Symbolism In Walt Whitman's 'O Captain ! My Captain'

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Walt Whitman is one of the greatest poets in American history. He is an explicitly patriotic writer and believes poetry is a way of healing. His poem, “O Captain! My Captain!”, expresses his grief and the mourning of a nation in the loss of a great leader, President Abraham Lincoln. It became an elegy honoring Lincoln’s life and work, Whitman symbolically uses the image of a Captain to show the admiration, devotion, and love that he and the nation felt for Lincoln. Symbolism is used in works of literature to suggest a certain mood or emotion and to allow the reader to interpret and visualize the meaning of the poem. This poem contains many symbolic images such as the “Captain” as Abraham Lincoln, the “ship” as the United States, and “the …show more content…

My Captain!”, an American flag cake, is another symbolic image that captures the essence of the poem. Whitman writes this poem after the Civil War to celebrate the forward progress of America and also to heal a nation after the loss of many soldiers. The main political and social issue during this time was slavery and the rights of African Americans. The country, represented by the American flag, went to war to fight for the unification of its people. This coming together of people as one nation is symbolized by the cake in which there are many different ingredients mixed together to make something good. America is often referred to as a “melting pot” where all different types people or “ingredients” come together and work for one purpose – equality. A cake is also used in times of celebration. Whitman expresses a mood of excitement of the Union’s victory when he refers to “the people all exulting” (3). Whitman writes “The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,/ From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;” noting that the people were not only celebrating the end of the war but the accomplishments of their great leader (19-20). The cake, decorated as an American flag, represents how America has fought through tough times and dealt with loss to make America what it is today. In the poem “O Captain! My Captain!”, Whitman creates different emotions through his use of symbolism. One wants

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