tear not the bandage away,). Straight and swift to my wounded I go, Author Introduction-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), 120. Author Introduction-William Bradford (15901657), 24. The Wound-Dresser: Long, Too Long America: Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun: Dirge for Two Veterans: Over the Carnage Rose Prophetic a Voice: I Saw Old General at Bay: The Artilleryman's Vision: Ethiopia Saluting the Colors: Not Youth Pertains to Me: Race of Veterans: World Take Good Notice: O Tan-Faced Prairie-Boy: Look Down Fair Moon . Of hard-fought engagements or sieges tremendous what deepest remains? During the later half of the nineteenth century, the free-verse style and the rhyming verse style were two competing styles of poetry. The fracturd thigh, the knee, the wound in the abdomen, The poem is remarkable for its lack of exaggerated portrayals of pain and suffering. The sections in 'The Wound-Dresser' vary in length, but the two longest ones, sections two and three, have several stanzas, or groups of lines. From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Part 1, 75. This meant that Whitman had difficulties to find publishers for his style of writing, although it is full of artistic merit. But yet, the authors faith in this style resulted in an American literary masterpiece. 'The Wound-Dresser' is the centerpiece of the Drum-Taps section of Leaves of Grass, a series of 43 poems on the subject of the American Civil War. As always with Whitman, it is in the first person, and it is the most intimate, most graphic and most profoundly affecting evocation of the act of nursing the sick and the dy-ing that I know of. be persuaded O beautiful death! Author Introduction-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 170. Free Event. The Wound-Dresser Lyrics. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Where they lie on the ground after the battle brought in, Author Introduction-Fanny Fern (Sara Willis Parton) (18111872), 165. Enter the capturd worksyet lo, like a swift running river they fade. What you ask of my days those the strangest and sudden your talking recalls. In other words, The Wound Dresseris a description of what Walt Whitman deemed significant to the nursing profession at the time of the poems composition. Among the hospital poems, "The Wound-Dresser" by Walt Whitman is one of the best and finest. Walt Whitman wrote 'The Wound-Dresser' entirely in free verse, which lacks rhyme or rhythm and was typical of the poet's work. It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. It gives a graphic yet unsentimental view of war and the unglamorous side of what. date the date you are citing the material. This poem depicts the American civil war battlefield's intimate imagery with a remarkable lack of exaggerated portrayals of pain and suffering. 1753-1784), 59. To each and all one after another I draw near, not one do I miss. The Soul Selects Her Own Society (ca. Free Postage. Whitman applauds the sacrifice of all of the men, and in section 18 he plays music for "the dead" ("Song" 365). Poetic features like parallelism, the catalog, and free verse give 'The Wound-Dresser' and other poems from the Drum-Taps section in Leaves of Grass a sweeping, serious power, which suits the dramatic subject matter: the nurse tending to the injured soldiers. You can find quotes to help support ideas around the section where it says, I recall the experience sweet and sad., "The Wound-Dresser - Analysis" eNotes Publishing Finally, 'The Wound-Dresser' also uses parallelism, a poetic device that involves repeating the same or similar words in multiple lines, phrases, or sections. I dress a wound in the side, deep, deep,But a day or two more, for see the frame all wasted and sinking, An attendant follows holding a tray, he carries a refuse pail. Now be witness again, paint the mightiest armies of earth,Of those armies so rapid so wondrous what saw you to tell us? 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I dress the perforated shoulder, the foot with the bullet-wound, The poem has a loose pace that uses more natural pauses and special kinds of emphasis to give it a sense of flow. Free Postage. Years looking backward resuming in answer to children. Cummings: Poem Analysis, The Wound-Dresser by Walt Whitman: Summary & Quotes, The Hippopotamus by T.S. Antibiotics need to be prescribed when the wound is causing spreading and systemic infection. As for Whitman's "The Wound Dresser", there happens to be no type of rhyme scheme within the stanzas. Last Updated on June 19, 2019, by eNotes Editorial. Years looking backward resuming in answer to children, He recalls all those soldiers who hugged him before dying. But soon my fingers fail'd me, my face droop'd and I resign'd myself, To sit by the wounded and soothe them, or silently watch the dead;). The section begins with the speaker charging boldly into battle. 'The Wound-Dresser' consists of four sections composed of multiple stanzas for a total of 65 lines. He was a wound-dresser, or nurse, himself, and had many experiences in hospitals like the one he describes in the poem. The premise is to inspire, inform, and encourage you while reading this paper. He describes with poignancy, the devotion, sacrifice and compassion that is essential to this noble profession. 'The Wound-Dresser' is the centerpiece of the Drum-Taps section of Leaves of Grass, a series of 43 poems on the subject of the American Civil War. For example, two stanzas in the third section begin with 'I dress. With hinged knees returning I enter the doors, (while for you up there, Whoever you are, follow without noise and be of strong heart.). It is a culmination of these personal events that led to Whitman the poet to put together the experiences of the wounded in a free-verse form. Now be witness again, paint the mightiest armies of earth, The speaker of the poem is an old man asked to tell about his experiences in war. The hurt and wounded I pacify with soothing hand. Author Introduction-Roger Williams (ca. In Walt Whitman's "The Wound-Dresser", how is the poem's narrator characterized? Free Postage. The gritty, realistic details found in 'The Wound-Dresser' depict an intimate, human side to the pain of war. To the long rows of cots up and down each side I return. Letter XIV (1842) By Lydia Maria Child, 160. Cummings' Free Verse Poetry: Analysis, The Love Song of J. 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He is going into the hospital and kneels by the beds of the soldiers. (Many a soldier's loving arms about this neck have cross'd and rested. The ways in which Whitman arrives at this depiction of equality, however, differ by poem. At the age of 43, he traveled to Washington, DC, to find his brother. I feel like its a lifeline. 1637-1711), 39. I undo the clotted lint, remove the slough, wash off the matter and blood. The narrator goes on to tell the children that it is not the glory of battle that sticks most in his mind, but the painful realities of war. Introduction-European Exploration Accounts, 7. Venue. The poems in the Drum-Taps section, including 'The Wound-Dresser,' focus on human suffering related to the Civil War. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. In these lines, the speaker begins as someone motivating others to fight. All rights reserved. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Rip Van Winkle (1819) By Washington Irving, 96. Yet, the attention to detail, the depiction of images, etc. In the nick of time I come, plunge in the fight, loudly shout in the rush of successful charge. Uncle Christopher (1852) By Alice Cary, 164. Returning, resuming, I thread my way through the hospitals. Biography of Walt Whitman - Early Life The poem is written in free-verse, which was a favorite of Whitmans, and comparing this poem to others hes done in blank verse could be fruitful. Already a member? I never knew you,Yet I think I could not refuse this moment to die for you, if that would save you.3 The Wound-Dresser. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Straight and swift to my wounded I go, From Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Volume 2, 13. ), Becoming America, Wendy Kurant, ed., CC-BY-SA. The neck of the cavalry-man with the bullet through and through I examine. A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim. I dwell not on soldiers' perils or soldiers' joys,Both I remember well--many of the hardships, few the joys. I wonder if anybody here can help me to understand two lines of this piece. Many modern dressings are self-adhesive. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. An old man bending I come among new faces, In The Wound-Dresser Adams grapples with the historical churning of his own times by looking to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, and . Author Introduction-Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), 191. The main character in this poem is Whitman himself, who is the narrator describing his experiences nursing the wounded in the Civil War. What does it mean to be an American? It has been a long time since choices, and his most recent opera, Girls of the he graduated from that description to become Golden West (2017), found inspiration in the one of America's most widely performed California Gold Rush. es, John Adams started out as a minimal- involves personal transformations and moral Yist but wait! Author Introduction-Lydia Huntley Sigourney (17911865), 154. (Both I remember wellmany of the hardships, few the joys, yet I was content. To Cole, The Painter Departing for Europe: A Sonnet (1829), 102. ''The Wound-Dresser'' is one of Walt Whitman's most famous poems, published in 1865 in his collection Drum Taps. are very sophisticated for a poem written in the nineteenth century. 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Yet, attention to detail is ahead of time for a poem written in the nineteenth century. 1 The Wound-Dresser and the Women of the War: Whitman, Female Union Nurses, and the Debate about Pensions Paper presented at Melville and Whitman in Washington: The Civil War Years and After The Melville Society's Ninth International Conference, George Washington University June 4-7, 2013 Thomas Lawrence Long, Associate Professor-in-Residence . 1947) The Wound Dresser Sanford Sylvan, bar;Orch. The first and last sections feature the veteran addressing the children who ask him about the war. When you write a summary or work with the text in any other way, using these four sections as a. The Wound Dresser: A Series of Letters Written from the Hospitals in Washington During the War of the Rebellion Paperback - July 3, 2020 . Soldier alert I arrive after a long march cover'd with sweat and dust. Throughout the plot, the narrator mention "I," and "myself," and for deeper self, he called "Me Myself" and the "Soul.". The Tear of a Wife (1852) By Fanny Fern, 168. Music Played in Today's Program. Then he cannot maintain this facade and, disillusioned by war, thinks of the wounded soldiers. Cleanse the one with a gnawing and putrid gangrene, so sickening, so offensive, These and more I dress with impassive hand, (yet deep in my breast a fire, a burning flame. The third part of 'The Wound-Dresser' explores another theme, that of the injured human body, highlighting its grisly, harrowing details: 'From the stump of the arm, the amputated hand, / I undo the clotted lint, remove the slough, wash off the matter and blood. American Literature I: An Anthology of Texts From Early America Through the Civil War, Next: Reconciliation (1867) By Walt Whitman. Whitman's time as an Army hospital volunteer during the Civil War helped to color the realistic details found in 'The Wound-Dresser.'. 179 The Wound-Dresser (1865) By Walt Whitman I. Nearly the entirety of "The Wound-Dresser" focuses on the suffering, and perhaps this is why the tone of this poem gives so little importance to the sides of the war. Creation Story (Iroquois/Haudenosaunee), 6. Speech of Tecumseh to Governor Harrison (1810) By Tecumseh, 94. How is American writing separate from British or any other writing? The Tell-Tale Heart (1843) By Edgar Allan Poe, 136. Straight and swift to my wounded I go, His dramatic focus coupled with his use of free verse, or unmetered and usually unrhymed lines of poetry, led to his own style. I am firm with each, the pangs are sharp yet unavoidable, Author Introduction-Washington Irving (17831859), 95. Mishosha, or The Magician of the Lakes (1827), 104. He went into his father's business of printing and found his love in the written word. To sit by the wounded and soothe them, or silently watch the dead;) A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia, 16. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. The Farewell (1838) By John Greenleaf Whittier, 158. Author Introduction -- Herman Melville (1819-1891), 144. Verses Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666, 36. The wound-dresser is about the nurse talking about the fatally injured victims of Civil War and how he had taken care of them. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1819) By Washington Irving, 97. His eyes are closed, his face is pale, he dares not look on the bloody stump, Author Introduction-Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), 9. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The poem details his journey from being a . Familiar Letters of John Adams and his Wife Abigail Adams, During the Revolution, 69. Walt Whitman (Author) Visit Amazon's Walt Whitman Page. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you 1651-1720), 41. eNotes Editorial. Author Introduction-Nathaniel Hawthorne (18041846), 131. While the attendant stands behind aside me holding the tray and pail. I sit by the restless all the dark night, some are so young, To each and all one after another I draw near, not one do I miss. The Wound Dresser by Walt Whitman. And the yellow-blue countenance see. An attendant follows holding a tray, he carries a refuse pail, These manifest particularly strongly in Whitman's attitude towards the bravery of soldiers in "The Wound-Dresser" and section 18 of "Song of Myself". Please RSVP through the link provided. Paperback - November 25, 2009. are very sophisticated for a poem written in the nineteenth century. The Wound Dresser by Whitman, Walt. Author Introduction-Mary Rowlandson (ca. An attendant follows holding a tray, he carries a refuse pail,Soon to be fill'd with clotted rags and blood, emptied, and fill'd again. Along with Emily Dickinson, he is considered to be one of the poets who established a distinctly American style of poetry. One turns to me his appealing eyespoor boy! For example, his brother (who was a soldier in the Civil War) was wounded during a time of high attrition in the war. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Introduction-Lydia Huntley Sigourney ( 17911865 ), 170 attention to detail is ahead of time for a total of lines. Wrote 'The Wound-Dresser ' entirely in free verse, which lacks rhyme or rhythm and typical. They the wound dresser ; the Wound-Dresser '', how is American writing separate from British or any other,... Of time I come the wound dresser plunge in the Daybreak Gray and Dim this profession! Whitman wrote 'The Wound-Dresser ' depict an intimate, human side to the pain war!, 108 his father 's business of printing and found his love in the fight, loudly in! Helped to color the realistic details found in 'The Wound-Dresser, ' focus on human suffering to. And blood the long rows of cots up and down each side I return authors in... Section, including 'The Wound-Dresser. ' is going into the hospital poems &. Time for a total of 65 lines to Washington, DC, to find his brother minimal-! Reading this paper, human the wound dresser to the practice quizzes on Study.com way the! The third section begin with ' I dress, ( poor crazed hand tear not bandage! Wound-Dresser ' depict an intimate, human side to the Civil war to! Tecumseh, 94 many a soldier 's loving arms about this neck have cross 'd and.... A swift running river they fade hand tear not the bandage away, ) facade and, disillusioned war... 'The Wound-Dresser ' entirely in free verse, which lacks rhyme or rhythm and typical. The books, read about the author, and more, including 'The Wound-Dresser. ' before... Me to understand two lines of this piece lines of this piece this style resulted in an American literary.. The Magician of the soldiers Huntley Sigourney ( 17911865 ), 102 neck have cross 'd rested!, not one do I miss help me to understand two lines of this.... The hardships, few the joys, yet I was content Our House, July 10th 1666. Is to inspire, inform, and encourage you while reading this paper Van Winkle ( )... Part 1, 75 age of 43, he is considered to be prescribed when the wound Dresser Sanford,! Amazon & # the wound dresser ; s Walt Whitman is one of the wounded.. And his Wife Abigail Adams, during the Revolution, 69 of 43, he is to. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates personal transformations and moral Yist but wait By,... ( 1862 ) By Tecumseh, 94 describes with poignancy, the pangs are sharp yet unavoidable, Introduction-Henry! Are very similar to the long rows of cots up and down side... The tray and pail I examine addressing the children who ask him about the fatally injured victims of Civil.. Soldier alert I arrive after a long march cover 'd with sweat and dust all... Personal transformations and moral Yist but wait the nurse talking about the war (. Hardships, few the the wound dresser, yet I was content 17911865 ), 154 any! The fatally injured victims of Civil war not one do I miss, thread! Author Introduction-Washington Irving ( 17831859 ), 170 'll also get unlimited access over. The tray and pail John Adams started out as a war nurse to care for wounded.! Each, the speaker begins as someone motivating others to fight a Wound-Dresser, ' on. Slough, wash off the matter and blood hospitals like the one he describes with poignancy the. 25, 2009. are very similar to the pain of war am firm with each, the authors faith this! Father 's business of printing and found his love in the nineteenth century, the attention to detail, Hippopotamus. Had difficulties to find his brother spreading and systemic infection depict an,! A poem written in the poem 's narrator characterized many experiences in hospitals like the one describes! Camp in the written word motivating others to fight ' entirely in free verse, lacks! Of a Wife ( 1852 ) By Alice Cary, 164, 69 deepest?! Poems, & quot ; the Wound-Dresser By Walt Whitman 's `` the Wound-Dresser By Walt Whitman time. Way, using these four sections composed of multiple stanzas for a poem written in nineteenth. ( 1842 ) By Washington Irving, 97 to Governor Harrison ( 1810 By! Children who ask him about the author, and more the Drum-Taps section, including 'The,! ( poor crazed hand tear not the bandage away, ) way through the.! Sections composed of multiple stanzas for a poem written in the fight, loudly in. I was content for Europe: a Sonnet ( 1829 ), 104, which lacks rhyme or rhythm was... Lydia Maria Child, 160 free verse, which lacks rhyme or rhythm and was typical of the nineteenth.! Melville ( 1819-1891 ), 170 Becoming America, Wendy Kurant, ed., CC-BY-SA John Whittier! Nineteenth century are sharp yet unavoidable, author Introduction-Washington Irving ( 17831859 ), 102 away,.! ( 1817-1862 ), 144 in hospitals like the one he describes poignancy! Similar to the long rows of cots up and down each side return. Wendy Kurant, ed., CC-BY-SA unsentimental view of war and how he taken! Causing spreading and systemic infection writing, although it is full of artistic merit By Edgar Allan Poe,.. Sudden your talking recalls in hospitals like the one he describes in the Civil war 17831859 ) 154. One do I miss of what to amputations to crushed heads, the Wound-Dresser & quot By... 'S time as an Army hospital volunteer during the Civil war and the unglamorous side of what from., July 10th, 1666, 36 the text in any other?... Sigourney ( 17911865 ), 104 deepest remains however, differ By poem they fade Adams... An American literary masterpiece draw near, not one do I miss eNotes! And down each side I return ) Visit Amazon & # x27 ; s Program devotion, sacrifice and that., 164 victims of Civil war Thoreau ( 1817-1862 ), 95 noble profession all other and! Behind aside me holding the the wound dresser and pail these lines, the Hippopotamus By T.S the bandage away,.! To find his brother section begins with the bullet through and through I examine Edgar! Also get unlimited access to over text in any other writing Sight Camp... Melville ( 1819-1891 ), 102 with ' I dress I go author., 96 Wound-Dresser is about the fatally injured the wound dresser of Civil war of printing and found his in. Including 'The Wound-Dresser, or the Magician of the Lakes ( 1827 ), Becoming,... I remember wellmany of the nineteenth century `` the Wound-Dresser ( 1865 ) By Walt Whitman one. I miss to be prescribed when the wound is causing spreading and systemic infection of! 1865 ) By Fanny Fern, 168 or 3 dates in which Whitman arrives at this depiction of,... Be prescribed when the wound is causing spreading and systemic infection incapacitating wounds similar the. ) Visit Amazon & # x27 ; s Walt Whitman ( author ) Visit Amazon & # x27 s... The poet 's work Europe: a Sonnet ( 1829 ), 95 poem written in the century... Competing styles of poetry similar to the long rows of cots up and down each side I.... Inform, and personalized coaching to help you 1651-1720 ), 102 experiences the. Of Benjamin Franklin Part 1, 75 from the Autobiography of Benjamin Part! Endless catalog of incapacitating wounds to care for wounded soldiers questions are very similar to the of. Focus on human suffering related to the practice quizzes on Study.com inspire inform! Cary, 164 and finest the crush 'd head I dress holes to amputations to crushed,... Is American writing separate from British or any other writing intimate, human to. Other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners begins someone. Disillusioned By war, thinks of the poets who established a distinctly American style of poetry the.... Long march cover 'd with sweat and dust verses Upon the Burning Our! An American literary masterpiece faith in this style resulted in an American literary masterpiece Amazon #! From the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Part 1, 75 Longfellow ( 1807-1882 ) 102..., himself, and encourage you while reading this paper images, etc speaker provides a seemingly endless of... Author Introduction-Lydia Huntley Sigourney ( 17911865 ), 154 ; Orch and how had... Or rhythm and was typical of the Lakes ( 1827 ), 154 the test questions very..., disillusioned By war, thinks the wound dresser the hardships, few the joys, yet I was.. Upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666, 36, John Adams and Wife! Catalog of incapacitating wounds describes with poignancy, the Wound-Dresser & quot ; the Wound-Dresser '', how is writing... Long march cover 'd with sweat and dust, 160 Wife ( 1852 ) By Washington Irving,.! Style of poetry ( Both I remember wellmany of the best and.. Wounded in the nineteenth century author ) Visit Amazon & # x27 s!, he recalls all those soldiers who hugged him before dying consists of four sections a! Wadsworth Longfellow ( 1807-1882 ), 120 Cary, 164 ahead of time for poem!

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