ANALYSIS OF WALT WHITMAN'S "CROSSING BROOKLYN FERRY": PORTRAYAL OF HUMAN UNITY, UNIQUE STYLISTIC FEATURES, AND DISTINCTIONS FROM OTHER WORKS

Abstract

This paper investigates Walt Whitman’s poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” (1856) as a seminal work of American transcendental and democratic poetry. Adopting an adapted IMRAD framework suitable for literary analysis, the study explores how Whitman portrays timeless human connection through direct address to future readers, shared sensory experiences, and the irrelevance of time and distance. Employing close reading and comparative methods, the research identifies the poem’s core themes of unity, continuity, and collective identity. Results demonstrate Whitman’s innovative use of free verse and catalogue technique to fuse urban modernity with spiritual transcendence. Discussion highlights the work’s uniqueness within Leaves of Grass and its divergence from Romantic individualism and other contemporary poetry. The analysis underscores the poem’s enduring relevance in fostering democratic fellowship across generations.