Lines 1–2

The poem “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” begins by reiterating its title, a technique frequently used in Whitman’s works to emphasize the opening phrase. This sets the stage for the speaker's experience of listening to a knowledgeable scientist. The phrase is notable for its internal rhyme, where "heard" rhymes with "learn’d." Despite being an imperfect rhyme, as "learn’d" contains an "n" sound absent in "heard," it still underscores a sense of repetition. This slant rhyme adds an element of awkwardness to the first line, as it is challenging to articulate and repeats the same long vowel sound consecutively.

Another aspect to consider in the first line is the use of the contracted form “learn’d.” Whitman often employs contractions like this, which would typically be spelled out today, to mirror everyday speech rather than a formal prose style. In this context, the contraction creates a subtle separation between the poem’s speaker, or the narrator’s voice, and the learned astronomer they are listening to. This might suggest that the speaker uses a different, perhaps more colloquial or less formal, style of language compared to the educated scientist.

In line 2, the poem introduces an intriguing image of “proofs” and “figures” of mathematical equations that are “ranged,” or arranged, in “columns.” Notice how the first four lines of the poem grow progressively longer, contrasting with these columns, which presumably rise straight up and down within the same horizontal space. When a poetic line extends beyond the margin, the standard practice is to continue it below with an indentation. This continuation doesn’t change the perception that the line extends further to the right. Whitman likely uses this visual poetic expansion to contrast with the columned mathematical expansion of the astronomer’s proofs.

Lines 3–4

In the third line, the speaker is presented with astronomy-related materials and asked to engage with mathematical equations. The line is packed with mathematical terminology, such as “charts,” “diagrams,” “add,” “divide,” and “measure.” These terms dominate the line, potentially overwhelming the reader just as they overwhelm the speaker. The request for the speaker to “add, divide, and measure” the “charts and diagrams” highlights the negative aspect of the process, suggesting that the lecture lacks a connection to the sky and focuses solely on manipulating its figures.

This notion is further supported by the fact that, up to the fourth line, the poem hasn't mentioned astronomy at all. The fourth line highlights that the speaker is "sitting," contrasting with standing or actively engaging with the topic, and it emphasizes that the lecture takes place in the "lecture-room," away from the natural world. Additionally, the reader notices the repetition of "lectured" and "lecture-room," similar to the internal rhyme in line 1. This technique confines the line within its own words, creating the stuffy lecture-room atmosphere that Whitman seems determined to convey. Consequently, the applause the lecturer receives does little to make the lecture appear engaging or captivating.

Lines 5–6

Line 5 marks a stylistic shift from the first quatrain, or four-line unit, as it reaches the poem's midpoint. Everything preceding this moment sets up and modifies the statement "I became tired and sick," which introduces the poem's first active verb. The lecture's description partially explains the speaker's feelings, but the deeper reason lies in the word "unaccountable." Initially confusing because it seems misplaced, this word primarily means that it's "unaccountable," or challenging to pinpoint, why the speaker feels tired and sick. However, the word also carries a significant secondary meaning essential to the poem's themes: the speaker feels tired and sick because he is an "unaccountable" person, someone difficult to...