Name: PALOMO, Crishara Bernice A.

Program/Year/Sec: BSN IV SCHOENHOFER

Essay: Do the following task.

1. Make a literary analysis of the poem entitled “O Captain, My Captain!” by

Walt Whitman based on the author, rhyme, scheme, theme, etc. Do not
forget to provide a poem-related reflection. (30 points)

Walt Whitman is one of the most well-known poets in America. He

was regarded as a humanist because he thought that existing customs, beliefs,
and ideologies should take second to the value of people—both individually and
collectively. Whitman preferred intuition and passion over rationality, and as a
result, he made significant contributions to the Transcendentalist literary
movement, which holds that everyone possesses a divine soul and that both
nature and people are inherently good. Furthermore, Whitman is best
recognized for his infamous poem “O Captain! My Captain!” in 1865, the poem
gained popularity as it was wrote as an elegy to Abraham Lincoln, reflecting the
country's grief over the president's passing, which is considered one of the
most famous political assassinations in the history of the United States. It was
recognized as Whitman's most notable work by the resonating lyrics, which
were infused with admiration and anguish.

In each stanza of the poem “O Captain! My Captain!”, the rhyme

scheme is AABBCDED. The first four lines look to follow a regular pattern,
however it breaks and is disrupted in then the final four lines. It surprises us
and highlights those lines, which also suggest a shift in the theme, from
excitement to grief. Moreover, the poem has two major themes in play, one is
the theme of triumph, which can be seen in the first stanza, where it sets the
emotion of victory, as the fearful trip of the ship was done and people at the
port can be heard to be exulting, with bells and cheer. However, the theme
quickly changes from triumph to shock on the second stanza, where it talks
about seeing the captain has fallen cold and dead on the deck. Followed by the
third stanza, which embodies the theme of mourning as evidenced by the
mentioned bouquets and wreaths as symbols of death and mourning.
Furthermore, the poem aims to create contrast by placing the crowd of joyful,
cheering people, next to the captain’s lifeless corpse.
 The main circulating theme of the poem is leadership, and how
leaders take the lead, in planning, organizing and inspiring others to change.
In the context of the poem, former President Lincoln was portrayed as the
captain who leads the ship through the dark, stormy ocean. This acts as a
metaphor for Lincoln’s involvement through the civil war, as he was the one
who led the union, eventually abolishing acts of slavery, strengthening the
government and ultimately building on the modernization of the US economy.
Consequently, the poem also heavily emphasizes life’s fragility and uncertainty,
as shown in the poem, even a great leader can succumb to suffering and death.

In conclusion, Whitman’s poem “O Captain! My Captain!”,

embodies a powerful message that aims to let the readers feel complex
emotions, spanning from happiness, excitement, to grief and appreciation. In
addition, the poem is a reminder that leadership is not an easy endeavor, as it
is a great responsibility to be strong, unfettered amidst adversities, in order to
lead the people. Ultimately, the poem is a manifestation of preserving historical
legacies, for the future generations would appreciate and honor.