- 1
What do the drums and bugles represent in "Beat! Beat! Drums!"? Why does the speaker insist that they must stop for no one?
The drums and bugles in the poem represent war and public support of the war. Essentially, this is a poem in favor of the Civil War: it insists that the war and those who support it drown out the voices of those who do not. Whitman seems to indicate that the Civil War's cause is important enough that it is unpatriotic to oppose it.
- 2
How is "Ashes of Soldiers" different from "Beat! Beat! Drums!"? Do you notice any discrepancies in their messages? How do you reconcile them?
Whereas "Beat! Beat! Drums!" is very clearly in support of the Civil...
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