Preview

When I Heard The Learn D Astronomer Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
305 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
When I Heard The Learn D Astronomer Analysis
The poem “When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer,” is a very smooth and beautiful poem addressing the irony of the professional astronomer. Who is stuck in a room encompassed by algorithms and diagrams, never to look up and enjoy the very things he has dedicated his life to. The narrator is mocking this astronomer with the usage of incorrect English, in an almost southern drawl, when repeatedly calling him a learn’d astronomer instead of educated, professional, or any other positive and sophisticated word. Suggesting that he doesn’t actually know the stars, since he isn’t educated in the correct manner when it comes to nature. The narrator implies that the only way to truly enjoy and know a natural phenomenon is by viewing it in its raw, almost
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Letter To Galileo's Heliocentric Model
    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Letter To Galileo's Heliocentric Model

    I am writing this letter because I believe that galileo’s heliocentric model is correct. And I am asking you to pardon galileo for his scientific writing on the heliocentric model of the solar system. I believe that the geocentric model is not right because the earth is not the center of the universe, but the heliocentric is because the sun is the center of the universe and I know that because I have been collecting shreds of evidence. Those pieces of evidence are the Copernican Revolution, Galileo’s evidence and that the sunspots the moon craters.…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Whitman's Essay 'When I Heard The Learn' D Astronomer
    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Whitman's Essay 'When I Heard The Learn' D Astronomer

    In the poem “When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer”, by Walt Whitman, the speaker “[becomes] tired and sick” of the learned astronomer's “proofs, [and] figures” used to observe the stars. While the others attending the lecture applaud the astronomer for his approach to the stars, the speaker, however, exits the lecture hall to enjoy the stars in his preferred method of going outside in the “perfect silence”. These contrasting scenes expose the dichotomous relationship of the speaker’s and the astronomer's approach to observing the stars. The use of structure, diction, and imagery reveal how the astronomer’s approach of observing the stars is far too mechanical and structured to truly see their beauty.…

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman's 'When I Heard The Learn' D Astronomer
    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Walt Whitman's 'When I Heard The Learn' D Astronomer

    found the poem “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman interesting. The poem was straightforward for the most part so I found it easier to read than many of the other poems. First, I found the use of the word gliding in the poem very strange. The speaker was in an astronomy lecture hall and he stood up and left in the middle of the lecture. When I imagine an individual standing up in the middle of a hall, I think of it being disturbing, loud and annoying. The choice of the words rising and gliding made it sound like the writer stood up smoothly and gracefully which I found strange in the context. Also, the line that says “How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick.” I understood unaccountable as in the author wasn’t feeling…

    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Analysis of "The Catch" by Stanley Kunitz
    • 516 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Analysis of "The Catch" by Stanley Kunitz

    The lesson being taught in this poem is that there is a price for everything we have, and knowledge cannot be captured in a "bottle". The dragonfly is described in the poem as this little delicate creation which is very maneuverable and acrobatic. Less image than thought is saying the dragonfly has very little to show on top where things are obvious, this is an effective simile because people tend to think of bugs as having a very small brains. The dragonfly later on becomes the victim of the father. The child would not suspect that something as little and innocent looking can actually have a catch to it. The dragonfly is being compared to a hidden price is a very effective simile because it can disguise it self and not be found until it is too late. The poem also says "Swoosh went the net with a practiced hand" and the author implies that the father is an experienced man who already ran into something that had a catch to it, he is trying to use the bug as an example to his son to teach him what he learned the hard way. The dragonfly is killed when it's captured and that shows how you can kill knowledge when you try to capture it. Killing the knowledge when trying to collect it is the whole catch to it. I can relate to the lesson taught in this poem. I can think of a lot of times when my parents talked to me about something but later that week I'd go and do the exact opposite. For example every winter my mom told me to wear my jacket but I'd just run off outside without it and every winter I would get sick, now that I grew up a bit I understand why she was telling me that. Very little can be learned about life just from words, to really understand something you have to go and try it out yourself. Later on you start understanding why adults tell you all these things that you didn't want to listen to. When people become adults they try to pass the lessons they learned onto their children who are the exactly the same way their parent were when they were little.…

    • 516 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Use Of Metaphor In The Emperor Of The Air
    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Use Of Metaphor In The Emperor Of The Air

    In the story, he states, “sometimes I try to see the stars as milky dots or pearls, they are forever arranged in my eye according to the astronomic charts” (pg 5). It really seems to bother the narrator that he sees the stars for what they are and not anything beyond that. The narrator states, “I tried to see them for their beauty and mystery. I thought of billions of tons of exploding gases hydrogen and helium, red giants, supernovas. In places they were as dense as clouds. I thought of magnesium and silicon and iron. I tried to see them out of their constellatory order, but it was like trying to look at a word without reading it, and I stood there in the night unable to scramble the patterns” (pg 18). Like the insects on the tree, it eats away at the narrator that he cannot look up at the stars without seeing the different…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    We Sleep Two More Nights Under The Stars Summary
    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages

    We Sleep Two More Nights Under The Stars Summary

    The stars render the superior event of star-gazing together because the author was able to create the presence of stars in this positive moment and memory, “... she could find them with the long barrel of the scope. ‘There goes another one!’ said Elaine, but Margaret would not give up on finding one with the telescope”…

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Analysis of Galileo's Letter
    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Analysis of Galileo's Letter

    The Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany was written by Galileo Galilei in 1615. Galileo was an Italian scientist that began making new discoveries in the heavens in 1609. He discovered many things that did not coincide with the teaching of the church.…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer
    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages

    When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer

    Since Feeling is First by e.e. cummings and When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer by Walt Whitman are two poems whose main ideas contrast very much from each other. They both reflect the basic most form of human experiences, that being feeling and intellect since they often come hand in hand. When one is emotional, they often only consider emotion in a given situation rather than facts. In contrast, when one is intellectual, they generally focus on logic rather than sentiments in a given situation. Since Feeling is First focuses primarily on the feelings of an individual. When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer focuses on the intellect rather than feelings. The poems differ from each other concerning their styles of writing and their themes which they encompass. However, both reflect upon the experiences humans can have during ones lifespan.…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    When I Heard the Learn'D Astronomer
    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When I Heard the Learn'D Astronomer

    Upon rare occasion, my freshman brother actually decided to pull his nose out of his lousy video game, and join me upon reading this poem. Actually, I should say that I forced him to do this, because he needed to analyze a poem for his own English class, and the music coming from the television was beyond annoying. Anyway, my brother's reaction to the poem was something along the lines of "So this guy is basically saying that science, by measuring and investigating nature, somehow detracts from its beauty".…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Walt Whitman's When I Heard The Learned Astronomer
    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Walt Whitman's When I Heard The Learned Astronomer

    "When I Heard the Learned Astronomer" describes a speaker who is unaccountably disgusted by an astronomy lecture, but feels better once he leaves to look at the stars. This discontent with categorical and unimaginative scientific thought is an important point of romantic ideals. The emotional bounty of this poem is the message of loving the mystical qualities of nature versus the unenthusiastic charts and figures provided by science. It advocates a respect and awe for the natural world, as well as a desire to experience it and in turn one's own inner being.…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Galileo Paper
    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Galileo Paper

    Galileo Galilei was born on the 15th of February in 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He would become a household name in modern history due to his many achievements to science and mathematics. Galileo studied under Jacopo Borghini for two years. Galileo was then educated at the Camaldolese Monastery at Vallombrosa for most of his younger years. He would eventually enroll in the University of Pisa for a degree in medicine. Then, after accidently attending a geometry lecture, Galileo switched to the study of mathematics.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    When I Heard The Learn D Astronomer
    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When I Heard The Learn D Astronomer

    Arts come in different forms. From first glance can seem that they have different meanings and themes but in reality they can be more similar than you might think. Stars, I Have Seen Them Fall, has a theme of positivity and looking on the bright side even though it might seem like the event was tragic. I got this from the line “ But when they drop and die No star is lost at all…” A. E. Housman was pointing out the silver lining of a star falling, he gave me the tone of sadness at first but then understanding and happiness.…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Galileo Trials: Copernicus's Heliocentric Theory
    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Galileo Trials: Copernicus's Heliocentric Theory

    Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was a believer of Copernicus's heliocentric theory. His discovery of the telescope (1609) allowed him to confirm the theory and his own beliefs. Galileo was first criticized by Friar Lorini. The Friar said that Copernicus's theory violated the scripture. Galileo responded with the Letter to Castelli, hoping it will give back some hope and trust in science. However, it did the opposite, and Lorini, sent a copy of the letter to the Inquisition (1615). On February 1616, Galileo was warned by Cardinal Bellarmine to keep quiet of his ideas or else stronger measures would be taken.…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Analysis of Ulysses
    • 1102 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Analysis of Ulysses

    Throughout this poem, Tennyson uses many metaphors to voice his opinion on the uneducated world. He refers to life as an “...arch wherethro' gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades forever and ever when I move.” meaning that there is a world beyond this one which represents the unknown or that which can be discovered that gleams through this arch and calls out for him to find it, leaving him restless and anxious to leave. He portrays himself as an animal “roaming with a hungry heart” for knowledge and education, always searching for enlightenment, and intends to sail “beyond the sunset” which is a metaphor for that which is beyond this universe. He wishes to dominate the unknown and better his knowledge so that he can change the world. He believed much of what Tennyson attempts to say throughout the poem which is: learning is life. Knowledge is unconquerable and to become invincible in the name of intellect is how you conquer the world.…

    • 1102 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Poets Frequently Use Their Poems to Portray How Precious and Important Land Can Be to the Individual. Compare and Contrast 2 Poems-'Aurora Leigh' and 'Home Thoughts from Abroad'
    • 1672 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Poets Frequently Use Their Poems to Portray How Precious and Important Land Can Be to the Individual. Compare and Contrast 2 Poems-'Aurora Leigh' and 'Home Thoughts from Abroad'

    Throughout the self-referential poem, there is a vast amount of naivety, where Aurora fails to see what is happening around her as she is so enchanted by nature. The poem suggests that she is educated as it says, ‘We read’ and ‘scholars’ which shows that she sees herself as a clever, intelligent woman, when she is actually letting nature over-rule every part of her life, showing that she is different to how she sees herself and how she comes across. It also links with feminism, as it was normally the men who learnt how to read and were educated.…

    • 1672 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics