The Companion starts with a section which communicates a strong sense of the poet's time, place and history. The contributions in this section range over subjects such as national identity, imperialism, slavery, race, gender, sexuality, and popular culture. A further selection of essays situates Whitman's work in its literary context. Finally, there are essays devoted to specific works, covering both Whitman's poetry and prose writings. The Companion also includes a compact biography of the poet and a bibliography of his works.