Purchase Solution

"When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

In regards to the poem "When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman, answer the questions below:

What is it that makes the speaker "tired and sick" ?

Explain how "gliding" and wandered off are contrasted to the astronomer's lecture. How is the phrase "from time to time" a denial of validity of the scientific approach to the universe? What attitude I expressed by the speaker's "perfect silence" ?

Both Whitman and Cummings present emotional objections to science and scientific attempts to explain nature. How are these poets different in tone?

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

"When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer" by Walt Whitman is briefly explicated. Textual evidence is used.

Solution Preview

Welcome to BM! Please rate 5/5 for my 300 words of notes and ideas. I'm honored to assist you on your future academic endeavors. Your business is valuable to me! Thank you so much for using BrainMass.com!

I interpret what makes the speaker "tired and sick" (5) as the speaker's boredom and "unaccountable," passive nature as a learner while being subjected to lectures: When I heard the Learn'd astronomer
"When the proofs, the figures , were ranged in columns
before me
when I was shown the chairs and diagrams, to add, divide,
and measure them ,
when I was sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured
with much ...

Solution provided by:
Stacy Shaneyfelt, MA
Education
  • BS , Slippery Rock University
  • MA, Slippery Rock University
Recent Feedback
  • "thk u"
  • "Thank you. Posted one more.. if you are online pls help. "
  • "thk u"
  • "thk u"
  • "thnk you"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Who vs. Whom

Students will review the grammatical concept of using "who" versus "whom."

Fallacies - Academic and Research Writing

This quiz discusses the different variations of fallacy and how they come into play in writing.

The I-Search Paper

Students will test their knowledge of what an I-Search paper is and Ken Macrorie's theory about writing.

Academic Research and Writing

This is a quiz that tests students’ knowledge about the research, revision, and writing processes.

Reading for Cues to Audience, Purpose and Significance

This quiz will help students hone in on their skills for interpreting a piece of writing.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Intrepretation of Walt Whitman's Astronomer Poem

    When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer 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 diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them, When I sitting heard the astronomer

  • Walt Whitman and Learning

    When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer 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 diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them, When I sitting heard the astronomer

  • Walt Whitman: Father of American Free Verse

    Whitman believed that the body should be celebrated -- "I sing a song of myself..."

  • War and Culture Poetry

    501497 War and Culture Poetry What do you think of this poem when it comes to explicating it in terms of the writer's views on the Civil War? O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! by Walt Whitman (1819-1892) O Captain! my Captain!

  • "A Poison Tree" Analysis

    In the third and fourth stanzas, the speaker talks about his "foe." Who are these people? Do you see any connection between this poem and "Reconciliation" by Walt Whitman?

  • Analyzing Imagery in Poetry

    by Walt Whitman - "Recuerdo" by Edna St. Vincent Milay Write 3-4 paragraphs explaining how the poets use imagery to advance their themes and convey meaning about life.

  • Nature in Pre-civil war American Literature

    Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself." In the subject of 'Nature' I have picked Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman. In dealing with the subject of nature the Iroquois League and their story of the creation nature is seen as the good mind and the bad mind.

  • Margaret (Meg) Whitman

    119978 Margaret (Meg) Whitman Identify the corporate strategies that were formulated by Margaret (Meg) Whitman that led to the success E-Bay (TM). Indicate any obstacles she had to overcome.

  • Comparing information processing models

    This is challenging because the perspective is different, therefore the old and new information compete with one another. Reference: Whitman, D. (2011). Cognition. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. The discussion above is one that I agree with.

View More Related Solutions