Literary notes about Meridian (AI summary)
The term “meridian” in literature is employed in a multifaceted way, serving as both a literal reference to a geographical or astronomical line and a metaphor for a pivotal moment in time or life. Authors like Jules Verne invoke the meridian to mark precise positions on the globe or to signal key transitions in a journey—for instance, when the Nautilus follows a designated meridian during its adventures [1], [2]. Meanwhile, writers such as John Donne and Byron use the concept metaphorically, equating the meridian with the peak or critical point of personal glory or life’s passage [3], [4]. In historical and scientific narratives, it provides a fixed point for measurement and clarity, as seen in descriptions of navigational routines and timekeeping [5], [6]. This diverse usage underscores the meridian’s symbolic role as both a spatial indicator and a marker of transformative moments.
- "Yes," the captain replied coolly, "the Antarctic pole, that unknown spot crossed by every meridian on the globe.
— from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World by Jules Verne - Going along the 55th meridian, the Nautilus cut the Antarctic Circle on March 16 near eight o'clock in the morning.
— from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World by Jules Verne - The Nose (like to the first Meridian) runs Not 'twixt an East and West, but 'twixt two suns; It leaves a Cheek, a rosie Hemisphere
— from The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2) by John Donne - The climate was too cold, they said, for him, Meridian-born, to bloom in.
— from Don Juan by Baron George Gordon Byron Byron - Public accounts formerly printed and reprinted revolve once more, and find their old station in this sober meridian.
— from The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 01 (of 12) by Edmund Burke - When he awoke the sun appeared to be almost at the meridian.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant
