The poem is at once a poem describing a minute section of the life of a spider, and the poet’s

philosophical quest. Level one is based in the physical plane. What is described is a natural act, a
spider spinning a web atop a cliff or a promontory. Stanza one is completely grounded in the
natural world, with an organic existence. The spider reflects the organic, natural world. The poet,
however, removes the poem to a higher plane, to the realm of the imaginary in the second stanza.
The poet visualizes the musings and seekings of his own soul along the image of the spider. As the
poet launches an investigation into his own philosophical musings, the poem moves to the realm
of the spiritual. As soon as he connects the image of the spider to his soul, he is forced to think
about the meaning of life. Walt Whitman channels one of the most crucial questions of mankind,
humanity’s spiritual destination. The poem then becomes a labyrinthine quest for the unknown
answer. What is interesting to note is the double metaphor used in the poem. The spider serves as
a metaphor for the poet’s soul, and the spider’s filaments serve for the poet’s spiritual
investigations. The metaphor is carried on beyond the text. The spider web becomes the
metaphor for the entire poem as well. The poem is constructed as a web. It is only through
Whitman’s hints and clues that we can surmise what he is talking about. It is not clearly given to
us what he wanted to achieve in this poem, just like it is not clear to us what his soul wants to
achieve in his quest for answers. And each point is like a spherical filament that brings us back to a
single point in the web, to the question of the meaning of life. It is on this promontory that all
three, the spider, the poet (or his soul) and the poem itself, are grounded. Whitman constantly
sways between the different levels as he grapples with his own spiritual queries. For the readers,
the poem becomes a moving lyric that depicts a spiritual crisis. You can go through the detailed
summary of the poem here.

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Poetic Devices- Figures of speech:

Stanza 1: A noiseless, patient spider: this is an instance of transferred epithet. The word,
‘noiseless’ is used to indicate the absolute stillness of the spider. Spiders are not noisy creatures,
even if they make noise, humans are not attuned to the frequency to catch their sounds; hence,
the word is not used literally. It is used to give the semblance that the spider is so still that it
doesn’t make any sound. The word ‘patient’ is used to drive home the point that the spider in
intent on doing its job and will not stop until it has finished.
The vacant, vast surrounding: this is an instance of alliteration. Alliteration is the use of series of
words in a sentence beginning with the same consonant or sound to produce a sense of rhythm.

It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself: this is also an instance of alliteration.

Stanza 2: O my Soul: an instance of apostrophe. This is where the speaker addresses a person,
who is absent or dead, or an abstract idea or an inanimate object.

Soul: the poet’s soul also symbolizes the collective soul of mankind.

Measureless oceans of space: an instance of metonymy/synecdoche. The vast space of life and its
immensity is compared to the seeming endlessness of oceans.

Seeking the spheres, to connect them: it is an instance of imagery. The soul seeks the meaning of
life. And all his musings, venturing and throwing are attempts towards achieving that end. This
attempt is likened to the webs spun by the spider. The poet wishes to connect these web-like,
spherical experiences to pave the way of his journey, to create a bridge that will lead him to the
answers he is searching for.

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Ductile anchor: an instance of juxtaposition. A spider’s web is of high tensile strength and is
stretchable. It can withhold extreme duress. And an anchor is universally known for its grounding
ability. Both the words indicate the strength and tenacity to stand pressure. However, it is
unusual to describe an iron anchor as ductile. This is where Walt Whitman uses his wit and unique
point of view to drive home the image of a double-pronged strength. Both ideas are juxtaposed
together to emphasize this aspect of a secure holding.
Gossamer thread you fling: this is a metaphor. The poet’s soul is compared to the spider. The poet
undertaking the journey of life is similar to the spider spinning its web. Hence, each step the soul
takes or each thought it muses on is akin to secretion of the spider’s filament.

Rhyme Scheme:The poem is divided into two stanzas, each consisting of 5 lines. The poem is
written in free verse. Hence, it forms the following rhyme scheme:- Abcde/fghij.

Central Idea and Theme of A Noiseless Patient Spider

Central Idea of the Poem: The idea that is central to this poem is the vastness of life and at the
same its brevity. On the one hand, life is a vast ocean of opportunities and experiences, but on the
other hand, it is also short, unpredictable and abrupt. The poem swings between the two sides of
life as the poet’s train of thought jumps between these two integral aspects. This poem talks of
how life is more than just the daily rituals and how it is a spiritual journey towards a more
meaningful and fulfilling existence. The poem also teaches us that although life is vast in its
potentiality, it is brief in duration. And this is a thought that haunts the poet subconsciously;
hence, he uses the words ‘speeding’, ‘ceaselessly’, to express a kind of inherent haste to finish the
task undertaken before time is up.

Theme of the Poem: The concentrated theme of the poem is isolation. Although there are parallel
themes such as spiritualism and exploration, it is the sense of solitude that Whitman harps on.
Both the spider and the addressee of the poem are portrayed as solitary figures amidst a stark and
spacious backdrop. The imagery of the vast nothingness around them is perhaps used by Whitman
deliberately to produce a sense of deep isolation. For example, the words, ‘isolated’, ‘vacant’,
‘detached’ reverberate a sense of loneliness. It is not clear whether he is viewing this solitary state
as positive or negative. But his stress on this aspect gives us this feeling that this aloneness is
necessary to achieve one’s philosophical and/or spiritual destination.

Tone of the Poem and Conclusion

Tone of the Poem: The tone of the poem is meditative at first but as the poem moves towards the
second and final stanza, the meditative tone turns into one of earnestness. The poet marks the
spider and watches its movements minutely. Hence, the tone takes a meditative stance. However,
in the second stanza, as he starts to connect the image of the spider with his own soul, it induces a
sense of earnestness in his tone. When his thoughts are turned on himself, the nature of his
musings become more urgent, hence, here the tone too acquires a kind of urgency.

Conclusion: It is important to note that in the Leaves of Grass version of the poem, the second
word ‘surrounded’ in line, ‘Surrounded, surrounded, in measureless oceans of space’ was replaced
by ‘detached’. This emphasizes isolation as the predominant theme in the poem. In conclusion, it
is a lyric poem with a potent imagery. The poem can be read as a dying man’s rant or as a young
explorer’s vision. It is inspirational even while it induces pathos. Lastly, the poem brings together
the two significant aspects of life, its immensity and its brevity.

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Popularity of “A Noiseless Patient Spider”: This poem was written by Walt Whitman, a great

American poet. A Noiseless Patient Spider is famous for its themes of isolation and struggle. It was
first published in 1891. The poem unfolds the story of a lonely spider, which the poet examines so
carefully. It illustrates how the spider tries to connect things while weaving its web.

 “A Noiseless Patient Spider”, As a Representative of Loneliness: The speaker illustrates two

things; the struggle of the lonely spider and the condition of his soul. At the outset, he provides
a graphic picture that the spider, all alone on a little promontory, casts out its web-threads in a
vast surrounding. He discusses its isolation and detachment from the rest of the world. Later, he
compares his soul with that spider. He says that his soul is also struggling to seek spheres that
can connect the speaker to the immeasurable world. Unlike spider, his soul is a seeker trying to
attach itself to the vacant surroundings.
 Major Themes in “A Noiseless Patient Spider”: Isolation, struggle, and patience are the major
themes of this poem. The poet contrasts the battle of his soul with a tiny spider. He explicitly
unfolds the effort of the spider and explores the idea that only those who work tirelessly and
hold patience connect themselves to the unfathomable world.
Analysis of Literary Devices in “A Noiseless Patient Spider”

literary devices are tools that enable the writers to enhance their simple texts with varied
meanings. Their appropriate use brings richness and uniqueness in the text. Walt Whitman has
also used literary devices in this poem to express the condition of his soul. The analysis of the
literary devices used in this poem has been given below.

1. Apostrophe: An apostrophe is a device used to call somebody or something from a long

distance. Here the following verse, “And you O my soul where you stand,” is used for expressing
surprise and amazement by calling the soul. A human soul is not in a visible dimension.
2. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things using their five senses. For example, “I
mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated”; “Surrounded, detached, in measureless
oceans of space” and “A noiseless patient spider.”
3. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the
sound of /o/ in “I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated”.
4. Personification: Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate objects. For example,
“And you O my soul where you stand.” Here the soul is compared to a human who can stand or
sit down.
5. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick
succession. For example, the sound of /f/ in “It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of
itself”.
6. Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement for the sake of emphasis. For
example, “Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space.” This verse is hyperbole as it
exaggerates the amount of space surrounding the spider.
7. Oxymoron: It is a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear in conjunctions. The
poet has used the words surrounded and detached, both represent opposite things in the
following verse, “Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space.”

Analysis of Poetic Devices in “A Noiseless Patient Spider”

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of
some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

1. Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas in this poem each
comprises of five lines.
2. Quintet: A quintet is a five-lined stanza in poetry. There are two quintets in this poem.
3. Free Verse: Free Verse is a type of poetry that does not contain patterns of rhyme or meter. This
is a free-verse poem with no strict rhyme or meter.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated below could be used for children as an example to teach the awareness of
struggle in life and how to be patient.

“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.”.