Chanting the Square Deific Reflection

Walt Whitman was deeply involved in his idea of self and want his role in life was. Walt Whitman explored this spirituality and beliefs through out his life trying to find his "self". When Whitman talks of self he is looking beneath what a person does or how they act but what their true values are. In "Chanting the Square Deific." Whitman explores his religion to help guide him to find his self.

Walt Whitman deeply believes in the idea of self and this searching for his self drives his poems and gives meaning to them. Whitman's struggle to find his self is exposing the true person that he is and not the person he pretends to be or who others think he is. Whitman divides his poem into four parts which is part of Whitman's self. "Chanting the Square Deific" is divided into this four part to describe the different parts of his Holy Trinity instead of three he has four. Each part of this poem is told from the point of view of the speaker who is a part of Whitman's quaternity. Walt Whitman's quaternity is made up of God, Christ, Satan, and the Soul (Oliver). Each of these speakers present a part of Whitman's "Square Deific".

God was a first speaker and he influences Whitman's idea's about mercy and the importance of doing things right. "Relentless I forgive no man- whoever sins dies- I will have that man's life"( Whitman). Whitman is saying that God does not have to show mercy because he is God and this puts him on a level equal or higher than Jehovah, Brahm, and Saturnius. They did want they pleased because they were on top and showed no mercy. They ruled their lands with an iron fist and this is what Whitman believed was important in life and to his own. While God was the first speaker the next speaker is Christ the only son of God.

Christ is the second part of Whitman's square deific and is the more comforting than God. "And my sweet love bequeath'd here and elsewhere never dies" (Whitman). God becomes the more loving and comforting person that Whitman wants to become. He wants to help through their struggles and help them find peace in their lives. Christ was the son of God and he gave his life to save people from sin by dying for sin. Walt Whitman quotes this part of Christ's death because it is something that he admires and wants to work harder to do. "All the world have I given up for my dear brothers' and sisters' sake, for the soul's sake," (Whitman). Whitman does not plan on dying on a cross for people but he wants to become a better man by helping his friends and the people around him. The third piece of the Whitman's square deific is Satan who represents the darkness in everyone.

"Satan is opposite God in the Square Deific, creating, Whitman may be suggesting here, a balance between good and evil, both necessary, he believed, in the lives of human beings and in all of Nature"(Oliver). In Whitman's idea of life and self he knows that everyone has two sides a good and a bad side. The comparison between God and Satan is taking what Whitman believes to me in everyone just in two different people. He sees God as light and Satan as the darkness. "Permanent here from my side, warlike, equal with any, real as any, Nor time nor change shall ever change me or my words"(Whitman). Satan is stuck in his awful position as being a bad guy and not being able to get a new reputation and Whitman does not like the idea of judging people by their appearances or by what factors other than their true character and morals. Whitman sees Satan as a trapped soul who may want to redeem himself but has not been given the chance to do so. Believing in people's ability to change is something that Whitman believes to be important but wants the change to be truly from the spirit and not just the outside.

The fourth part of the square deific is the spirit and the spirit is an abstract idea that is never seen but controls a lot of stuff and unites the universe and brings people together. The spirit is within everyone and this spirit brings people together and makes everyone a person who is unique in their own ways but are all related to each other by the spirit.

The square deific is something that Walt Whitman continued to explore and also evolves over the years. He eventually finds his self and it becomes his spirit. The last line of his poem suggest that he represents the spirit and he does. Everyone represents their spirit and this element that makes everyone the same also is the thing that makes them different.

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.

"The Walt Whitman Archive." CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC. (Leaves of Grass [1891-1892]) -. Web. 03 Apr. 2012.