Give a brief account (in your own words) of why Whitman referred to Abraham Lincoln as “O Captain! My Captain”.
In my own opinion, I believe that Whitman referred to Abraham Lincoln as ‘Captain’ for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is not unknown that Whitman idolized Abraham Lincoln for his efforts during the American Civil War, as well as his desire for equality and justice to reign from above. Whitman’s particular use of the word ‘Captain’ when describing Lincoln is no accident; as a captain is often seen as an individual whom the ‘crew’ follows as a result of their faith, trust and admiration for their particular cause or simply as a result of their agreeance with that individuals ideologies. Furthermore, Whitman may have referred to Abraham Lincoln as his ‘Captain’ due to the fact that he was both the leader of the nation at the time as well as the leader of the Civil rights activists. Given his position of power and Whitman’s own search for justice, it is clear that Whitman resonated with Lincoln and his ambitions for a brighter, more equal future for their country. It is also possible that Whitman referred to Lincoln as ‘Captain’ in order to enhance the overall tone of the poem. This use of the word captain gives rise to a greater sense of loss due to the weight which both the position and title carry; in turn allowing for Whitman to greatly increase the impact which his poem leaves on the reader.
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