The Original Hipsters

Bowery Street in Manhattan is equivalent to that of Beale Street in Memphis, and Basin Street in New Orleans when it comes to its socially influential significance in the eighteen and nineteen hundreds, but was not entirely as well known.  However, the street holds additional historical pertinence in that “It was the city’s first entertainment district, where P.T. Barnum, Yiddish theater, the cancan, minstrel shows and the vaudeville hook were all introduced... and most recently punk rock.”  The way of life this “movement” of sorts encouraged, was one that embraced individuality and difference as being the “norm.”  Individual’s who associated themselves with this avant-garde lifestyle began both dressing and speaking differently, and this is where Whitman mainly comes into relevance for associating with this underground socially innovative group.


The Bowery B’hoys in particular were known for being somewhat flamboyant, and Whitman seemed to feed off of their use of “colorful slang” by incorporating it into his poetry.  By introducing words that his contemporaries may look down upon as being subpar or literarily inadequate, Whitman is continuing along his rebel path of breaking literary boundaries and/or restrictions.  Whitman sufficiently proves that barbaric “yawps” and the concept of “going on a bender” have both poetical and authentic value that musn’t be overlooked by the hypercritical literary snobs and critics.


I also find it of importance to note (as I mentioned earlier) that the Bowery B’hoys dressed flamboyantly and how they pleased.  Relating back to the picture Whitman chooses to portray himself in Leaves of Grass, I find this notion to be of great significance.  In an attempt to distinguish themselves from the “crowd” the Bowery B’hoys would wear stovepipe hats, and as for Whitman, his rebellion began in the form of an unbuttoned shirt.