Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Dramatic monologue essays
Dramatic monologue essays
Dramatic monologue essays
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In Walt Whitman’s poem Oh Captain! My Captain! He talks about the death of America’s commander and chief, Abraham Lincoln. Whitman published this poem in his book of poems about the civil war causing him to become one of a handful of people to be the only ones who did not participate in the war, but wrote about it. In fact, Whitman uses various metaphors to tell of the death of Abraham Lincoln to the common people of the Union. Firstly, Whitman tells of how confederate actor John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln inside a theater while the president watched a play with his wife. How Lincoln was killed seems to come out in this quote, “This arm beneath your head!” Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head, which shows that Whitman knew how the president had died in the hands of his attacker. However, it’s not exactly a metaphor in itself, but which the next few lines the metaphor comes out through the poem’s metaphor of the captain. Once …show more content…
The way he writes the poem shows how he was in love with the president on how Lincoln conducted himself during the war. He refers to Lincoln as the captain of the ship which is the Union, throughout the poem he begins to call out to the Captain acting like the president was never shot. Through this all, it seems like Whitman could never bring himself to acknowledge the assassination of the late president. He also wrote it as a way to express the grief of losing the beloved commander and chief, and also explain to the American people how Booth killed the man who helped bring the Union together once again. However, he makes the metaphor in this poem explain why he would have wrote it, it shows that through an imaginary situation that things begin to seem alright in the world. Finally, Whitman deals with the pain through the metaphor to cover up the hurt America feels even if he despised the poem later on in
A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak and Grim written by Walt Whitman, an american poet focuses on a soldier walking through the hospital tent at camp. The soldier examines three deceased soldiers, one old, one young and one who is not young nor old. The poem was written during the Civil War and thus the setting of the poem is a campsite in the Civil War. Although a recognized American poet, essayist, and journalist Walt Whitman had little to no formal education, this however proved to be a defining characteristic in his work. This short poem seems to be simple and straight to the point but it actually lends itself to a deeper meaning.
Walt Whitman was a famous American poet who wrote many great poems during the Civil War. Though he originally worked for printing presses and newspapers, he later became a famous poet. During the Civil War, Whitman wrote many patriotic poems that supported the ideas of the North. Whitman’s poems will forever be linked to the American Civil War era of poetry. Walt Whitman was an iconic American poet with an interesting life that later impacted his works of poetry.
Both Whitman and Twain watched as America became consumed by war. Whitman actually spent time in Washington D.C with his brother who had been wounded during the struggle, and this showed him the true face of war and the pain that it brings. The turmoil of the war and all of the issues that caused it are what shaped the writing styles of both authors, yet both authors have different perspectives on America as a whole. For Whitman, America is a place of fellowship. He sympathizes with comradery and truly believes that all are created equally. In the beginning of Song of Myself Whitman says, “For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you”. This is Whitman establishing the idea of comradery, which is what he believed to be the center of American culture. Twain’s views on America and those who inhabit it are rather twisted when compared to Whitman. Twain would go out of his way to criticize what he felt was wrong. For example, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain criticized the embodiment of slavery (which was a massive social issue after the end of the war). He chose to set this story before the conflict in order to play around with his ideas about racism. He uses the character Jim (who is a runaway slave) as a platform for the discussion on racial controversy. Jim is constantly being hunted and ridiculed thought the book and for while Huck seems to agree with the racist ideals of the surrounding world, and only
I believe Mr. Whitman wrote the note about killing his mother because he wanted in some way explain why he did it. By reading the note, one could see that the triggering factor for Mr. Whitman was when his mother left his father. Overall in the text it is also stated that Mr. Whitman started to act different when his parents got divorced. It could be why he decided to kill his mom as well, because she was the one leaving the relationship even though as he stated that he hated his father but loved his mother. However, I think Mr. Whitman wrote the note to explain why he had murdered his mother and that it wasn't because he hated her, he wanted to stop her from suffering. But, I also believe the note was a sign of remorse because he is always stating how much he loves his mother, but hates his father. Mr. Whitman is only saying positive things about his mother, which could be a sign of remorse because he is also stating that he is very upset over killing his mother. So, Mr. Whitman probably wrote the note to explain that he didn't kill his mother because he hated her, and in the way he was describing his mother in the note I believe he was remorseful over having to killed
This comparison signifies the strength and honor of the dead man and the purity of his sacrifice. In Line 6, Whitman uses the symbol of the “Gray and heavy blanket” to evoke the sadness of physical death, and “…covering all” to signify the permanence and universal aspect of death. In lines 14 and 15, Whitman uses allusion when he refers to the face of the dead young man as being “the face of the Christ himself” and calls the young man “divine” and “brother of all” just like Christ is. The young man’s sacrificial death for a cause greater than himself may also be thought of as symbolic of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to atone for the sins of
Whitman’s poem was written in the mid-1800s during the industrial revolution, but Hughes’ poem was written in the 1900s during the Civil Rights Movement. This is important because the Civil Rights Movement established the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Industrial Revolution moved at a slow place but there were still issues with slavery. Whitman’s poem was free verse while Hughes’ poem was traditional rhyme/rhythm. The tone of Whitman’s poem was patriotic and celebratory (I HEAR America singing, the varied carols I hear); because he was paying tribute to the success of the individuals; however, the tone of Hughes’ poem was sarcastic and frustrated (to build a “homeland of the free,’’ because he didn’t feel like some individuals were allowed to experience the American Dream. Whitman’s theme of his poem was that individuals and liberties make America great. On the other hand, Hughes’ theme of his poem expressed that individuals felt excluded from the “homeland of the free.” The purpose of Whitman’s poem is praise for universal brotherhood. However, Hughes’ poem’s purpose was to inform individuals about inequality, meaning that not everyone has the same liberties in America. Whitman’s poem focused on the jobs of the workers, while Hughes’ poem focused on race, social status, and a list to represent the “I am’’ phrase; (I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars). He also
One of the most important and influential poets of the 19th century who helped shape the future of American poetry was Walt Whitman, author of the famous book of poetry, "Leaves of Grass.” Two of the poems associated with this book that I will be writing about being O Captain! My Captain!, and When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd. In the poetry world Whitman crossed new boundaries, revealing every inch of his mind in his works. He improved the way Americans wrote poetry by covering arguable topics, even though others were harshly criticizing his poems he continued to write, and encouraging American people to express themselves and not to be ashamed of who they are and what they have to offer the world. Although O Captain! My Captain! and When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd are both based off of the same
Poetry is a universe of subjectivity. When two poems are set up, side-by-side, to create discussion, results may vary. But it is clear in Sherman Alexie’s two poems, “Defending Walt Whitman” and “How to Write the Great American Indian Novel”, where the discussion must go. Alexie explores Native American culture and the effect that the Europeans have had on the native people of the United States. This feat is accomplished through the thoughtful use of several literary devices, including tone, simile, allusion, and metaphor.
The North and the South were battling because one side was too strong for the other to ignore. The North was more industrialist and was slightly more advanced that the South, and viewed their ways as basically barbaric. The right to own another man, no matter the color of their skin, was a little too much for the North to stomach. Even though once upon a time, they did the same thing too, the only difference is, they didn't need slaves anymore. Walt Whitman's own family fought in this war, dragging him into a very tough spot.
Within the first stanza of his work you can get a sense of the suddenness that the loss of Lincoln had on the people. The first stanza allows the reader to envision during the last bloom of the Lilacs in spring there was a sudden falling star seen in the nights sky. As read in the first two lines, “When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d, And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in the night.” At the very moment this star is falling, Abraham Lincoln in wounded and ultimately dies from an assassin’s bullet which shocks everyone at that time. Whitman goes on to write that every spring he will imagine that falling star, when the lilacs are in bloom, which will remind him of this great man that has been
“Oh Captain! My Captain!” in a poem by Walt Whitman in 1865 shortly after the death of the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. This poem shows how a leader, or captain, can bring people through very difficult times. The example the poem itself uses is the captain of the ship leading his crew through perilous weather and conditions on the sea, but still getting them through it. However, he may have got his crew through the journey, but he himself is overcome by the burden. The poem is written in a way that it could almost be sung like a song. The entire poem is an allusion to the assassination of President Lincoln.
After working with the men that fought in the Civil War, Whitman clearly believed that they were underappreciated and deserved better than what they received. Whitman’s use of words that depict a sense of appreciation and gratitude for the men, “Shroud them, embalm them, cover them all over with tender pride.”, this puts into perspective the feeling that Whitman has for those who gave their lives in order to fight for the causes that they believe in (600). Although Whitman does recognize that the soldiers are ascetically pleasing by calling them his “My handsome tan-face horsemen!”, his defiance of using anything other than a cliché average description of them alludes to the fact that Whitman does not see these men as anything other than as men that fought for the United States in a way that he very much respected
Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" is a vision of the American spirit, a vision of Whitman himself. It is his cry for democracy, giving each of us a voice through his poetry. Each of us has a voice and desires, and this is Whitman's representation of our voices, the voice of America. America, the great melting pot, was founded for freedom and democracy, and this poem is his way of re-instilling these lost American ideals. In this passage from "Song of Myself" Whitman speaks through his fellow man and speaks for his fellow man when his voice is not socially acceptable to be heard.
While the poem can be termed to be democratic, both in subject matter and its language, Whitman is viewed to be cataloging the ‘new’ America that he is seeing around him. The poem includes subject matter such as relationships, patriotism, heroes, family and ancestors, and a view on social commentaries too.
Whitman and his works are extremely relevant and represent the Romantic time period perfectly. The poems about the Civil War tells stories of him out helping his friends on the front lines and doing his best to spread the tales of those who are fighting. His Realism poems talk about his normal life and the lives of others. Most of the works from Whitman are all very relatable for the time during and after the Civil War for all people, soldiers and common people alike. Walt Whitman is an iconic writer for his representing of the Civil War and Romantic