When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd : Key info
When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd is a notable literary work by Walt Whitman. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd.
Key info
Key Facts
- Full Title: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d
- Author: Walt Whitman (1819–1892)
- Title of the Author: Father of Free Verse, National Poet of America
- Source: Written as an elegy mourning the death of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (assassinated in April 1865) and reflecting on themes of death, grief, and reconciliation after the Civil War
- Written Time: 1865
- First Published: 1865 in Sequel to Drum-Taps, later included in Leaves of Grass
- Publisher: Peter Eckler (for Leaves of Grass)
- Subject: An elegy for President Abraham Lincoln
- Genre: Pastoral Elegy
- Form: Written in free verse, consisting of 206 lines divided into 16 sections
- Rhyme Scheme: None (Whitman’s characteristic free verse style)
- Tone: Mournful, reflective, and spiritual with moments of hope and transcendence
- Point of View: First-Person (Whitman as mourner, elegist, and visionary guide)
- Climax: The poet finds consolation in the “song of the hermit thrush,” symbolizing acceptance of death as part of nature’s eternal cycle
- Setting:
- Time Setting: Post–Civil War America, spring of 1865 (after Lincoln’s assassination)
- Place Setting: A symbolic American landscape — the lilac bush, the western star (Venus), the coffin traveling across the nation, and the pastoral scene of nature mourning together with the speaker.
Key Notes
- Lilac: The lilac flower is a symbol of love and memory. In the poem, it eternalizes the memory of Abraham Lincoln. Since the flower blooms in spring, it is also used as a symbol of new life and hope.
- Fallen Western Star: This star symbolizes Lincoln’s death. The setting of the star in the western sky signifies the extinguishing of a great star for America. It is a metaphor for national grief and loss.
- Coffin: The coffin represents Lincoln’s dead body, which traveled across the country by railway on its way to burial. It symbolizes the nation’s collective mourning and the deep mark of sorrow on people’s hearts.
- Hermit Thrush: The song of the hermit thrush provides the poem’s ultimate spiritual consolation. Its music teaches that death is not to be feared but accepted as a part of the cycle of nature. It becomes a symbol of spiritual release and peace.