Index Figurative Language Through the Lines of PoetryWhitman's Demonstration of the Groundless Calm and Perfection of the Poetic SpeakerConclusionWorks CitedIn the poem “When I Listened to the Learned Astronomer,” writes Walt Whitman of a speaker who is exposed to knowledge of the stars in the sky and the galaxies of the Milky Way, but fails to penetrate a deeper understanding of those observed phenomena. Through analysis of the central problem presented by the speaker, Whitman forces readers to think beyond scientific calculations and hard facts. Emanating the power, beauty, and mystery of the universe through the style of poetry and through the speaker's journey to discover the world, Whitman not only reveals the many facets of the universe that simple numbers and diagrams cannot summarize, but also critiques the scientific perspective by offering readers a more romantic and imaginative perspective that produces a deeper appreciation. Through the speaker's ultimate goal with peace and the revelation of beauty and mystique, Whitman promotes conceptions of solitude and non-conformity to the fast-paced developments and beliefs of society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Figurative Language Through the Lines of PoetryWhitman creatively designs the first four lines of "When I Heard the Learned Astronomer" with sentence repetition, parallel structure, and clever sound rhymes to reveal the central problem facing the speaker. The first line of the poem repeats the title, “When I heard the learned astronomer,” which emphasizes what the speaker is doing at that moment. Additionally, the first line includes a sound repetition with the words “heard” and “learn'd.” Because these two words are not exact rhymes, but are placed so close together in the same line, they give off a sense of unease and ineptitude. Similarly, lines two and three also use repetition in syntax and parallel structure. Whitman talks about “proofs” and “figures” in line two and “graphs and charts” and “addition, division, and measurement” in line three. Not surprisingly, in line four, Whitman returns with sound repetition, expanding the sound repetition of “heard” with “lectured” and “lecture-room.” In a broader view of the poem's first four lines, Whitman incorporates the rhetorical device of an anaphora by beginning these four lines with the word "when." Because this accumulation of repetition conveys the crowded, suffocating atmosphere of the classroom that overwhelms the speaker, readers also become overwhelmed by the sight and sound of these lines. Looking at the structure of the first quatrain, you can see how each line becomes more and more drawn out, with the fourth line extending well beyond the other seven lines. Through the manipulation of sentence structures and repetitions, Whitman reinforces the speaker's negative attitude and mindset towards the lecture, exposing the speaker's feelings of anxiety and discomfort to readers. Ironically, the speaker finds himself in a university classroom learning about “graphs,” “diagrams,” “proofs,” and “figures” that are related to astronomy but have nothing to do with stars and galaxies. In fact, the erudite astronomer taught the class nothing about astronomy itself, but related mathematical manipulations to allow the class to quantify the mechanisms of nature itself. Line four is crucial in revealing the central problem facing the speaker because the structure of line four suggests that astronomy, the science dealing with the material universe beyond Earth's atmosphere, cannot be limited by numbers andfigures. In presenting this notion, the speaker also suggests that he himself cannot continue to sit through the lecture without wanting to expel himself from the humidity of the lecture.room.Moving from the first quatrain of the poem, there appears to be a drastic change in style in lines five and six. The speaker declares that he has "[become] tired and sick" and decides to "[wander] to [himself]." The presence of the first active verb in line five adds to the frustration the speaker endures in the first four lines of the poem. The speaker was once in a position where he was taught "the proofs, the figures" and "showed graphs and charts", but now he takes control as he boldly announces his irritability and goes on to wander freely through the forests and the night air. . Whitman manipulates the fifth line in such a way as to make one question why the speaker is deemed “irresponsible.” The word “irresponsible” connotes something that is inexplicable and baffling. However, in the fifth line, the topic described as “irresponsible” is clear: “How irresponsible soon I got tired and sick.” Readers believe that the speaker's growing frustration is the driving force that drives him to leave the room and walk away. Readers are also burdened by the same overwhelming apprehension experienced by the speaker. Whitman seems to impose on his readers the idea that even the poetic speaker himself remains perplexed in the face of his discomfort and restlessness. The turning point of the poem is evident in the sixth line when the speaker walks away alone. The readers and the poetic speaker share a similar desire to seek closure and peace. The speaker frees himself from the room by “rising and gliding”, giving the illusion of flight in space. This line is significant in understanding the speaker's journey to discover the outside world. Whitman interweaves the literal representation of the speaker fleeing the classroom with the figurative representation of the speaker breaking free into the realm of nature. In doing so, Whitman also reveals the mysteries and beauty that graphs and diagrams cannot capture and contain. The act of leaving the classroom also serves to critique the scientific perspective as “graphs and diagrams” limit the ability to think beyond facts and truths. Whitman suggests, in turns of this poem, that the wonders of the universe cannot be seen through facts conveyed by others, but through the lens of one's own unaided eye. To fully appreciate astronomy, not as a lesson in calculations but as nature's gift to humanity, it is necessary to adopt a broader, more romantic, and imaginative perspective. Since evidence and figures do not assuage one's curiosity about space and the universe, the complexities of the universe can only be understood through self-serving discoveries, as demonstrated by the speaker's "soaring and gliding" to explore the profound mysteries of nature. Whitman's demonstration of the groundless calm and perfection of the poetic speaker As the speaker steps out into the "humid night air," he is captivated by the "mystical" beauty of the universe and stares mesmerized at the "perfect silence of the stars." The last two lines of the poem move away from the scientific perspective and into this new realm of romanticism advocated by Whitman. The length of the second quatrain is much shorter than the first, acknowledging the simplicity and freedom in exploration. Furthermore, the sonorous rhymes of “time to time” and “rising and gliding” flow without hesitation, reinforcing the speaker's quieter, more amorphous method of observation. Likewise, the last set of quatrains reveals the nature of the poem's structure. Whitman writes "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" in free verse that lacks rhyme and metrical patterns. The first line of the second quatrain frees itself from the anaphora of "when I",.