File spoon-archives/phillitcrit.archive/phillitcrit_1998/phillitcrit.9802, message 180


Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 11:51:10 -0500 (EST)
From: "James F. Parr" <jfp3r-AT-unix.mail.Virginia.EDU>
Subject: Re: PLC: Emerson


Whitmanian textual criticism is one of the larger fields in English lit.
I'm not an expert myself, but it is well known that the American Bard
self-published numerous editions of _Leaves of Grass_, continually adding
to and revising his poems, including his most well known ("Song of
Myself," "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," "Drum Taps," "Calamus," etc.).  So,
when we deal with textual confusion as to what he "really wrote," at least
it's not a confusion engendered by shabby copyediting.  Whitman was a
consummate editor and revisor of his own work, and to some extent _Leaves
of Grass_ was meant as not only a collection of poems, but also an _objet
de art_ by itself.

Regards,

James

James Parr
Department of English
University of Virginia
804-243-0919
jfp3r-AT-virginia.edu
http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~jfp3r



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