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When I Heard The Learn D Astronomer Analysis

Decent Essays

I have chosen to discuss and write about the last poem in the Anthem companion poems titled “When I Heard The Learn’d Astronomer” written by Walt Whitman. In this poem Whitman is describing an astronomer who is very knowledgeable, and enjoys to think and explore. In the poem Whitman parallels the words “charts and diagrams” with “the proofs” and “the figures” to possibly show how the astronomer is very intelligent and is making very big point of that by repeating himself in the line following. This astronomer is very OCD about his ways of doing things when he finds out a new idea and has a constrained way of organizing his thoughts through charts and diagrams. Following the lines describing this astronomer Whitman begins his discussion of when he sat and listened to the lecture of this astronomer and just was not enthralled at all by him yet those around him were amazed. …show more content…

He then leaves the lecture and his language choice changes right when he is alone and not in the lecture anymore. He becomes more of a nonconformist. Whitman is describing the area around him more descriptively and isn't just using regular words like he did in the first part of the poem anymore. He has become a new man and is different now that he left the lecture with the astronomer where he felt conformed. Finally in the last time of the poem there is a deep connection with the stars and is almost a flashback to the beginning of the poem when all that the narrator was doing was listening. The poem came full circle from him listening to him leaving and not conforming to his surroundings and feeling restrained to now just listening

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