When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer Themes
Dissatisfaction
Whitman really isn't pleased with the astronomy lecture. We can sympathize, kind of, but we also think that there are worse things than spending a couple of hours in a room listening to a world-fam...
Man and the Natural World
Whitman frequently views man as being a part of nature in his writings, but not in "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer." The world of culture and knowledge – the ivory tower – stands a...
Spirituality
Whitman was not thrilled by organized religion. He was more of a mystic. Mysticism refers to direct contact with the divine and unity with God. The speaker calls his connection with the night air "...
Wisdom and Knowledge
That's right, wisdom and knowledge, for the two are not the same thing. Wisdom is gained through experience and activity, such as the exploration of nature. Knowledge, by contrast, is gained throug...
Isolation
The speaker's isolation is self-imposed. His relief on coming out of the lecture room is like that of a person getting off of a crowded bus. The speaker wants to learn about stars, but he's not int...