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.
