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Sonnet—To Science
Sonnet to Science is an 1829 poem by Edgar Allan Poe,
Poe asks why science preys on the poet. Science is peering, destructive and interested only in cold realities. It will not allow the poet to soar in fantasy or even to sit peacefully dreaming beneath a tree.[1]
Poe asks why science preys on the poet. Science is peering, destructive and interested only in cold realities. It will not allow the poet to soar in fantasy or even to sit peacefully dreaming beneath a tree.[1]
2 pages, Unknown Binding
Published November 1, 1829
About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
10.5k books29.3k followersThe name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre, but he made his living as America’s first great literary critic and theoretician. Poe’s reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry.
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 23, 2020
A short yet beautiful poem to science, does it help or harm? The line "Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?" really stuck out to me for its eerie fitting, unbeknownst to Poe. This was written far before the time of Princess Diana, obviously. I researched the goddess Diana to see if there was any ties to cars or transportation that I was not aware of, besides the reference in this poem, and was able to find NOTHING. Strange, right!?
November 14, 2020
Sonnet—To Science was another quick and easy read from Poe, but it’s not one I would label a favourite. It’s a poem that will stick with you, but it did not pack the punch of some of Poe’s other work. As it’s so quick, it’s worth reading to see how you feel about it.
August 13, 2018
Although, I have to admit, I'm surprised at my rating as well. I adore Edgar Allan Poe. However, I did not adore this poem. It was not bad, just not great either.
May 30, 2017
It's an interesting poem about a person lamenting that science has removed all imagination and magic from the world and left it a dull place as a result.
December 2, 2019
I have arranged my takeaway thoughts on this poem into a simple haiku:
"Bounty of Progress:
Generous in many ways,
Ruthless in others."
"Bounty of Progress:
Generous in many ways,
Ruthless in others."
July 21, 2022
4.5 Stars
rounded up to 5 Stars.
May 5, 2024
This is very short yet very beautiful. I absolutely loved it. It talks about how science has the potential to burry the art, depriving the world of imagination, killing poets and turning them into myths like Diana and Naiad, being replaced by science.
I especially love the line “Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?” That science makes this world dull.
I especially love the line “Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?” That science makes this world dull.
December 6, 2017
This reads as incomplete to me, like Poe needs more embellishments and arguments for his perspective. That said, I find it interesting that it starts as an oxymoron about how science robs him of his imaginings--yet it prompted this poem, musing about vulture wings, and mythology linked to explaining science before it was known as science--and turns into what sounds like a brainstorming session for a high fantasy adventure. It just needed more in my opinion. It read like a tease for a longer piece. I thought, "Wait, that's it?" It's like getting the geometry of a drawing in but not bothering with connecting and refining lines for the basic overall shape.
March 17, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
http://thebookcornerchronicles.com/20...
This one is a short and beautiful poem to science. Which I personally like the style of.
This poem is another quick and easy read from Edgar Allan Poe. This poem is definitely worth reading.
The writing style is typical Edgar Allan Poe. Which means gothic, moody and old school but also dark.
This poem is amazing in my opinion.
http://thebookcornerchronicles.com/20...
This one is a short and beautiful poem to science. Which I personally like the style of.
This poem is another quick and easy read from Edgar Allan Poe. This poem is definitely worth reading.
The writing style is typical Edgar Allan Poe. Which means gothic, moody and old school but also dark.
This poem is amazing in my opinion.
May 21, 2023
Science really is wonderful isn't it? He does kinda blame science for taking the wonder out of things, but he doesn't consider that science can be just as wonderous as the supernatural. Yes, he clearly respects science, but it's not in the same way. Also, this poem was really unintentionally funny when he mentioned pulling Diana from her car. That's some dramatic irony for you.
January 11, 2021
The Poe-athon continues and it is day five, and this one is a simple sonnet, as per the title, captain obvious,
Anyway it was nothing overtly memorable, but still was quite solid.
Not one of my favourite Poe's though.
Anyway it was nothing overtly memorable, but still was quite solid.
Not one of my favourite Poe's though.
October 23, 2023
Read in 2023 as part of Selected Works of Edgar Allan Poe.
November 17, 2019
"To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe
"... To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,
Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?..."
"... To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,
Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?..."
Read
April 5, 2022Watch the livestream discussion
https://youtu.be/92439OevRU0
https://youtu.be/92439OevRU0
May 31, 2022
In addition to Annabel Lee and The Raven and several other poems, Sonnet—To Science is another one of my favourites, mainly because as a poet myself, I can relate to his perspective when addressing science - “how would he love thee, or how deem thee wise, who wouldst not leave him in his wandering to see for treasure in the jewelled skies, albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?”
I also love the eloquence, articulation, elegance in his storytelling and the lovely imagination and imagery all so beautifully integrated into the poem - “Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood, the Elfin from the green grass, and from me the summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?”
Stay tuned for a lot more!
I also love the eloquence, articulation, elegance in his storytelling and the lovely imagination and imagery all so beautifully integrated into the poem - “Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood, the Elfin from the green grass, and from me the summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?”
Stay tuned for a lot more!
October 28, 2024
Skeptical
June 21, 2025
Wait I love this cause people in STEM loveeee to beat up art and hate on the fantasy!!
August 31, 2025
I feel like I can read this a thousand times and it still won't be enough for me to absorb all there is into these words...
October 13, 2019
"To Science"
By Edgar Allan Poe
"Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!
Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.
Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,
Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?
How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,
Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering
To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,
Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?
Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?
And driven the Hamadryad from the wood
To seek a shelter in some happier star?
Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,
The Elfin from the green grass, and from me
The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?"
By Edgar Allan Poe
"Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!
Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes.
Why preyest thou thus upon the poet's heart,
Vulture, whose wings are dull realities?
How should he love thee? or how deem thee wise,
Who wouldst not leave him in his wandering
To seek for treasure in the jewelled skies,
Albeit he soared with an undaunted wing?
Hast thou not dragged Diana from her car?
And driven the Hamadryad from the wood
To seek a shelter in some happier star?
Hast thou not torn the Naiad from her flood,
The Elfin from the green grass, and from me
The summer dream beneath the tamarind tree?"
May 5, 2026
"Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art!
Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes."
A young gentleman is sitting under a tree (we can easily presume he as Poe in quite a thin disguise) and he is more than interested in scientific exploration. The form is the English Shakespearean sonnet, the language is old, the answer is yet to be found...
To Science was published for the first time in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems, Baltimore, 1829.
Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes."
A young gentleman is sitting under a tree (we can easily presume he as Poe in quite a thin disguise) and he is more than interested in scientific exploration. The form is the English Shakespearean sonnet, the language is old, the answer is yet to be found...
To Science was published for the first time in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems, Baltimore, 1829.
July 3, 2026
I wonder if his opinion would change if he could see all the advancements. While at times hard to understand, science is far from "dull realities."
But hasn't science pushed many away from the humanities? Now it seems students are more worried about securing well-paid jobs (through science and/or computer technology) and thus neglect to explore the humanities.
But hasn't science pushed many away from the humanities? Now it seems students are more worried about securing well-paid jobs (through science and/or computer technology) and thus neglect to explore the humanities.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews