O Captain, My Captain
Tarenia Carthan
Dr. Jackson
English 1102 [ 8 March 2011 ]
Literary Summary/Analysis of “O Captain, My Captain” by Poet Walt Whitman
“O Captain! My Captain” is a poem written by American poet Walt Whitman which expresses admiration for the 16th president of the United States of America who was assassinated. Written as an elegy in memory of Abraham Lincoln, who led the nation through turbulent times during the Civil War, the poem invokes the emotions both of pride and solemnest that Whitman felt for Lincoln. I chose this poem for the sentiments of respect, the imagery, and emotions that the word choice of Whitman evokes from the reader.
In this poem, Whitman speaks of the captain, Abraham Lincoln, as the subject matter. He uses the term the ship to reference the United States of America. In line 2 of the poem, “The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won”, shows the rough journey that the men and captain from the USA had to overcome. In the face of adversities the captain stood bold and maneuvered the ship to obtain victory. Those understanding the importance of the journey welcomed him back and exalted the captain and crew for the victory. Yet in the midst of the celebration, a heart-wrenching discovery is made. As the ship’s journey comes to the end, so does the life of the captain. The blood of the captain is splattered on the deck and he lies cold and dead. As the poem now takes a turn from happy to somber, we feel the heart and stomach fall in line 5 “But O heart! heart! heart!.” Whitman brilliantly uses word and imagery such as “O the bleeding drops of red” (line 6) to draw upon the emotions of the reader as well to lead us into the second stanza of the poem. (Terrinoni)
As the second stanza of the poem opens up, it is clear that repetition has begun as “O Captain! My Captain” is repeated from the beginning of the poem. This repetition brings the reader back to the subject of the Captain and gives rhythm as it reiterates honor of
Dr. Jackson
English 1102 [ 8 March 2011 ]
Literary Summary/Analysis of “O Captain, My Captain” by Poet Walt Whitman
“O Captain! My Captain” is a poem written by American poet Walt Whitman which expresses admiration for the 16th president of the United States of America who was assassinated. Written as an elegy in memory of Abraham Lincoln, who led the nation through turbulent times during the Civil War, the poem invokes the emotions both of pride and solemnest that Whitman felt for Lincoln. I chose this poem for the sentiments of respect, the imagery, and emotions that the word choice of Whitman evokes from the reader.
In this poem, Whitman speaks of the captain, Abraham Lincoln, as the subject matter. He uses the term the ship to reference the United States of America. In line 2 of the poem, “The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won”, shows the rough journey that the men and captain from the USA had to overcome. In the face of adversities the captain stood bold and maneuvered the ship to obtain victory. Those understanding the importance of the journey welcomed him back and exalted the captain and crew for the victory. Yet in the midst of the celebration, a heart-wrenching discovery is made. As the ship’s journey comes to the end, so does the life of the captain. The blood of the captain is splattered on the deck and he lies cold and dead. As the poem now takes a turn from happy to somber, we feel the heart and stomach fall in line 5 “But O heart! heart! heart!.” Whitman brilliantly uses word and imagery such as “O the bleeding drops of red” (line 6) to draw upon the emotions of the reader as well to lead us into the second stanza of the poem. (Terrinoni)
As the second stanza of the poem opens up, it is clear that repetition has begun as “O Captain! My Captain” is repeated from the beginning of the poem. This repetition brings the reader back to the subject of the Captain and gives rhythm as it reiterates honor of
Cited: Erkkila, Betsy and Justin Kaplan. "The Walt Whitman Archive." 1980. Criticism The Walt Whitman Encyclopedia. 28 February 2011 <http://www.whitmanarchive.org/criticism/current/encyclopedia/entry_40.html>. George, Philip Brandt and Walt Whitman. "American History 38.5 ." Elegy For A Fallen Leader 2003: 53. < http://www.whitmanarchive.org/criticism/bibliography/search.html?keyword=elegy&year= >. Terrinoni, Enrico. "Literary Contexts in Poetry: Walt Whitman 's "O Captain, My Captain”. Literary Reference Center Ebscohost 2007: p.1. <http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.acc.edu:2048/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lfh&AN=25928550&site=lrc-liv>. .