O Captain! My Captain! Walt Whitman wrote this poem after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, just as the Civil War was coming to an end. Like his fellow countrymen, Whitman had deep love and respect for the beloved hero who held the nation together through such a time of crisis. 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: 5 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; 10 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; 15 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; 20 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. -Public Domain Two-Part Question Multiple Choice Question The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A: Which statement BEST reveals the central idea of this poem? A. People are all crowded at the shoreline to mourn the passing of the ship's captain because he has been killed in a furious battle. B. People are celebrating the return of a ship, but they are shocked when they learn that nearly all of the crew has been slaughtered. C. People are celebrating the safe return of a ship, but they do not realize that the captain of the ship has died in battle. D. People are gathered to defend their shores against an enemy battleship, but they show mercy to the crew when they learn the captain is dead.
Part A: C. People are celebrating the safe return of a ship, but they do not realize that the captain of the ship has died in battle.
Part B: What is the central idea of the poem as a whole?
A. The poem is a celebration of the victory and safe return of the ship after a long and difficult journey.
B. The poem is a lament for the death of a beloved leader and the sadness and mourning that accompanies his passing.
C. The poem is a call to action for the crew to continue their journey and uphold the legacy of their fallen captain.
D. The poem is a reflection on the sacrifices made during times of war and the toll it takes on both the leaders and the followers.