1 of 27

“O Captain! My Captain!”

Lyric Poem - Elegy

2 of 27

Consider:

How can the death of a famous person affect the world?

3 of 27

Quick Write

Think of a well-known or famous person (celebrity, politician, writer, musician, sports figure, community leader) who died. This person may even have died before you were born.

How did this person’s death affect the country, the world, or you? Why was this person considered special?

4 of 27

“O Captain! My Captain!”

Elegy by Walt Whitman

5 of 27

Elegy

  • An elegy is a mournful poem which is usually a lament for someone who has died.

​

“O Captain! My Captain” is an elegy for Abraham Lincoln.

6 of 27

Extended Metaphor

In order to understand this poem, you will have to consider how Abraham Lincoln is like a captain of a ship.

​

​

7 of 27

Analogy

  • First, let’s consider the role of a ship’s captain.

​

In today’s world, the captain of a ship would be like the pilot of an airplane. We can use a Thinking Map—a bridge map—to show this relationship.

8 of 27

Bridge Map

​

Captain Pilot

​

Ship Airplane

​

​

steers

relating factor

as

9 of 27

Bridge Map

​

Captain Pilot

​

Ship Airplane

​

​

steers

relating factor

as

To read this, we would say, “A Captain steers a ship as a pilot steers an airplane.”

10 of 27

Bridge Map (continued)

​

ship airplane

​

port gate

​

​

comes into/ arrives at

relating factor

as

11 of 27

Bridge Map (continued)

​

ship airplane

​

port gate

​

​

comes into/ arrives at

relating factor

as

To read this, we would say, “A ship comes into (or arrives at) port as an airplane comes into (or arrives at) a gate.”

12 of 27

Bridge Map

  • As we read the poem, notice how the speaker uses an extended metaphor comparing Abraham Lincoln to the captain of a ship.

​

  • Try to determine HOW Lincoln is like the captain of a ship.

13 of 27

“O Captain! My Captain!”

14 of 27

Analyzing and Evaluating the Analogy

Partner Discussion

15 of 27

Partner Discussion and Annotation

  • Discuss the questions with a partner.

​

  • Annotate your copy of the poem as you discuss.

​

  • Be prepared to share with the whole class.

​

  • Add to your annotations as needed as we discuss as a group.

16 of 27

Discussion Questions

  • This poem is an elegy mourning the death of Abraham Lincoln. If Lincoln is the Captain, what is the ship?

​

  • What “fearful trip” has Lincoln been steering the “ship” through?

17 of 27

Discussion Questions

  • If the ship is now coming into port, and “the prize we sought is won,” what is the port or the prize that has been won?

​

  • Is the comparison of Lincoln to a ship’s captain a good one? Why or why not? Explain.

18 of 27

Discussion Questions

  • The first half of each of the first two stanzas contains very positive imagery:

“the bells I hear, the people all exulting” “Rise up—for you the flag is flung… the bugle trills”

“bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths…eager faces”

To what do these images refer? What is happening?

​

19 of 27

Discussion Questions

  • Why do you think the poet ends each stanza with the four words “fallen cold and dead”? What is the effect of ending each stanza with these words?

20 of 27

Bridge Map

  • Now that we have discussed the metaphor, complete bridge maps explaining the analogy.

​

  • Your Bridge Maps should contain the following:
    • How Lincoln is like a ship’s captain
    • How the ship is like the country
    • How the ship’s end of journey is like the end of the Civil War

21 of 27

Tone

Using Diction to Determine Tone

22 of 27

Diction and Tone

  • Which words in this poem help you (the reader) to determine the speaker’s tone?

​

  • Highlight the strong diction used by the speaker that helps create the tone.

​

  • What word would you use to describe the tone?

23 of 27

Paired Selections

Author’s Purpose

24 of 27

Paired Selections

​

  • “The Gettysburg Address”
  • “O Captain! My Captain!”

​

What do these selections have in common?

25 of 27

Paired Selections – Author’s Purpose

  • What is the author’s purpose for “O Captain! My Captain!”?

​

  • How did the author achieve his purpose?

26 of 27

Paired Selections – Author’s Purpose

  • What is the author’s purpose for “The Gettysburg Address”?

​

  • How did the author achieve his purpose?

27 of 27

Paired Selections – Author’s Purpose

​

​

  • What characteristics of Lincoln does the poem and the speech show?