Plays and Operas, Too!

Whitman begins to provide insight as to which performances, writers, and composers crafted his artistic vision from an early age. Whitman posts names and artists almost like an advertisement, showing off his own musical and theatrical taste, becoming his own type of institutionalized advertisement. Furthermore, it begins to show the reader varying insights which have come together to form Whitman's poetic outreaching, an artistic style which stretches vastly through all fields of American life.

"And certain actors and singers, had a good deal to do with the business. All through these years, off and on, I frequented the old Park, the Bowery, Broadway and Chatham-square theatres, and the Italian operas at Chambers-street, Astor-place or the Battery -- many seasons was on the free list, writing for papers even as quite a youth. The old Park theatre -- what names, reminiscences, the words bring back!" (Plays and Operas, Too).

This business, if one were to put forth an educated guess, would seemingly be the business of developing as an artist. Here, we begin to see the influences and significance Whitman placed on other artists, instantaneously putting forth ads about them, as well as promoting them by presence. Whitman divulges a list, and, as one might expect, returns to his classical position promoting Shakespearian plays, which apparently have overarching influence on Whitman's work and enjoyment from an early age forth, "As boy or young man I had seen, (reading them carefully the day beforehand,) quite all Shakspere's acting dramas, play'd wonderfully well. Even yet I cannot conceive anything finer than old Booth in "Richard Third," or "Lear," (I don't know which was best,) [...]." Whitman blends a wide variety of artists, some from his time period, and some straying away from his own. This replicates Whitman's own diversity, plus, provides other artists with a tactful way of presenting artists, both ancient and new.

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