O Captain! My Captain!

Question

by Walt Whitman

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;

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Question
Use the stanza to answer the question.

How does the historical context help the reader understand the meaning of this stanza?

(1 point)
Responses

Knowing that the poem was written about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War helps the reader understand why the speaker supported the Union cause.
Knowing that the poem was written about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War helps the reader understand why the speaker supported the Union cause.

Knowing that the poem was written about the end of the Civil War helps the reader understand why people are celebrating.
Knowing that the poem was written about the end of the Civil War helps the reader understand why people are celebrating.

Knowing that the poem was written about Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated helps the reader understand the speaker’s disbelief.
Knowing that the poem was written about Abraham Lincoln after he was assassinated helps the reader understand the speaker’s disbelief.

Knowing that the poem was written to mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln helps the reader understand how people acted during his funeral.
Knowing that the poem was written to mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln helps the reader understand how people acted during his funeral.

Answer 1

Knowing that the poem was written to mourn the death of Abraham Lincoln helps the reader understand how people acted during his funeral.

This response accurately reflects the historical context of the poem, as it allows readers to grasp the deep sense of loss and sorrow conveyed in the stanza, particularly in relation to Lincoln's assassination and its impact on the nation. The celebratory imagery in the stanza contrasts with the somber theme of mourning, highlighting the complexity of the emotions felt during this period.