TRACING WHITMAN IN THE FILM DEAD POET’S SOCIETY PDF

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Whitman always has been a strong influence in subsequent literature. However, he was not only influent in literature but in other ways of art representation. The relationship between literature and film is not restricted to book adaptations.
There are also films so steeped in literature that ...

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TRACING WHITMAN IN THE FILM DEAD POET’S SOCIETY Walt Whitman is considered the best north American poet. He was born in 1819 and died in 1892. His poetry was remarkably polemic during his period and he is one of the most influential poets in the history of the universal literature and in the nationalist spirit. His poetry has an epic and existentialist sense, trying to stablish a deep vitalism, stating the presence of the “I” in the world and aiming to a spiritual strength that makes the human unbreakable. Whitman urge us to live, to grab our lives, not to lose the contact with the world and our own spirit. He loves life and invite us to live through his verse. As mentioned before, Whitman always has been a strong influence in subsequent literature. However, he was not only influent in literature but in other ways of art representation. The relationship between literature and film is not restricted to book adaptations. There are also films so steeped in literature that the readings become one more character in the story they tell. And one of them is Dead Poets Society. In Welton, a restrictive masculine internal high school in the east coast, the 1958-59 course begins. A group of young men are about to learn how to live life with the guidance of a teacher. Robin Williams achieve to lead to this group to a course they will never forget for different reasons. The most highlighted presence of Whitman in this film is the reading of the poem “Oh me! Oh life!”. Here, the poet question not only existence, but his own existence, and the useless life. He meditates the “endless trains of the faithless” and makes a description of cities full of foolishness. He affirms that he never settles for what he has. Lastly, he answers his own question saying that existence is the only purpose for all to exist and that is the reason people have to live. By reading this poem and particularly when he reads the last verse of the poem, Keating’s character aimed to cheer his students to find their purpose to live and their identity. He refers to the legacy they need to leave in the world and the role they have in their own lives and the influence they make in others. Carpe diem is an important lection that is shown during this film. It is the expression in Latin that means: live the moment. That means, to live every moment as if it was the last. It is easy to say that this is the latemotiv. Keating helps his students to step forward and not to be one more person in the world, but to make special their existence.

Carpe diem is also represented by the fast appearance of the poem “Oh Captain! My Captain!” at the beginning. Although it is appointed very briefly, it is easy to match the meaning of the poem to the message that Keating wants to give them. It appoints to the permanent changing of life and the brief duration of the same. The teacher eves suggest his students to call him Captain, just like they do at the end of the film. The consistent quotations of Walt Whitman by Keating lead the actions of the group. Our author was a rebel and romantic man who found his way of living. All these characteristics are represented in each of the boys: romanticism in Knox, rebelliousness in Charlie and the flourishing of Neil. What is more, it is not difficult to see Keating’s character as a display of Walt Whitman himself due to the fact that he acts as an influence for the young men in order to make them open their minds and see things beyond what they appeared to be. Whitman wrote to inspire as Keating try to do the same with his students. As an example, there is a scene in the film where Keating asks everyone to write a poem, knowing that Todd is too shy to read his poem out loud. Keating almost forces him to get over his fear to be judged and empowers them to follow their dreams, to be different, to make a mark and “carpe diem”. On the other hand, one of the most important scenes of the film is Neil’s suicide. His father wanted him to go to Harvard and to be focused on having prestigious marks. However, Neil wanted to go further and explore the world of acting he discovered he loved and to be an actor. As contrast to the open minded teacher who leads them through freedom and to follow their dreams, Neil lives under the pressure his father has over him. Due to the oppression his father puts over him, Neil decides to take his life. To brig this paper to an end, Carpe Diem is not only the latemotiv of the film and the main theme of Whitman poetry but the name of one of his poems. As has been mentioned before, the author has a powerful faith on himself, embodying a vigorous and aggressive spirit and considering simple elements as an expression of the eternal. That is why, in this poem, he claims that we should face the future with proud and fearless taking into account the experience of our “dead poets”, jus as Keating does during the film....