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ISSN : 1229-5620(Print)
ISSN : 2288-7652(Online)
Literature and Religion Vol.20 No.2 pp.1-23
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14376/lar.2015.20.2.1

Walt Whitman’s Mysticism: A Journey through the Inner Self

KIM Young-Hee
Part-Time Instructor at Konkuk University and ChungnamNational University
May 9, 2015 June 15, 2015 June 25, 2015

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the mysticism in Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and to compare with the theories of mystics scholars such as William James, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Richard Bucke, and Paul Tillich. Mysticism is a transcendent consciousness to experience the ecstasy and transcendence, which destroys the self or expands the ego. The mystical aspect of Whitman’s spirituality was expressed in his poetry as being one with the God/the Universe who was alive in his inner soul that Whitman called his soul. “Song of Myself” was found to be a dramatic representation of his mystical experiences. This paper analyzes “Song of Myself” and other poems in Leaves of Grass and identifies each step involved with mystical experiences. The first stage is to enter into a mystical state and meet his own soul. The second stage is to be awakened to his own self. The third stage is to purify his self. The fourth stage is a union with the Absolute. The fifth stage is to emerge from the mystical state. “Song of Myself” shows mystic experience processes exactly as a bible of mysticism.

월트 휘트먼의 신비주의:자아의 내면을 통한 여정

김영희

초록

본논문은휘트먼의 풀잎 에나타난신비주의에대한분석을다루고있다. 신비주의는황홀경, 열락과같은초월체험과초월의식으로, 자아소멸이나자아가확대되는현상이다. 휘트먼의신비주의영성의단계는신/우주와일체가제시된다. 본논문에서휘트먼의신비주의를소리와관련하여5단계로나누어서분석하였다. 첫째신비상태의진입으로내안의영혼/신을인식하기, 둘째영혼을통해내면에거하는신의사랑과세상에대한새로운인식하기, 셋째외부의우주적이고신적인존재와의접촉과자아정화하기, 넷째신과합일되어시공간의경계를넘는영혼비행과각성하기, 다섯째신비상태에서깨어나기로세분된다. 「나의노래」가신비주의교본처럼정확하게신비주의체험과정들을보여주는시로여겨짐을고려해볼때에, 윌리엄제임스, 프리드리히슐라이어마허, 리차드벅, 폴틸리히의등의사상을바탕으로 풀잎 을분석해보는것은유의미한작업으로사료된다.

 

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