Blog Eighteen

The Walt Whitman poem that I chose to read was O Captain! My Captain!. Walt Whitman firmly believed in Abraham Lincoln. Charles Oliver wrote his own analysis on Whitman's famous poem. He claims that this poem was an "occasional poem," meaning that Walt Whitman wrote in on the spot. He wrote it in a hurry so it would be ready in time for Abraham Lincoln's funeral (Oliver). Whitman regretted its popularity for the rest of his life (Oliver). I think it is really sad that he regretted its popularity. I understand that it was not his best work, but I still think that he should be proud of how famous is became. He should be happy if a poem he did not give full credit to became famous because it meant it was a good poem with little effort. That would mean that he was a good poet, at least to me. This poem goes along very well with the Civil War. He writes a few metaphors involving the Union. Whitman meant for the Captain to be the leader of the people (Whitman). The ship ending safe and sound would be the Civil War ending (Whitman).

This poem related to Emerson and Thoreau greatly. Both Emerson and Thoreau were against slavery. They participated in the war so that slavery ended. Whitman was also against slavery. Emerson and Thoreau participated in the war by fighting or by being a nurse. I do not believe that Whitman fought in the war at all. If he did, he did not let it show through his poem that I wrote my blog about. Researching the topic, I learned that Whitman's brother died in war. It was his first taste of war. He helped people in hospitals and became a perfect person to help wounded soldiers back to health. This really relates him to Emerson because Emerson was also a nurse during the Civil War (Oliver). All three men were very similar.

Whitman, Walt. "O Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman." Poetry Archive. Web. 07 Mar. 2012.

Oliver, Charles M. "'O Captain! My Captain!'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW302&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 8, 2012).

Oliver, Charles M. "Whitman, Walt." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW001&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 8, 2012).