PASSAGE TO INDIA (lines 1-68) By Walt Whitman About Walt Whitman: Born in 1819 in
Long Island, Walt Whitman was the second child of nine. At the time he began writing his
poems, there was a transition between transcendentalism and realism, and as a result both
of these themes appear in many of his works. He published his major work, Leaves of
Grass, in the year 1855. Considered obscene by many, this piece of work was controversial
upon its release. Whitman’s poetry is mostly in free verse and he is often called the father of
the form. A humanist, author and poet, Whitman died in the year 1892 at the age of 72 in
Camden, New Jersey. About Passage to India: Passage to India is a prime example of
Whitman’s transcendentalism and realism themes in his poems. It is wholly written in free
verse and is considered one of his finest works. Setting of the poem: The title suggests that
the setting of the poem may be India. But it isn’t. India is but a metaphor. The poem is set
throughout time. From the beginning of time, to ancient history, to modern wonders and to
the unexplored future; the poem covers and traverses it all. Summary and Analysis of
Passage to India
Section 1: The speaker of the poem is singing of the great achievements of the present. He
praises the engineers for their strong yet light works. He says the present wonders outdo the
ancient wonders. He praises the mighty railroads, the wires laid through the sea and the
Suez Canal. But then he cries out, along with a soul about the past. He then speaks of the
past in great detail. He calls it an abyss of shadows and sleepers, dark and unfathomable.
The past has infinite greatness. The present is but an outgrowth of the past. In this section 1
alone, we see multiple poetic devices like free verse, personification, and apostrophe.
Section 2: The speaker then tells the soul to travel to India, to explain the myths and fables
surrounding it. The speaker says that he welcomes these myths and fables the same way he
welcomes the proud truths of the world and facts of modern science. He describes them as
beams of light, as unloosened dreams. He uses some imagery to describe the temples and
towers. We see before us fair temples, with the rising sun behind, pouring its rays of lights,
making it a dazzling site. We see red and gold towers. He says these fables are made
immortal by the mortal’s (human’s) dreams.
Section 3: The speaker asks if the soul did not see through God’s purpose from the
beginning. The earth exists to be spanned, connected by networks, people are meant to
become brothers and sisters, marriages are meant to be diverse, the oceans exist to be
crossed and the distances exist to be overcome. And all this is already seen in India, a land
of unified diversity. The speaker starts a new worship to all the voyagers, explorers,
engineers and machinists. They do not just trade and transport but connect for the sake of
Souls.
Section 4: The speaker sees two tableaus, two paintings in which he sees two modern great
achievements and again, these are all for the soul. In the first one, he sees Suez Canal,
newly opened, with steamships passing through it, led by Empress Eugenie. Empress
Eugenie was the wife of Napoleon III and the last Empress Consort of the French. The
speaker now imagines himself in that tableau, on the deck of a ship, seeing the landscape,
the sky, and the sand. He passes the workmen and machines. In the second tableau, he
sees a different picture. Yet it was the same as it belonged to the soul. In it, he sees the
Pacific Railroad breaking every barrier. He then goes on at great length to describe what all
Long Island, Walt Whitman was the second child of nine. At the time he began writing his
poems, there was a transition between transcendentalism and realism, and as a result both
of these themes appear in many of his works. He published his major work, Leaves of
Grass, in the year 1855. Considered obscene by many, this piece of work was controversial
upon its release. Whitman’s poetry is mostly in free verse and he is often called the father of
the form. A humanist, author and poet, Whitman died in the year 1892 at the age of 72 in
Camden, New Jersey. About Passage to India: Passage to India is a prime example of
Whitman’s transcendentalism and realism themes in his poems. It is wholly written in free
verse and is considered one of his finest works. Setting of the poem: The title suggests that
the setting of the poem may be India. But it isn’t. India is but a metaphor. The poem is set
throughout time. From the beginning of time, to ancient history, to modern wonders and to
the unexplored future; the poem covers and traverses it all. Summary and Analysis of
Passage to India
Section 1: The speaker of the poem is singing of the great achievements of the present. He
praises the engineers for their strong yet light works. He says the present wonders outdo the
ancient wonders. He praises the mighty railroads, the wires laid through the sea and the
Suez Canal. But then he cries out, along with a soul about the past. He then speaks of the
past in great detail. He calls it an abyss of shadows and sleepers, dark and unfathomable.
The past has infinite greatness. The present is but an outgrowth of the past. In this section 1
alone, we see multiple poetic devices like free verse, personification, and apostrophe.
Section 2: The speaker then tells the soul to travel to India, to explain the myths and fables
surrounding it. The speaker says that he welcomes these myths and fables the same way he
welcomes the proud truths of the world and facts of modern science. He describes them as
beams of light, as unloosened dreams. He uses some imagery to describe the temples and
towers. We see before us fair temples, with the rising sun behind, pouring its rays of lights,
making it a dazzling site. We see red and gold towers. He says these fables are made
immortal by the mortal’s (human’s) dreams.
Section 3: The speaker asks if the soul did not see through God’s purpose from the
beginning. The earth exists to be spanned, connected by networks, people are meant to
become brothers and sisters, marriages are meant to be diverse, the oceans exist to be
crossed and the distances exist to be overcome. And all this is already seen in India, a land
of unified diversity. The speaker starts a new worship to all the voyagers, explorers,
engineers and machinists. They do not just trade and transport but connect for the sake of
Souls.
Section 4: The speaker sees two tableaus, two paintings in which he sees two modern great
achievements and again, these are all for the soul. In the first one, he sees Suez Canal,
newly opened, with steamships passing through it, led by Empress Eugenie. Empress
Eugenie was the wife of Napoleon III and the last Empress Consort of the French. The
speaker now imagines himself in that tableau, on the deck of a ship, seeing the landscape,
the sky, and the sand. He passes the workmen and machines. In the second tableau, he
sees a different picture. Yet it was the same as it belonged to the soul. In it, he sees the
Pacific Railroad breaking every barrier. He then goes on at great length to describe what all
