# As the Time Draws Nigh explained — Leaves of Grass

> Chapter companion for Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.

## What happens

The narrator confronts the approach of death and the uncertainty of what lies beyond, yet finds solace in the certainty that the soul has appeared and existed, deeming that enough.

## Themes in this chapter

### Death and Immortality

The chapter dwells on the approach of death and the soul's enduring appearance.

### Individuality and Self

The narrator's personal journey and the affirmation of the self's existence are central.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The speaker reflects on the impending end of life and the journey ahead.

### Death

Referenced implicitly as the 'dread beyond' that darkens the narrator's thoughts.

## Key lines

> As the time draws nigh glooming a cloud, A dread beyond of I know not what darkens me.

As the end approaches, a dark cloud looms and an unknown fear overshadows me.

_The narrator expresses anxiety about the unknown nature of death._

> O soul, we have positively appear’d⁠—that is enough.

O soul, we have truly existed—that alone is sufficient.

_The narrator finds meaning in the mere fact of the soul's existence._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se/chapters/as-the-time-draws-nigh
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leaves_of_grass_se/chapters