The Speaker

The speaker is an external, omniscient narrator, yet the tone of voice is subjective; rather than recounting a series of events, the speaker shares strong opinions about the people they are describing. While no specific details are given about the speaker’s identity, it’s implied that they identify more with the young, passionate poets than with the temperate, educated men. They describe the scholars with derision and even a hint of pity, believing them to be missing the true meaning of life and art.

The Scholars

The scholars are the central characters in the poem. They are also the object of the speaker's mild satire, as the speaker presents them as brilliant men who, though they study poetry, are disconnected from the emotions and experiences of poets themselves. The speaker refers to the scholars as "bald-headed men," emphasizing the extent to which the scholars are governed...