Animals

 Introduction:

God created humans and animals. God gave human beings a high position in his creation. Walt Whitman, the great American poet, believes animals are better than humans. The poet appreciates some qualities in animals which humans lack. He analyses animals and humans in his poem ‘Animals’.

Summary:

Walt Whitman is very fond of the company of animals. The poet desires to live among animals because according to him animals are calm and self-sufficient. They do not whine and weep about their condition. They are always satisfied. They do not worry about their duty towards God. Animals always express their true feelings such as love and respect for human beings. Animals spend a life of satisfaction and peace. They do not possess an obsession of owning things. They do not bow to other animals. They do not respect another animal of their kind which died long ago. All animals have equal respect and equal happiness.

Whereas humans are crazy about material things. Humans lie awake at night worrying about the mistakes they made. They cry for the sins that they have committed. They are afraid of God and bother about their duties towards God. Humans are never satisfied with what they have. They are never happy. The poet says that humans don’t have those qualities that animals possess such as signs of love, quietness, kindness, selflessness, honesty, patience, sympathy, etc. These qualities are absolutely essential for a happy life.

Animals do not possess any kind of falsehood. The poet is attracted by their good qualities. He feels that he had left all these good qualities long ago carelessly.  He wants to get these qualities again.  So, he desires to turn away from living with other humans and live in the company of animals.  

Theme:

In the poem ‘Animals’, the poet Walt Whitman admires the animals for being better than human beings. He praises them also for possessing all such qualities that humans lack or have forgotten.