Analysis Of O Captain My Captain - 702 Words

O Captain! My Captain! By Walt Whitman is short a poem about the assassination of 16th president, Abraham Lincoln and was written to honor his short life and his work while in office. While initially reading the text, it seems as though the essay is referring to a captain on a ship, who has suddenly passed away. However, looking at the historical context when this was written, and Whitmans position as a staunch Unionist, one can decipher the true meaning of the poem. Through the use of extended metaphor and mood, the ultimate message of the poem is conveyed, which is what a tragedy Lincolns death is to the American society. In Whitmans poem an extended metaphor is used to describe the nation after a tragedy and war has just passed.†¦show more content†¦This shows the meaning behind the poems title, Oh Captain! My Captain!. The first piece of the title shows the greatness in what Lincoln has done and how excited the author was by the ending of the war and the restoration of the union. Meanwhile, the My Captain! portion of the title shows how the people were in shock of what happened and devastated by his death (grade saver). Aside from the extended metaphor of this poem, there is also a self vs other conflict. In the beginning of each stanza Whitman begins by saying how the people were ecstatic that America has been revived and that the death and destruction is finally over. However, after discussing everyones mood he begins speaking to himself. While speaking to himself he shows his own personal sadness towards Lincolns death. He has a conflict within himself because he is not sure how to balance the celebratory moods of others, with his own personal feeling of loss of someone who he was greatly impacted by. Along with himself, many Americans also felt this major divide. Although they felt happy about the union coming back together, they also had the feeling of loss going through them, since many people had family members, or friends who had died in the war. The narrator believes that he should be part of the other group, celebrating the return to safety but however he cannot release himself from his in ner thoughts (civil). I found thisShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem O Captain ! My Captain 1846 Words   |  8 PagesWhitman’s â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† was written about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln which gives the poem a strong sense of historical context. The context of the poem gives it the emotional connection and remembrance that so many Americans know and honor each year. When it comes to remembering and honoring him, Walt Whitman was a very good poet that wrote very good poems about Lincoln. Walt Whitman was alive when Abe was assassinated so that gives Whitman a real time view of the effects ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem O Captain My Captain By Walt Whitman1337 Words   |  6 PagesWhat a beautiful portrayal of our great nation and some of the many amazing things we have overcome to get to where we now are today. To begin analyzing this poem we must first look at the context of when the poem was written. This poem, â€Å"O Captain, My Captain† was writte n by Walt Whitman in 1865 after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. This death of the beloved president left the entire country devastated. Walt Whitman was a very strong admirer of Abraham Lincoln and often saw him as a fatherlyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem O Captain ! My Captain By Walt Whitman826 Words   |  4 Pagesexception. In the famous poem, â€Å"O Captain! My Captain!† Written by, Walt Whitman in the year 1865. The poem, refers to a terrible event in American history; the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Instead of the country celebrating and rejoicing over the ending of the Civil War and being happy over the country being kept whole, everyone was mourning in the loss of their leader. Aboard a ship, the poem is about a fellow sailor grieving from the loss of his captain. 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