Question

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;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

Answer 1

In one paragraph of at least three to five sentences, analyze the imagery in the stanza in bold. Identify the mood the author intended to create with this imagery, as well as the connotations used in the diction. Use proper spelling and grammar. <-- Need help with this T^T

Answer 2

This is a fantastic poem, and it will probably show up on an AP test or in college, so be sure you understand how to find the imagery; once you can do that, and find the theme, no poem should be too tricky.

Swaying mass, eager faces, and the vivid imagery of the bright shore (ie, bells, ribbons/bouquets) are the images that stick out. What could this mean? Well, the people on the shore are waiting with a joyous feeling.
A lot of different analysis of this poem agree Whitman was probably describing the captain as the President, and the harbor, the safe country and loving people of America after the Civil War.

Hope that helps a little bit :) If you have more questions, message me

Answer 3

@annaleafe thanks anna ^O^ and u r right, it just might :) which is why I need help with it XD I have a lot of trouble finding the tone of the line though :(

Answer 4

Which line? The overall tone of the stanza is "happy" about the captains return (ie, the war being over)

Answer 5

@annaleafe but the captain is dead, no?

Answer 6

The whole poem: O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

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;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

Answer 7

Exactly. To put into context with the time, the civil war had just ended, and everyone was really happy. But then Lincoln was assassinated, and it lead to shock (which is what that line is referring to). That's what I would call melancholy.

Answer 8

@annaleafe so that is what the poem is about! :O that's sad :(

Answer 9

@annaleafe and I need to find the tone for the second stanza, not just a line :) unless the line u refer to is the stanza I listed at the beginning XD

Answer 10

@annaleafe oh wait I don't have to find the tone! :O I need to find the imagery used in the stanza XD

Answer 11

@annaleafe you can see imagery used in the first sentence of the stanza, as it says O Captain! my Captain! rise up and HEAR the bells;

Answer 12

Haha okay. Just all the descriptions of the harbor then.

Answer 13

@annaleafe hmmm? :P

Answer 14

Imagery includes sounds in poems :) it's anything that relates to senses

Answer 15

@annaleafe yes :D so O Captain! my Captain! rise up and HEAR the bells; is an example of imagery right? :)

Answer 16

Yep. Same with the ribbons and the people's faces (see my first answer)

Answer 17

@annaleafe so for the poem, the imagery used mostly deals with the senses sound, touch, and sight, right? :)

Answer 18

Exactly :)

Answer 19

@annaleafe how does this sound for a begging? O Captain! my Captain! rise up and HEAR the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; <---- For these lines, you can see that the imagery used here appeals to our one of a kind senses, sound and sight. It's like you can "hear" the bells ringing for the Captain, and "hear" the bugle trilling. It's like you can "see" the flag being flung for him.

Answer 20

thanks for ur help btw :)

Answer 21

Yep, anytime :) Good luck with paragraph. If you post it here, I can proofread for you :)