Walt Whitman transcended the conventional sentiments and romanticized morality of his era with a body of work that incorporated new poetic forms and controversial subject matter. This volume examines Whitman’s innovations with an introduction by Professor Harold Bloom, an extensive biography of Whitman, and a critical analysis of his work, including "Leaves of Grass." Bloom’s BioCritiques is edited by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University; Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Professor of English, New York University Graduate School; the preeminent literary critic of our time. This series presents lengthy and engaging biographies that explore the lives of the world’s greatest writers. Each book also includes an original critical analysis detailing the important themes, symbols, and ideas that appear in the writer’s body of work, as well as additional essays that represent some of the best criticism available on the writer and his or her work. These volumes are the perfect introduction to critical study of the important authors currently read and discussed in high schools, colleges, and graduate schools.