O Captain! My Captain!

Osmania degree Sem 3 

Unit 1- poetry

O Captain! my Captain-Walt Whitman

1819 –1892

Video lesson in English

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done

The ship has weather’d 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.

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 ribbon’d 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.

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 anchor’d 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.

GLOSSARY

exult:- to feel or show great joy or elation.  

keel:-a long piece of wood or steel that keeps a boat stable; here, denotes the ship itself. 

vessel :- a ship or large boat. 

rack:-hardship; suffering. 

bugle :-a brass instrument like a small trumpet, used for military signals trill/tril/ to produce a quavering or vibratory sound. 

wreath :-an arrangement of flowers, leaves or stems fastened in a ring and used for decoration or for laying on a grave. 

sway :-to move slowly backwards and forwards or from side to side voyage/voi(1)d3/ -a long journey involving travel by sea or in space. 

mournful:-feeling, expressing or inducing sadness, regret or grief.

Q.1) Describe the grief that speaker in the poem express at the death of the ' captain'. 

About the poet:-

Walt Whitman was known by his full name, Walter Whitman Jr. He was born on May 31, 1819, and was an American poet, essayist, and journalist.

Whitman wrote two poems about the death of Abraham Lincoln, whom he loved a lot: "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd." He also gave a series of lectures on Lincoln. Walt Whitman's most well-known work is his collection of verses, Leaves of Grass. Walt Whitman wrote O Captain! My Captain! in 1865 and later added it to the renowned collection Leaves of Grass.

About the Poem.

The poem O Captain, My Captain! is an elegy written in commemoration of Abraham Lincoln ( 16th president of the USA.It is a three-stanza poem. The phrase "O Captain! My Captain!" is repeated, emphasizing the speaker's deep admiration and sense of loss. The phrase **"fallen cold and dead"** is repeated at the end of each stanza. This repetition serves to emphasize the profound grief and finality of the captain's death, The structure effectively supports the vivid imagery and symbolism that evoke the themes of leadership, sacrifice, and mourning.

        Whitman begins the poem with a celebration of victory. The ship symbolises the United States of America. Lincoln, the "captain," has successfully led his team through the hardships of the Civil War. The fearful trip refers to the civil war that took place in America. After enduring numerous hardships, the ship safely reaches the port, prompting preparations on shore to celebrate the victory. The speaker is shocked to see the captain lying dead on the deck. The speaker doesn't accept the reality that the captain is dead. He begs him to rise and hear the bells. A flag is hoisted, crowds are eagerly waiting for the captain, who led his men to victory, with bouquets and garlands. 

        The line "Here, Captain! dear father!" implies that Captain is very dear to him, and he revered him with great respect. Captain doesn't answer to speaker cries, and Captain's lips have become pale. The captain's pulse has stopped and doesn't respond to the speaker's arm touch. Now the speaker is certain that the captain is dead. The ship anchored safely after winning the war, and now the voyage is over. 

The poem concludes with the speaker walking the deck where the lifeless body of the captain lies amidst the cheers of the crowd. 

 

1. Is the speaker in the poem happy or sad? Why?

   - The speaker in the poem is sad. Although the ship has safely returned from its journey, symbolizing the end of a difficult struggle (the Civil War), the captain, who represents Abraham Lincoln, has died. 

2. The people in the poem display two different moods. What are these?

   - The two different moods displayed by the people in the poem are:

     1. Joy and Celebration- The crowds are celebrating the safe return of the ship, symbolizing the end of the civil war and the nation's victory.

     2. Sorrow and Mourning-At the same time, there is a profound sadness due to the captain's ( Abraham Lincoln's) death. 

3. The speaker refers to the 'captain' as 'dear father' and 'my father.' Is the speaker the child of the captain? (If not, why is the person addressed being called 'father'?)

The speaker is not the child of the captain. The term "father" is used metaphorically to express deep respect, and affection. The captain (Lincoln) is seen as a fatherly figure to the nation. The speaker's use of "father" reflects the bond and reverence felt for Lincoln as the leader of the nation.

Video lesson in Telugu

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