The simple subject of the poem is that instead of analysing things (nature/stars), go to the source for pure enjoyment. The first line is "When I heard the lern\'d astronomer\' and the last line is "Look\'d up in perfect silence at the stars". These two lines clearly state that the poem is about astronomy and stars and something about looking at the stars is better than hearing the smart guy talk. This poem was one of the first free verse poems, so, it doesn\'t have a rhyme scheme and meter. However, it still contains poetic devices; hyperbole, alliteration and tautology. The device hyperbole appears only once, in "gliding". We know that speaker can\'t glide, so he exaggerates the smoothness and ease of his exit from the room. Walt uses alliteration in "mystical moist night-air" to make that phrase sound more mystical. The phrase "perfect silence" is an example of tautology, and tautology a type of logical repetition. The word "silence" is already perfect in its definition and adding perfect before it just emphasises the perfectness of the silence.
Walt Whitman
In "When I Heard the Learned Astronomer," Whitman seems to believe that personal experience and wonder are more important than dry scientific facts and data. He values the intuitive understanding of the universe that comes from his own contemplation and awe over the structured analysis presented by the astronomer.
The theme of "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman revolves around the contrast between knowledge gained through scientific study and the awe inspired by direct experience of nature. The poem suggests that sometimes the wonders of the world are best appreciated through personal observation and contemplation, rather than through academic analysis.
The importance of experiencing the world
A short reference of what you have learned/heard/ or read. A short reference of what you have learned/heard/ or read.
A short reference of what you have learned/heard/ or read. A short reference of what you have learned/heard/ or read.
The speaker leaves a lecture about stars to go look at the stars.
Outside (Apex)
The speaker listens to an esteemed astronomer lecture on the stars. The astronomer displays various mathematical proofs and evidence in columns to the audience in support of a scientific argument. The astronomer also displays various charts and diagrams and explains the mathematical calculations behind them. The speaker sits in the audience, who all applaud the astronomerβs lecture with great enthusiasm. Very quickly and unexplainably, the speaker finds the whole lecture unbearable. Therefore, the speaker rises and leaves the lecture room alone. Outside, it is nighttime and the air is damp. There is a magical quality to the surrounding nature. Occasionally, the speaker looks up at the beautiful stars overhead and embraces the silence of the night.
In "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," Whitman seems to value personal experience and direct observation over academic learning or secondhand knowledge. He finds more fulfillment in experiencing the wonders of the night sky on his own rather than through the analytical and scientific explanations of the astronomer.
Iv heard, and learned 3. but on the written driving test its rong
An important value in "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" is the appreciation for the beauty and wonder of nature that can be lost when over-analyzed through academic study. The poem suggests that sometimes it is more fulfilling to experience and marvel at the mysteries of the universe firsthand, rather than dissecting them intellectually.