Transcendentalist Theory in Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer"

Type :

Book review

Pages :

3 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

08/18/2007

Category :

Philosophy & literature

Sub category :

Literature

Oboulo.com selection criteria

$ 5.95 Add to cart

Summary :

Introduction
The definite rhythm of the poem
The use of the diction of the poem to develop his theme
Other patterns of sound in the poem
Conclusion

Abstract

Walt whitman, a well-known transcendentalist, believed that humans are an intrinsic part of nature and that they share in an intimate relationship. His poem "when I heard the learn'd astronomer" illustrates communion with the natural world, which encourages understanding. It then contrasts this view with the purely scientific view of nature that distances humans from the natural world. In this poem, the transcendentalist view of the stars is held by the poem's persona, most likely whitman himself, and the strictly scientific view is held by the astronomer. Because of this, the astronomer spends all his time with scientific calculations and misses the true beauty of the stars. Only when the persona or speaker tires of the astronomer's lecture and goes outside to actually look at the stars does he learn anything. whitman's "when I heard the learn'd astronomer" is an excellent example of how form and poetic devices can assist in establishing a poem's theme.