Chicago (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Carl Sandburg
- First Published: 1916
- Type of Work: Poem
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric poetry
- Subjects: United States or Americans, Twentieth century, Midwest, 1910’s, Chicago, City life, Cities or towns
“Chicago” started Sandburg's literary rise, and many critics consider it one of his best poems. Certainly it is one of the most anthologized. “Chicago” contains most of the characteristics that made Sandburg famous: It breaks with conventional poetic versification, deals with the “unpoetic,” and expresses his lifelong faith in the American people's resilience.
The opening verse imperatively addresses the city with brutal imagery and staccato lines. Sandburg personifies Chicago as a laborer by calling it “Hog Butcher for the World” and “City of the Big...
[The entire page is 542 words long]
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