1 / 8

Analysis of ‘O Captain, My Captain’

Explore the symbolism of sea and ship, connotations of 'Captain', and allusions to Lincoln in this poignant poem. Consider the speaker, Whitman's ties to the Union, and powerful imagery used.

smcclean
Download Presentation

Analysis of ‘O Captain, My Captain’

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Analysis of ‘O Captain, My Captain’ J. King

  2. ‘O Captain, My Captain’ by Walt Whitman • O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,The ship has weathered 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.

  3. O 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 ribboned wreaths for you the shores a-crowding,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.

  4. 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 anchored 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.

  5. Audio • Video O Captain, My Captain

  6. Dead Poet’s Society • Video 1 • Video 2

  7. Important Things to Consider • Sea and ship symbolism • Connotations of the word ‘Captain’ • Allusion of Captain/Lincoln • Repetition of ‘fallen cold and dead’ • ‘prize is won’ and ‘voyage closed and done’ as Allusions • Imagery in Stanza 1

  8. Important Things to Consider • Who is the speaker? • What are Whitman’s ties to the Union/North? What are his feelings about Lincoln? • Juxtaposition—Placing 2 things side by side; often with the purpose of comparing and contrasting (What are the examples in this poem?)

More Related