Since 1855, Walt Whitman's Song of Myself has been enjoyed, debated, parodied and imitated by readers, critics and artists crossing national and linguistic boundaries. Many argue that it is the most influential poem ever written by an American. This sourcebook and critical edition provides easy access to:

* information on the contexts of Whitman's work, including biographical details and a chronology
* an overview of the critical reception of the poem and extracts from important criticism, reprinted with clear introductory headnotes
* key passages from the original...