About the author

Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist, and journalist.he was a

staunch Unionist during the Civil War. He wrote this poem to honor
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States.  
Introduction
This poem is an extended metaphor poem written in 1865 about the
assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It explores the effect of his death on
the speaker. The poem emphasizes grief and sorrow.

Summary:

Whitman's "O Captain! my Captain!" is an extended metaphor and

contains three stanzas. the poem remains effective and moving, in large
part because the idea and emotions it conveys are not necessarily tied to
a singular situation. The story involves a captain who brings his ship
through a rough storm, only to perish in the act. He is a heroic figure,
whose nobility of character makes his loss all the more tragic. The main
idea of the poem is that the civil war has ended, which is a cause for
celebration, and the reason it is over and won ,is because of the "ship's
captain", Abraham Lincoln, who was instrumental in that war, and now
has died without really being able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. 

Using the imagery of a ship, the first stanza talks about the celebration
going on because the "prize we sought is won." This is referring to the
end of the civil war. . But in a sudden shift, the speaker exclaims that his
captain has fallen on the deck “cold and dead.” the mood darkens when
the topic changes and returns to the loss of the captain.

The second stanza is a plea for the captain to rise up and see the crowd
eagerly rejoicing in his victorious return., the tone in this stanza shifts as
the speaker acknowledges that his captain has “fallen cold and dead” but
expresses hope that “it is some dream.”
The grief of the speaker is contrasted with the communal joy of the
"swaying mass" that arrives to greet the ship with cheers and flower
wreaths. Even the wreaths take on a double meaning, as they are used to
decorate graves as often as living heroes.

In the third stanza, the poet seems to have accepted that the captain is
indeed, dead, and isn't coming back when he examines his deceased
captain, whose “lips are pale and still” and who “has no pulse or will.”.
 Tone
The tone shifts from a jubilant, celebratory tone to a contemplative,
mournful tone throughout this poem
theme
the theme of the poem is that when problems are solved violently, the
sweetness of victory is always accompanied with the pain of the losses
sustained.
Mood
the mood of this poem is very mournful, because the Captain has died
after he declared no more slavery. People in the story seem to be sad and
wish for him to come back.