What does the poem O Captain my Captain mean?
by Walt Whitman
- Summary. My Captain!’ by Walt Whitman is a heart-touching elegy on the death of the American President Abraham Lincoln.
- O Captain! My Captain! ...
- Literary Devices. Most of Walt Whitman’s poems use repetition and rhythm for rendering a spellbinding poetic beauty. ...
- Themes. ...
What is the poem Oh Captain my Captain about?
Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” is an extended metaphor mourning the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 at the close of the American Civil War. The speaker, a sailor, reports to his captain that the ship has completed its journey. They have returned from a successful voyage. The crowd is celebrating on the shore to welcome home the captain.
What is the message in O Captain Your Captain?
My Captain!”
- Lines 1-4 O Captain! my Captain! ...
- Line 6 O the bleeding drops of red, Unlock all 274 words of this analysis of Line 6 of “O Captain! ...
- Lines 9-12 O Captain! ...
- Lines 13-18 Here Captain! ...
- Lines 19-24 The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; Exult O shores, and ring ...
What makes O Captain Your Captain an elegy?
An elegy is a poem of mourning. Most elegies are about someone who has died. Some elegies mourn a way of life that is gone forever. “O Captain! My Captain!” mourns the tragic death of President Abraham Lincoln. The poem was written in honor of President Lincoln following his assassination, and it also has celebratory passages that mark the ...
What is the meaning of fearful trip?
A ship's trip can be fearful because there are many natural and man-made dangers in the sea. But the "fearful trip" that Whitman is referring to is the Civil War, during which he'd volunteered as a nurse in the army hospitals.
What is meant by the ship has weathered every rack?
The “captain” represents Lincoln , and the “ship” represents the Civil War; Lincoln was the commander of the Civil War much as a captain would be of his ship. In line two, when it says that “the ship has weather'd every rack,” it is referring to all the lives that were lost during the War.
What is the moral of the poem O Captain My Captain?
Answer: The moral lesson of the poem is that victory comes with a price. The captain in the poem relates to Abraham Lincoln and the ship signifies the United States. Lincoln successfully guided his nation through the agitation of the civil war and brought an end to slavery in America.
What does exulting mean who is exulting and where are they?
Exulting means to celebrate with great energy or enthusiasm. I know this because they are also ringing bells and later in the poem it says they are crowded together waiting with wreaths and bouquets. The people standing at the port are exulting (their eyes are following the ship (line 4)), so they can't be on it.
Why the captain is called Dear father?
Answer. Explanation: In the poem, Lincoln is referred to as the captain who steered the American ship from civil war. In line thirteen, the speaker calls the captain "dear father" to show the bond between the speaker and the dead man which is so deep that the line is blurred between the leader and the family.
What does the poet mean by mournful tread?
The poet's grief is accentuated by the contrasting celebrations of victory and lamentations of death. The poet recognizes the importance of victory, calling out "Exult O shores, and ring O bells!", but his "mournful tread" prevents him from truly taking part in the festivities. The image of the dead captain, "O heart!
Why do poet hearts bleed?
Why does the poet's heart bleed? 4. What seems like a dream to the poet? Answer: The poet is surprised to see that the ship's captain who guided the whole crew to the land from within a fearful fight,now himself lying to the deck covered with blood.
What does the ship represent in the poem?
The ship in Whitman's poem symbolizes the United States. Just as a ship endures turbulent winds while on the water, the country survived the hardships and sacrifices of the Civil War. The speaker says that they won the prize that they sought during their voyage.
Why is the narrator sad in the poem O Captain My Captain?
Tragically, however, the speaker reveals that the captain lies dead on the deck of the ship while the city rejoices—a metaphor for recent events, since President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 and was unable to celebrate his victory.
Who is the speaker in O Captain my captain?
The speaker in the poem O Captain! My Captain!, written by American poet Walt Whitman, is unnamed but is thought to be Walt Whitman himself. Walt Whitman had a deep admiration for Abraham Lincoln and was deeply affected or moved by his death and assassination.
What does steady keel mean?
Stable, balanced, as in She had the knack of keeping us on an even keel in any emergency.
What does exulting in his career mean?
adjective. joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success.