"Song of the Broad-Axe" expresses Walt Whitman's fundamental ideas and his basic means of poetic expression through the use of complex symbolism. Initially the broadaxe signifies the constructive and creative spirit of the pioneers, their great zest and initiative, which led to the opening of the West in America. But it also implies and embodies the processes of mystic evolution. This evolution will ultimately assert the supremacy of good over evil. Individuality is the hallmark of man in Whitman's view, and yet he believes man to be part of the vast mass of mankind. This view of man extends to Whitman's notion of America and the American. The symbol of the broadaxe thus becomes the symbol of the growth and development of American society and of America, which is multifarious and yet a single nation. The broadaxe exemplifies the unity in diversity which is a significant quality of American society. It also symbolizes the mystic growth of man which inspires and sustains him and civilization in general.
The broadaxe is introduced in the first section. It is a "shapely" weapon, "naked," and pale. Its head is derived from the bowels of Mother Earth. Its wood is likened to limb and flesh. The axe is leaning on the grass: "To be lean'd and to lean on" are its primary functions.
The broadaxe is the principal image throughout this dramatic poem, and its various aspects are presented in quick succession. It is first seen as a physical object. It has the shape of a weapon. Next, it is given a human identity as it is linked to its " mother's bowels." Third, the axe is identified with nature, as its head is compared to a leaf. The reference to "head" implies human attributes, too -specifically, the power of thought.
