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How did Walt Whitman’s reputation differ in the United States and Europe during his lifetime?

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“Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a kosmos” — Walt Whitman American poet Walt Whitman, photograph by Mathew Brady.

During his lifetime, Walt Whitman’s reputation was notably stronger in Europe than in the United States. While he struggled to gain widespread critical acclaim at home—where his work was frequently suppressed, banned in libraries, and criticized for its unconventional style and perceived indecency—he found a more receptive audience abroad.123

In Europe, particularly among English readers, Whitman was initially recognized not primarily as a poet, but as a powerful symbol of American democracy. His work fascinated these readers, who viewed his championing of the common man as both idealistic and prophetic.1

In contrast, many of his American contemporaries found his free verse and expansive, often frank, subject matter to be "unpoetic" or vulgar. Despite these domestic challenges, Whitman’s stature eventually grew, and he is now recognized as one of the greatest American poets.213