O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! A Civil War poem by Walt Whitman Presented by: Hannah Yates

Original copy of the poem

O Captain! My Captain! Walt Whitman (1819-1892) O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, 
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won, 
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, 
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; 
                   But O heart! heart! heart! 
                   O the bleeding drops of red, 
                   Where on the deck my Captain lies, 
                        Fallen cold and dead. Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; 
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills, 
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores acrowding, 
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; 
                 Here Captain! dear father! 
                  This arm beneath your head! 
                 It is some dream that on the deck, 
                         You’ve fallen cold and dead. My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, 
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, 
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 O bells! 
                 But I with mournful tread, 
                 Walk the deck my Captain lies, 
                         Fallen cold and dead.

Walt Whitman wrote this poem to honor Abraham Lincoln Walt Whitman wrote this poem to honor Abraham Lincoln. Since Lincoln’s passing meant so much to him, Whitman was inspired to write this well known poem, “O Captain! My Captain!” as a tribute to him. It was just a simple poem of sorrow and grief over the president, but it became a famous symbol for when despair can sometimes overcome the joy of victory.

‘The fearful trip’ is the Civil War. When you read this poem, it sounds like it is a poem about a sea captain that dies at the end of a victorious voyage. This poem actually refers to Lincoln’s death shortly after the Civil War ended. The author uses metaphors to describe the victory of the Civil War, but also the loss of a heroic leader. The captain who has ‘fallen cold and dead,’ is President Abraham Lincoln, and the ‘ship’ is America. ‘The fearful trip’ is the Civil War.

At first, the mood of the poem is happy and joyous, because the Civil War ended and the Union won. But then, ‘The flag is flung—for you the bugle trills.’ This means that the President has died. The flag is at half-mast, and the bugle stands for the playing of ‘Taps.’ These are both done to honor fallen heroes. The author is describing his grief and sorrow for Lincoln, and is reflecting on how much President Lincoln did for America. Walt Whitman wholeheartedly agreed with everything Lincoln fought for, and greatly respected and admired him. He believed in keeping the country as one nation.

Analyzing The Poem Verses 1-8 mean: O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done, 
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won, 
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, 
 While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; 
                   But O heart! heart! heart! 
                   O the bleeding drops of red, 
                   Where on the deck my Captain lies, 
                        Fallen cold and dead. Lincoln! The Civil War is over! It was horrible, but we have won! The end has come and everyone is celebrating. Soon after though, everyone’s attention is directed to your fallen body. Oh, it hurts to see the place where your lifeless body lays.

Verses 9-16 mean: Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; 
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills, 
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores acrowding, 
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; 
                 Here Captain! dear father! 
                  This arm beneath your head! 
                 It is some dream that on the deck, 
                         You’ve fallen cold and dead. Lincoln! Rise up and hear the church bells ringing, and the song “Taps” playing at your funeral; get up and see the flags half-mast, mourning your passing, and notice the flowers and wreaths on your grave. See the crowds gathered, all crying for you. Lincoln! Father of our country! This has to be a bad dream, for you have fallen, and died.

Verses 17-24 mean: My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, 
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, 
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 O bells! 
                 But I with mournful tread, 
                 Walk the deck my Captain lies, 
                         Fallen cold and dead. Lincoln will not answer, his lips are cold and still. The battle was won long ago. From a bloody war, we have emerged victorious, but as the bells ring, I walk slowly and sadly to the place where Lincoln lays, fallen cold and dead.

How This Poem Reflects The Civil War I think that everything about this poem relates to the Civil War time era. When this poem was written, it was right after the Civil War. In the first stanza, it says: “O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done (the Civil War).” It shows the relief of the nation that the Civil War is behind them.

Walt Whitman Walt Whitman was one of the most influential American poets. Walt Whitman was greatly moved by Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. As a tribute to President Lincoln, he wrote a collection of poems that included “O Captain! My Captain!.” Whitman called this series of poems: When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom’d and other Poems. These poems also took place in the time of the Civil War, and also reflected on the Civil War era.

Bibliography Trinh, Hoc. “Literary Analysis O Captain! My Captain!(by Walt Whitman).” http://www.humanities360.com/index. php/-literary-analysis-o-captain- my-captain 13 March 2014. Lorcher, Trent. “Analysis of O Captain! My Captain!” 25 January 2013 http://www. brighthubeducation.com/homework-help-literature/2444 13 March 2014. Meltzer, Milton. Walt Whitman: A Biography. New York : Lerner Publishing Group, 2002. “Poetry for students.” 11 Nov. 2008 http://Shmoop.com/o-captain-my- captain/html/ 13 March 2014. Encyclopedia.com htttp://www.encyclopedia.com/article-162- 2691000021O-captain-my-captain-html 13 March 2014.