Analysis

In this section of the study guide, we offer you an analysis of “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman.

As concerns the composition of the poem, each stanza relies on an inner contrast between feelings of victory and feelings of sadness caused by the captain’s death. Both rhythm and rhyme are playful and diverse, with the rhythm shifting between grave and alert, transmitting a feeling of tension.

The speaker in the poem seems to be a sailor, someone who has been travelling on the board of the same ship as the captain. This speaker is highly connected with the other character in the poem, the captain. He cherishes and praises him, addressing him with respect.

The language and style of the poem make it come across as a very lyrical mourning; a sad mournful song addressed to a symbolic captain representing Abraham Lincoln. Imagery is created through several adjectives, adverbs, and verbs used to depict mostly the captain and the setting.

You can read the full analysis of the poem in the next pages.