In section 11, the shape of a woman rises. She is a striking figure. She moves among the "gross and soil"d" yet is not soiled by them. She is "considerate," "friendly," and "the best belov'd," and she has no fears. She maintains her poise despite "quarrels" and "smutty expressions" because she is self-possessed. She is "strong" because "she too is a law of Nature."
This impressive personality is Whitman's New Woman. She is highly individualistic and yet well adjusted to the poet's concept of a democratic society. But her relationship with her environment is not always harmonious, although her self-possession prevents evil from harming her. Through this woman, the motif of the broadaxe as a symbol of mystic evolution is realized and strengthened.
In section 12, the poet refers to the rise of the "shapes of Democracy," the outcome of centuries of human endeavor. These shapes will inspire other shapes; eventually, the democratic shapes will cover the whole world.
This is the culmination of the poet's vision of the axe: it has now become the symbol of the total and full democracy. The concept of the "shape" is contrasted with that of formlessness. The "shape" is creative, purposive, individualistic, and it grows in terms of time and space; it is part of a cycle and also a proof of progress. The poet's vision reveals his concept of democracy and his belief that the whole world will be united in harmony, peace, and love. This is man's dream of the future, and the broadaxe becomes the symbol of that unrealized dream.
