CHANTING THE SQUARE DEIFIC

Walt Whitman's, Chanting The Square Deific is a wonderful piece of writing.  God is usually thought of as the Son, the Father, and The Holy Spirit, but in this writing there is a fourth side, hints the square, that is also portrayed with God.  Each stanza takes one side of God.  “There are four stanzas, each presenting one of the four sides to Whitman's "Square Deific," and each told from the speaker's point of view, first God, then Christ, then Satan, and, finally, the Soul ("Santa Spirita")” (Oliver).


Walt Whitman has spirituality throughout the writing.  Whitman is writing as God.  This shows in the first stanza when Whitman writes, " Relentless I forgive no man, whoever sins dies, I will have that man’s life; Therefore let none expect mercy, have the season, gravitation, the appointed days, mercy? No more have I" (Whitman). The feeling that comes out of this stanza is that God is mercellus, and relentless.  The issue with that, is that every person sins.  God forgives us when we sin, and Whitman writes that the Lord has our life after sin.  Whitman is false in writing that God takes the lives of people because God gives every person multiple chances.


The second stanza is a very key stanza to the the work and it carries a message through today.  "But my charity has no death, my wisdom dies not, neither early nor late, and my sweet love bequeath’d here and elsewhere never dies" (Whitman).  The message that Whitman is trying to get through is that no matter what has happened, the Lord will live on.  "My wisdom dies not..." (Whitman), says that the knowledge of the Lord will be carried on forever.  Whitman shows a lot of spirituality in writing this, because Whitman understands the power of the Lord and his message.


The third stanza is written about Satan.  Whitman shows his knowledge in spirituality because Whitman knows that Satan will always exist.  “Defiant, I, Satan, still live, still utter words, in new lands duly appearing” (Whitman).  The knowledge of Whitman here is tremendous, because it is easy to try and say that everything will be fine, when it will not be.  Whitman knows the power of satan and says that he is defiant and will keep appearing.


The final stanza is the stanza that brings everything together.  The final stanza is the God part.  "Santa Spirita, breather, life" (Whitman).  Whitman knows that God holds everything together through the thick and thin.  Walt does a great job in saying that there will be difficult times that tear us apart.  Whitman knows that evil lingerers everywhere, but Whitman also knows the power of God.


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. Web. 03 Apr. 2012.




Whitman, Walt. "Chanting The Square Deific." The Walt Whitman Archive. Web. 03 Apr.