Whitman's Ecstatic Union

by Michael Sowder

Whitman's Ecstatic Union rereads the first three editions of Leaves of Grass within the context of a nineteenth-century antebellum evangelical culture of conversion. Though Whitman intended to write a new American Bible and "inaugurate a religion," contemporary scholarship has often ignored the religious element in his poetry. But just as evangelists sought the redemption of America through the reconstruction of individual subjects in conversion, Leaves of Grass sought to redeem the nation by inducing ecstatic, regenerating experiences in its readers. Whitman's Ecstatic Union explores the ecstasy of conversion as a liminal moment outside of language and culture, and-employing Althusser's model of ideological interpellation and anthropological models of religious ritual-shows how evangelicalism remade subjects by inducing ecstasy and instilling new narratives of identity. The book analyzes Whitman's historical relationship to preaching and conversion and reads the 1855 "Song of Myself" as a conversion narrative. A focus on the 1856 edition and the poem "To You" explores the sacred seductions at the heart of Whitman's poetry. "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" and Whitman's vision of a world of perfect miracles are then connected to a conception of universal affection, uncannily paralleling Jonathan Edward's ideal of "love to being in general." A conclusion looks toward the transformations of Whitman's vision in the 1860 edition.

186 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2005

About the author

“One of our finest spiritual poets,” Michael Sowder, poet and essayist, writes about wilderness, fatherhood, Buddhism, and spirituality. He is a professor of English and an adjunct professor of religious studies at Utah State University.

website: www.michaelsowder.org.

facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/mike.sowder2...


A long-time meditation teacher and student of the world’s contemplative traditions, Michael Sowder is the founder of the Amrita Sangha for Integral Spirituality, a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring and teaching the contemplative practices of the world’s wisdom traditions, including teaching meditation and creative writing in jails and prisons.
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He is available for talks, poetry readings, workshops, and leading retreats focused on meditation, spirituality, poetry, and writing. Please contact at: michael.sowder@usu.edu.


Praise for "House Under the Moon"


“Through transcendent, lyric verse, these poems explore the spiritual struggle for harmony between the contemporary and contemplative life.”

Although these powerful poems are poems of the world, they are also poems of the spirit. Michael Sowder is a rarity among the poets of his generation—indeed, among the poets of any generation. He is a seeker, a searcher after meaning, a yearner for consequence. He knows that the secret message of poetry is connection, and he knows that to turn inward and find the spirit is also to discover the spirit moving through the world. These graceful and stirring poems make those magical connections. Sowder has matured into one of our finest spiritual poets. This is a book of deep and lasting beauty. – David Bottoms

House Under the Moon is available now from Truman State University Press and Amazon.com.