Sonnet to Science by Edgar Allen Poe

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Sonnet to Science by Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe's "Sonnet- to Science" is an example of how the structure of a poem can both aid and hinder the poet in communicating his or her thoughts. Usually, when the poet chooses to structure his poem in the form of a sonnet, he is, through his speaker, asking a question and reaching an answer. In this poem, however, the speaker, probably a young poet, questions Science but reaches no conclusion. Poe uses the English sonnet to communicate his youthful speaker's feelings of disdain for science and facts as opposed to mythology and fantasy, which inspire poetic musings. He implores Science as to why "she" must impose her "dull realities" on the hearts of poets like himself, squelching their wandering minds. Since science is not a tangible being, the dramatic situation is an apostrophe- the speaker is addressing a concept and not another human being. Therefore, he is probably alone, possibly looking up at the stars in the "jeweled skies" he refers to in line 7.

The voice in this poem, due to its questioning nature, is probably that of a young person, but not a child. The speaker's deep knowledge of mythology and use of metaphorical language exclude the possibility of him being a school-age child. However, the last two lines emphasize the youth of the speaker: "…and from me/ The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?" Since dreaming beneath trees is an activity associated with the young, the speaker is probably in or around his early twenties. Evidently, the speaker is a poet, because he asks Science why she must prey "upon the poet's heart." He then goes on to call Science a vulture, indicating that he takes personally the effect that science has on poetry. Althoug...

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... to the conditions of the traditional English sonnet; it asks questions but, at the "turn," reaches no conclusion. Not even the tone changes in the last two lines; it only grows more intense. The lack of resolution at the end of this poem leaves it to seem unfinished, and perhaps the use of the sonnet form detracts from the message. Readers expect an answer from a sonnet, and when none comes, one wonders why Poe chose to use this particular form for a question to which he had no answer.

Throughout Edgar Allen Poe's "Sonnet- to Science," the speaker angrily accuses his subject of ruining mythology and imagination. He questions her and demands to know why she must force her "dull realities" on his dreams and those of other poets. However, the speaker never reaches an answer to his questions. Therefore, Poe's use of the sonnet was inconsistent with his message.

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