One of Walt Whitman most interesting poems, “Great are the Myths” is a stirring contrast between America and Great Britain during revolutionary times. The poem is about a person who is in the mist of self-reflection and is questioning his loyalty towards England and it’s royalty. In the poem there is a sarcastic overtone throughout, and one example of this is when the man says, “wealth with the flush hand, fine clothes, hospitality; but then the soul’s wealth, which in candor, knowledge, pride, enfolding love; who goes for men and women showering poverty richer than wealth?” I think this quote best sums up the overall feeling of the colonist and especially the man in the poem and is symbolic to the coming changes in regards of fighting for independence to govern and represent oneself.

            I choose to take Marxist approach when interpreting this poem, which can be defined in simplest terms as the haves and the haves not. The reason I selected this particular poem is because Whitman compares two large, but separate parties, America and Great Britain. With Great Britain at the time being the more prominent world power and America struggling to stay a float. Whitman though, towards the end of the poem makes a point making a transition from tangible goods and wealth, which Great Britain was nothing short of to more emphasis on individualistic and inner wealth. This to me was the turning point of the poem making it known that having all the wealth in the world means nothing if a person’s freedoms are oppressed.

            I thought Whitman in this particular poem really made it point to express to the reader that wealth is not the only answer in life and that being your own person without being persecuted or dictated to is the true meaning of self worth. Also, I believe Whitman did a great job of capturing the emotions and tension of what a person might have felt during revolutionary times making the main character’s views clear and very real. The poem in general I thought was some of Walt Whitman’s finest work.