An Economic Methodology to Whitman

Sophia Kyllmann

A supply and demand graph is used in studying several topics: economies, production, markets, and Walt Whitman’s writing. Whitman, born in 1819, revolutionized the time between transcendentalism and realism. Considered to be one of the greatest American poets, Whitman tackled controversial topics that Americans of the 19th century left unaddressed. Alongside other 19th century writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Emily Dickinson, Whitman transformed American literature. Ironically, the supply and demand graph was also “born” in the 19th century--first used to describe economics in 1830. The graph consists of two oppositely-sloped lines: a positive one representing the supply of a certain good and a downwards one showing the demand of the same good. Economists use the graph to determine at what price a market should sell a good and the quantity that should be produced, also known as the equilibrium. Whitman’s radical way of writing poetry and his constant shifts in tone resemble the supply and demand graph, with two lines running in opposite directions and meeting at a common point.

Because of its positive slope and foundation-like structure, Whitman's joyful side in writing can be thought of as the “supply” line of a market graph.To some extent, Whitman creates two speakers in his poems, the first of whom only writes about appealing topics. This speaker is the supply line, moving upwards through the graph. In his poem “When I Heard at the Close of the Day,” Whitman channels this more positive side of him, writing, “I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health, refresh’d, singing, inhaling the ripe breath of autumn” (6-7). Whitman uncovers the sensation of waking up in a happy scenario and exploring himself as a poet. In doing so, Whitman represents the supply line of the graph, showing how he continuously builds his theme on joyous topics, moving upwards towards a happier tone. This happy side of Whitman's poetry was the side accepted in the 19th century. The positive line of the supply and demand graph of economics is represented in Whitman’s poetry through pleasant descriptions and references that are easier to digest. However, the other side of Whitman is also present in his poetry and can be seen through the opposite demand line.

The demand line in a market graph has a negative slope and can be interpreted as the darker side of Whitman. This aspect can be considered his“low” point, the times in which he writes about erotic or gruesome topics. This second side of Whitman is his other speaker, the one who avoids pleasant topics. Whitman incorporates this dark side often, writing lines such as, “O, powerless is this struggling brain / To rend the mighty mystery; / In dark, uncertain awe it waits / The common doom, to die” ("Time to Come" 25-28). Whitman also explores erotic scenes throughout his poems. In “The Sleepers,” Whitman writes, “I see a beautiful gigantic swimmer naked through the eddies of the sea…” (1-2). Whitman’s sexual poems often include homosexual references, making most of his 19th century readers uncomfortable and adding to the idea of his being a low-life, or a demand line that only moves negatively until it reaches rock bottom. Whitman’s controversial writing and morbid tone are accurately represented by a demand line in a market graph. The two lines, supply and demand, eventually meet at a point, balancing the graph and balancing Whitman’s writing.

The equilibrium point in a supply and demand lines depicts the harmony that exists in Whitman’s style of writing. The equilibrium point is also known as the the point in which the demand and supply lines cross, reaching perfect congruity. Although the poet uses different tones and themes throughout his poems, the two sides eventually merge in his grand scheme. In “Song of Myself,” Whitman switches back and forth between the topics of individuality, love, death, and sex, bringing with it what may seem like a ping-pong match between his two speakers. On one side are his somewhat happy cantos, where he writes phrases such as, “There was never… any more youth or age than there is now, and will never be any more perfection than there is now” (Canto 3). On the other side of his spectrum, Whitman writes, “The butcher-boy puts off his killing-clothes, or sharpens his knife at the stall in the market, I loiter enjoying his repartee…” (Canto 12). However, this constant crossing of boundaries in Whitman’s writing creates a balance of sorts when read as a whole. The cantos each take on different approaches, but together reflect a common theme of self-reliance, valuing the individual, and coexisting with diversity. These themes are the poem’s “equilibrium point,” which keeps its significance no matter the path.

As Whitman jumps between different tones throughout his poem, he exemplifies a supply and demand economics graph. His portion of poetry that concentrates on light subjects such as the individual or nature can be considered as the “morally uplifting” supply line, especially in the eyes of his 19th century readers. On the other hand, Whitman also covers harsh, controversial topics, connecting him to a demand line on the same market economy graph. As perpendicular lines, the two must eventually cross each other at one point, creating their equilibrium point. At this balance, Whitman expresses his desired themes while still keeping disturbing poetry. The supply and demand graph thus comes to show how the boundaries that Whitman crosses in his poems serve a purpose. As seen through the market graph, Whitman can be viewed through multiple lenses, yet his work will forever hold an original and untainted meaning.