Fiche à imprimer : Walt Whitman : le poète de la démocratie (1re)

Anglais	Français
Walt Whitman is often called the poet of democracy.	Walt Whitman est souvent appelé le poète de la démocratie.
He wrote in free verse, without rhyme.	Il écrivait en vers libres, sans rimes.
In "I Hear America Singing", he celebrates ordinary workers.	Dans « J'entends chanter l'Amérique », il célèbre les travailleurs ordinaires.
He lists the carpenter, the mason, the mother...	Il énumère le charpentier, le maçon, la mère...
During the Civil War, he helped wounded soldiers.	Pendant la guerre de Sécession, il a aidé des soldats blessés.
His style influenced many later poets.	Son style a influencé beaucoup de poètes ultérieurs.

Walt Whitman (1819-1892) a révolutionné la poésie américaine avec Leaves of Grass (Feuilles d'herbe), recueil qu'il a enrichi toute sa vie. Il abandonne la rime et la mesure pour le vers libre (free verse), long et rythmé comme une respiration. Il célèbre (celebrates) les gens ordinaires, le corps, la nature et la démocratie américaine. Dans I Hear America Singing, il dresse une liste (a catalogue) de travailleurs, charpentier, maçon, batelier, mère de famille, chacun chantant « ce qui lui appartient ». Pendant la guerre de Sécession (the Civil War), il soigne les blessés dans les hôpitaux de Washington.

Mise en situation : le cours de littérature

Teacher : What's unusual about the form of Whitman's poems?

Qu'y a-t-il d'inhabituel dans la forme des poèmes de Whitman ?

Ayaan : He doesn't use rhyme. He writes in free verse, with very long lines.

Il n'utilise pas la rime. Il écrit en vers libres, avec des vers très longs.

Teacher : And in "I Hear America Singing", who does he celebrate?

Et dans « J'entends chanter l'Amérique », qui célèbre-t-il ?

Lena : Ordinary workers: the carpenter, the mason, the boatman, the mother. Each one sings their own song.

Les travailleurs ordinaires : le charpentier, le maçon, le batelier, la mère. Chacun chante sa propre chanson.

Teacher : Why is that important for democracy?

Pourquoi est-ce important pour la démocratie ?

Ayaan : Because every person matters, not just kings or heroes. America is made of all these different voices.

Parce que chaque personne compte, pas seulement les rois ou les héros. L'Amérique est faite de toutes ces voix différentes.

À retenir

a poet, a poem, free verse, a line, rhyme, a catalogue, a worker, a carpenter, democracy, the Civil War.
He celebrates... (présent simple) ; is often called (passif) ; Each one sings their own song ; every person matters ; is made of ; What's unusual about...?

Exercice 1 : Walt Whitman : exercice 1 (QCM)

« le vers libre »
1. free versus
2. free verse
3. free verb
« la rime »
1. rime of
2. rhythm
3. rhyme
« un vers » (ligne de poème)
1. a verse of line
2. a lion
3. a line
« Il célèbre les travailleurs. »
1. He celebrate workers.
2. He celebrating workers.
3. He celebrates workers.
« un charpentier »
1. a carpet
2. a carpenter
3. a charpenter
« la guerre de Sécession »
1. the Secession War of
2. the Civil War
3. the Civilian War
« Chacun chante sa propre chanson. »
1. Each one sing their own song.
2. Each one sings their own song.
3. Each ones sings their owns songs.
« chaque personne compte »
1. every persons matter
2. every person matters
3. every person counts of
« Il est souvent appelé... »
1. He is often called...
2. He is called often of...
3. He often is calling...
Le recueil principal de Whitman :
1. Leaves of Grass
2. The Raven
3. Paradise Lost

Exercice 2 : Walt Whitman : exercice 2 (à compléter)

He doesn't use .......................... .
He writes in free .......................... .
Who does he .......................... ?
Ordinary .......................... : the carpenter, the mason...
Each one .......................... their own song.
Every person .......................... .
America is made .......................... all these voices.
He is often .......................... the poet of democracy.
During the Civil War, he helped .......................... soldiers.
His style .......................... many later poets.

Exercice 3 : Walt Whitman : mise en situation

Qu'y a-t-il d'inhabituel dans ses poèmes ?
1. What's unusual about his poems?
2. What is unusual his poems?
3. What's unusual of his poems?
Il n'utilise pas la rime.
1. He don't use rhyme.
2. He doesn't uses rhyme.
3. He doesn't use rhyme.
Il écrit avec des vers très longs.
1. He write with very long lines.
2. He writes with very long lines.
3. He writes with very longs lines.
Qui célèbre-t-il ?
1. Who he celebrates?
2. Who does he celebrate?
3. Who does he celebrates?
Chacun chante sa propre chanson.
1. Each one sings his owns song.
2. Everyone sing their own song.
3. Each one sings their own song.
Pourquoi est-ce important ?
1. Why that is important?
2. Why is that importance?
3. Why is that important?
Chaque personne compte.
1. Every person matters.
2. Every person matter.
3. Every persons matters.
L'Amérique est faite de voix différentes.
1. America is made of different voices.
2. America is made from different voice.
3. America made of different voices.
Il a soigné des soldats blessés.
1. He looked after wound soldiers.
2. He looked for wounded soldiers.
3. He looked after wounded soldiers.
Il est souvent appelé le poète de la démocratie.
1. He often is called the poet of the democracy.
2. He is often called the poet of democracy.
3. He is often call the poet of democracy.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. b) free verse · 2. c) rhyme · 3. c) a line · 4. c) He celebrates workers. · 5. b) a carpenter · 6. b) the Civil War · 7. b) Each one sings their own song. · 8. b) every person matters · 9. a) He is often called... · 10. a) Leaves of Grass

Exercice 2

1. rhyme · 2. verse · 3. celebrate · 4. workers · 5. sings · 6. matters · 7. of · 8. called · 9. wounded · 10. influenced

Exercice 3

1. a) What's unusual about his poems? · 2. c) He doesn't use rhyme. · 3. b) He writes with very long lines. · 4. b) Who does he celebrate? · 5. c) Each one sings their own song. · 6. c) Why is that important? · 7. a) Every person matters. · 8. a) America is made of different voices. · 9. c) He looked after wounded soldiers. · 10. b) He is often called the poet of democracy.