When poets refer to other great works, people, and events, it’s usually not accidental. Put on your super-sleuth hat and figure out why.
Literary and Philosophical References
- Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance" (section 2)
- Crucifixion of Jesus Christ (section 38)
- World Religions: Greek myth, Hinduism, Islam, Brahmism, Mayan (section 41), Christianity, Native American religions, animism, gymnosophism, Hinduism (again), Islam (again), Puritanism, atheism, etc. (section 42)
- The Koran (section 43)
Historical References
- Slavery: "quardroon girl" (section 15), "I am the hounded slave" (section 34)
- Native Americans (section 15)
- The Antebellum North and the South (section 16)
- The President (section 21)
- Walt Whitman! (section 24)
- The Alamo (section 34)
- The Mexican-American War (section 34)
- War with Britain (possibly the War of 1812) (sections 35-36)
- Mount Vernon (section 37)
- The Battle of Saratoga (section 37)