In Search of Walt Whitman

Season 1

This engaging film tells the story of Walt Whitman's remarkable life (1819-1892), the turbulent era in which he lived, and the enduring poetry he created. Interweaving narration and dramatic readings with captivating period music, insights from scholars, and photography filmed in key locations, this documentary brings to life Whitman's unique character and poems.

20202 episodes

Documentary·Special Interest

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S1 E1 - Part One: The Early Years (1819-1860)
April 19, 2020
1 h 27 min
7+
Walt Whitman rises from a hardscrabble boyhood in Long Island and Brooklyn to write the masterpiece "Leaves of Grass" in 1855 that revolutionizes literature. Many of Whitman's most famous poems are profiled including "I Hear America Singing," "Song of Myself," "I Sing the Body Electric," "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking," and "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry."
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S1 E2 - Part Two: The Civil War and Beyond (1861-1892)
May 20, 2020
1 h 29 min
7+
The poet moves to Washington to care for injured Civil War soldiers but is disillusioned by the Gilded Age after the war. He recovers from a debilitating stroke to live out his days in Camden NJ, where he continues to write poetry.
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