Carl Sandburg

A detailed Summary of Carl Sandburg

In his work Carl Sandburg gave voice to least powerful people. He was a central figure in the "Chicago Renaissance" and he played a significant role in the development in poetry that took place during the first two decades of the 20th century. His emphasis on the tradition of American experience associate him with Hart Crane and Robinson Jeffers.

had a sense of where to go and how,

how to go north north-by-west north,

till they came to one wooden pole,

The People, Yes (1936) is probably Sandburg's most popular single book. From his very volumes Sandburg was interested in the speech of Midwesterners, spoken by the working class of the industrial cities. In The People, Yes, his interest in folk speech and folk expression became a clear feature of his poetry. It also gave evidence of the author's epigrammatic skill and felicitous phasing. Because Sandburg's writings celebrated the American spirit, he was often called the successor to Walt Whitman. A lot of Sandburg's poems are in a Midwest setting and use some typical Midwest slang terminology. Even when the poem is not set in t

Chicago is typical poem that represents the poetic style of Carl Sandburg. As you may know Chicago is located in the Midwest which is where Sandburg liked to set a lot of his poems. The whole poem is also done in free verse which is also one of the characteristics that makes Sandburg famous, specially in this poem.

The central idea in the poem Chicago is no matter what has happened in the past or happens in the present Chicago will still be a better city than most others. First Sandburg starts talking about the characteristics that make up Chicago:

be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.

Carl Sandburg's writing is an expression of Whitmanian optimism and democratic sentiment shaped by the rhythms of Midwestern speech. His fascination with the Midwest is evident throughout his poems because even when the poem isn't in the Midwest he finds a way to tie the Midwest in there as shown in the poem, Sunset From Omaha Hotel Window. His poetry ranges from the abbreviated imagism of "Fog" to free verse effusions such as "Chicago," unrestrained portrayals of America's rich diversity, descriptions of the virtues of the ordinary people, the mob, that Sandburg saw as the vindication of democratic life.

Another yellow plunger shoots the dark.

After establishing pride in the city, Sandburg goes on to write about all the bad things the people say exist in Chicago. He says that because of these awful things which he himself has seen first hand people categorize Chicago as a dark and evil city. Sandburg then goes on to defend Chicago by saying you can say bad things about Chicago b

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1082
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English