Oh Captain My Captain

1081 Words5 Pages
Joseph Bean Ms. Biloholowski English 1 30 April 2013 "Oh Captain, My Captain": A Critical Analysis "Oh Captain, My Captain" by Walt Whitman is a narrative poem using an extended metaphor to discuss the death of the late Abraham Lincoln. Walt Whitman uses many literary devices to fully portray this metaphor that is essential to the entirety of the poem. Whitman was born in 1819 and therefore he was able to experience firsthand the events of the Civil War and write about them. This experience allows for the reader to receive a deeper meaning from this poem opposed to one written about the same topic by an author of today. Walt Whitman uses many literary devices to describe his key metaphor throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the poem. In the beginning of this poem, the author uses the first lines to serve as the foundation for his central metaphor. We see the phrase "O Captain! My Captain!...," (Whitman 1) which is a metaphor for Abraham Lincoln. The usage of 'O' and 'My' before referring to the Captain suggest that the author is speaking directly to the Captain, almost in a mournful tone. After this line the reader can understand that the author is using 'Captain' to refer to Lincoln. The 'ship' in line one is the United States and the 'fearful trip' the Civil War. The 'prize' is victory as Lincoln had led the Union back from the Civil War victorious. Lines five through eight convey the sad news that Lincoln, or the Captain has died. The usage of "But O heart! heart! / heart!" (3-4) shows the reader the authors despair and utter sadness at the death of the Captain. It instills a sudden influx of emotion into the poem. The 'bleeding drops of red' are symbolizing both the Captains blood from his injuries and the author's own broken heart at seeing the Captain dead. The beginning celebration for the end of the Civil War is seen in "...rise up and hear
Open Document