Question

Read “Sonnet—To Science” by Edgar Allan Poe. One of the poem’s themes is science constantly changes our understanding of life. Which line reflects this theme? 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?

Answer 1

The line that reflects the theme that science constantly changes our understanding of life is "Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art! Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes."

Step-by-step explanation:

The "Sonet - To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe refers to the fact that science enforces reality and because of that it has taken away from poets the ability to dream. The line: "Science! true daughter of Old Time thou art! Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes" is the one that reflects that science is constantly changes our understanding of life because it means that by looking at things through science, our understanding changes.

Answer 2

In this sonnet Poe is complaining of the weight of science upon his feelings, the last six lines try to express this weight and the last one is merely a nostalgic whisper. The line that reflects best the theme is the second one "Who alterest all things with thy peering eyes", in wich he begins to complain of science's stare upon him.