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 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.

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.

Answer 1

The most accurate response in terms of how the historical context helps the reader understand the meaning of the stanza is:

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

This choice highlights the significance of the poem as a representation of national mourning, as well as the public's reactions and the rituals of honor that took place in response to Lincoln's assassination. The bells, flags, and wreaths symbolize the collective grief and the importance of Lincoln's leadership during a tumultuous period in American history.