Analysis of A Noiseless Patient Spider

Walt Whitman 1819 (West Hills) – 1892 (Camden)



A noiseless, patient spider,
I mark’d, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;
Mark’d how, to explore the vacant, vast surrounding,
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself;
Ever unreeling them—ever tirelessly speeding them.         

And you, O my Soul, where you stand,
Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing,—seeking the spheres, to connect them;
Till the bridge you will need, be form’d—till the ductile anchor hold;
Till the gossamer thread you fling, catch somewhere, O my Soul.


Scheme XXXXA XXAXX
Poetic Form
Metre 011010 1111010111100 111010101010 1111001001001101 101110100101 01111111 010010011011 100101001010011011 101111111010101 1010011111111
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 614
Words 106
Sentences 3
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 5, 5
Lines Amount 10
Letters per line (avg) 44
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 221
Words per stanza (avg) 42

About this poem

"A Noiseless Patient Spider" is a poem by Walt Whitman that explores themes of isolation, perseverance, and the search for meaning in the vastness of the universe. The poem uses vivid imagery to depict a spider spinning its web and a soul seeking connections. Whitman draws parallels between the spider's efforts to connect its web to solid anchors and the human soul's quest for connections in the vastness of existence. Through the spider's tenacity and the soul's relentless pursuit, the poem reflects on the human need for connection and the resilience required to find meaning and purpose in a seemingly indifferent world.  

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified by acronimous on June 22, 2023

31 sec read
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Walt Whitman

Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. more…

All Walt Whitman poems | Walt Whitman Books

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