Question

What is the main reason that "o captain! my captain!" is considered an elegy?

Answer 1

Answer: because it is a poem or song that was written in honor of someone deceased.

Explanation: "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman, is considered an elegy because it is a poem or that was written in honor of someone deceased. It is a funeral song. Whitman is referring to Abraham Lincoln who has tragically died. The speaker both celebrates that the ship has arrived safely and mourns the death of its leader. This poem is an extended metaphor, in which the Captain represents the President's Lincoln death.

Answer 2

The poem "O Captain! My Captain!" is an elegy because it honors Abraham Lincoln after he died.

Step-by-step explanation:

The poem "O Captain! My Captain!" was written by Walt Whitman shortly after Abraham Lincoln died. It is an elegy, a sad, mournful poem expressing sorrow and admiration for someone who has passed away.

Lincoln's name is never openly mentioned, but the poem is a metaphor for the things he fought for. The speaker uses the captain to represent Lincoln, and the ship to represent the United States. When he speaks of victory, of the ship coming home safely after going through hardship, it means that the nation is happy and safe after the Civil War. Yet, the speaker cannot be happy, for his Captain has died before he could see the ship sail to victory.