Walt Whitman is one of the greatest poets in American history. He is an explicitly patriotic writer and believes poetry is a way of healing. His poem, “O Captain! My Captain!”, expresses his grief and the mourning of a nation in the loss of a great leader, President Abraham Lincoln. It became an elegy honoring Lincoln’s life and work, Whitman symbolically uses the image of a Captain to show the admiration, devotion, and love that he and the nation felt for Lincoln.
Whitman wrote the poem as an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated. He wrote the poem in honor of Lincoln who fought for America to stay united and fought for the abolishment of slavery through the Civil War. Whitman’s admiration for Lincoln shines through the poem as an overall theme. Whitman shows his gratitude and admiration by often referring to Lincoln as “My father” (Song of Myself). The overall themes throughout the poem “O Capitan!
This poem became really popular due to the poem describing an ordinary American citizen, and his patriotism towards the country.. Released in 1865 another one of Whitman’s big works was “O Captain! My Captain”, in which the captain refers to Abraham Lincoln, who Whitman considered a hero, and how an ideal leader should be.The death of Lincoln caused Whitman to lament, and write this poem. Whitman, in this poem, wants the American people to put trust in their leaders.Another one of Whitman’s classics was “I Hear America Singing”. Released in 1966, this poem by Whitman is about American pride.
The sound device used by Whi... ... middle of paper ... ...ude towards the poem. Whitman used the iambic meter mostly throughout the poem but breaks from it when announcing Lincoln's name, giving the reader an idea of how great Abraham Lincoln is and is a different human being that stands out from the crowd. The repetition of the quote "Fallen cold and dead" allows the readers to recognise the regretful emotions that the poet is trying to convey. Whitman structures the layout of his poem to show the sudden change of emotions that he's going through, from happiness to concern and finally to sadness. These literary techniques relate back to the theme of the re-imagination of the events that took place, when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated through the use of an allegory.
Whitman spent his last days as the sage of Camden, New Jersey, where he died on March 36, 1892 (Magill 406). Walt Whitman, through his admiration for a fallen President, condemnation of war, and his theme of camaraderie, illustrates a definition of patriotism. Walt Whitman was an American, and he loved President Abraham Lincoln. He had the upmost respect for the sixteenth President of the United States. His admiration was shown in his most famous work, O’ Captain, My Captain.
The two poems share some common characteristics, as both make nautical references and deal with various stages of death. The two authors use capitalization to place emphasis on the titles of the characters in the poem. As in Whitman’s poem, he addresses the subject of the poem as “O Captain! My Captain,” who is the one leading the “ship” (2) that is nearing the port. This is an allusion to President Abraham Lincoln, who led the United States after the Civil War.
Whitman envisioned democrac... ... middle of paper ... ...k my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead. (lines 17-24 Fuhram) This last piece of the poem is directly referencing the president’s passing and we can tell by the narrator’s use of the word “my” that he shares a deep connection with the dead captain. This captain’s death is not just a political loss, but a personal one as well. Whitman’s poetry is democratic because of the language he uses and the subjects he pursues in his poems. Believing that just as America is different from its European counterparts, so too must America’s poetry distinguish itself from previous models, Whitman broke new ground in both subject matter and diction.
Emilio Mackie Mr. Webb English 11, Period 1 3-17-2015 O Captain My Captain Walt Whitman wrote the poem O Captain My Captain to honor the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. When the poem was published in the New York Saturday Press, the American public loved it. It became a national sensation overnight. Walt Whitman was asked to recite the poem so often, that he once said, “I’m almost sorry I ever wrote [it]” (Library of Congress) But this poem is not to be taken lightly. It speaks of a story about a captain, who returns with his crew after a hard voyage, only to lie in his deathbed in the end.
An analysis of Owen’s Dulce et Decorum est and Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light brigade Wilfred Owen and Alfred Lord Tennyson both wrote prominent poetry on the issue surrounding war. Owen was born on the 18th March 1893. Owen experienced the war and therefore he wrote elaborate detail on life on the battlefield. One of his famous poems on the aspect of war is known as ‘Dulce et Decorum Est which means it is sweet and beautiful to die for your native land in Latin. Although the title of the poem is positive the message in the poem illuminates the negative aspects of war and is written through the eye of a soldier which is Owen himself.
Inspired by the death of American president Abraham Lincoln it is thought to be one of his most memorable and iconic poems. The second poem chosen is Funeral Blues written by WH Auden in 1940. Through the use of poetic techniques the poet of ‘Funeral Blues’ and ‘O Captain! My Captain!’ reflects upon the melancholic theme of death. The tone that Walt Whitman conveys throughout the poem changes from triumph to despair as the poem progresses.