Analysis Of The Poem Oh Captain My Captain

Oh Captain

In the poem “Oh Captain, my captain” was written by Walt Whitman. This poem was written in 1865 during the civil war and President Lincoln. Whitman admired Lincoln and would gave aid to the wounded soldiers. The writer is referring the war to a ship and is using nautical terms to describe the death of the president. Walt Whitman wrote four poems on the death of Abraham Lincoln. One of the four was “Oh captain, my captain” (Vendler 2). This poem is formally rhymed poem. In the first stanza Whitman is referring “O captain, my captain our fearful trip is done”, (Whitman 1) saying that the captain is Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was the captain of the union. The word fearful trip is done he means that war is done and over. “Ship has weather’d every rack” (Whitman 1) is that the soldiers are used, tired. In the line is the prize we sought is won meaning that the

In the third stanza, the poem reads “My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will” (Whitman 1) he means that Lincoln is no longer answer or speak and he lies unresponsive to anyone. Whitman writes “The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship come in with object won” (Whitman 1) means that Lincoln can rest peace because the union has won the war and the U.S can start to recovery from the war.

In the poem, Whitman write’s “Exult O shores, and ring O bells! But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead” (Whitman 1). Whitman is telling Lincoln to listen to cheers and ringing of the bells for the excitement that war is over. Whitman is mourning of the loss of the president and how he will not walk the deck again. Lincoln is now cold and