Read and analyze "When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman. What Romantic ideas does it express, and how does the structure of the poem reinforce the meaning?
When I heard the learn'd astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.
"When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman is a poem that expresses several Romantic ideas, such as the celebration of the individual's connection with nature and the rejection of overly analytical and scientific approaches to understanding the world.
The structure of the poem reinforces its meaning by contrasting the analytical and scientific world with the spiritual and intuitive world. The poem begins with the speaker describing their experience of listening to a learned astronomer, with proofs, figures, charts, and diagrams being presented. This represents the scientific and analytical approach to understanding the stars.
However, the use of the word "learn'd" suggests a sense of detachment and distance from the subject matter. As the poem progresses, the speaker describes becoming "tired and sick" of the astronomer's lecture. This suggests a dissatisfaction with the purely analytical approach to understanding the stars, as it fails to evoke any sense of wonder or awe.
The turning point in the poem occurs when the speaker decides to leave the lecture hall and go outside. The speaker describes wandering off alone into the night, where they can look up at the stars in "perfect silence." This signifies a shift towards a more spiritual and intuitive understanding of the stars, as opposed to the scientific and analytical understanding presented in the lecture.
The structure of the poem, with its simple and direct language, reinforces the contrast between the scientific and spiritual approaches. The first half of the poem, with its compact and structured lines, mimics the scientific and analytical approach being described. On the other hand, the second half of the poem, with its longer and more free-flowing lines, reflects the speaker's newfound sense of freedom and connection with nature.
Overall, "When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" is a poem that criticizes the overemphasis on scientific knowledge and suggests that a deeper understanding of the world can be found through a more intuitive and spiritual connection with nature. The structure of the poem supports these ideas by contrasting the analytical and scientific world with the spiritual and intuitive world.