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In "O Captain My Captain" by Walt Whitman, the swaying mass refers to people. The poem uses the metaphor of a Captain returning to his homeland after a long trip at sea and there are many people watching at the port eagerly waiting for his return. This swaying mass is a comparison to the people of America celebrating and exulting the "Captain" Abraham Lincoln.

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13y ago
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14y ago

The swaying mass is said to be the big croud waiting for the captain at shore.

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Q: In the poem o captain my captain what does swaying mass mean?
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Who wrote the poem oh captain your captain?

Captain = hero who died for a cause (Martyr)Ship = group being lead A.K.A Captain can be Abraham Lincoln and ship can be U.S.Captain can be napoleon an ship can be France/his soldiers


What is the the theme of the poem?

crossing the bar


Why was captain dead in o captain your captain?

The Captain represents Abraham Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln gets shot. The whole poem is just an extended metaphor comparing the death of Lincoln to the death of a captain on a ship.


Who is the pirate in the Gold Bug poem?

Answer to "Who is the pirate in the Gold Bug?" Captain Kidd


Extended metaphor used in the poem O Captain your Captain?

"O Captain! My Captain!" was written to honor the death of a person.The poet wrote the poem after Abraham Lincoln's assassination.He admired Abraham Lincoln and was saddened by his death.In the poem,Lincoln is represented by the "captain" and the United States of America is the"ship".The ship has endured obstacles such as the Civil War;everything is over,and there is peace.The speaker is feeling bittersweet about the victory.The poem begins with an image of a ship returning safely to the port.Crying for his captain,the speaker realizes that the captain has died at the sea.The onlookers on shore celebrate the ship's safe return,but the speaker mourns the death of his captain.As the voyage ends,so does the captain's life. In "O Captain! My Captain!" there is the representation of a wide range of emotions from joy to sorrow.The poem begins with the narrator feeling overjoyed because the "fearful trip" is done."The words like prize,won,bells and people all exulting give the reader a feeling of excitement and accomplishment.Soon,however,the mood swings from enthusiasm to sorrow once the narrator realizes that the Captain is dead.The words such as pale,no pulse nor will and fearful are the words that generally have the feeling of sorrow.The first line of each of the three sections begins with captain,and the section ends with "fallen cold and dead".The purpose of the poet beginning each section with captain is to remind the reader that the focus remains on the captain and nothing else,while the purpose of placing "fallen cold and dead"at he end of each section is to,at first,to inform the reader of what is to come,while later its purpose is to simply to remind the reader of the tragedy.

Related questions

Who wrote the poem oh captain your captain?

Captain = hero who died for a cause (Martyr)Ship = group being lead A.K.A Captain can be Abraham Lincoln and ship can be U.S.Captain can be napoleon an ship can be France/his soldiers


Facts about the captain and the president in the poem O Captain your Captain?

Abrahamlinchon


What Type of poem is this The green grass danced in the wind?

This would be a simple descriptive poem. It uses imagery to evoke a visual and sensory experience of green grass swaying in the wind.


What does Oh Captin your Captin mean?

When WaltWhitman wrote the poem he was writing about the assignation of Lincoln. He was using the "ship of state" with Lincoln the captain of the ship. Now, the ship has lost its captain when Lincoln is shot. " Oh, captain, my captain, our fateful trip is done." he writes.


What point of view is the poem oh Captain my Captain in?

The poem "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman is written in the first-person point of view. It expresses deep mourning and reverence upon the death of President Abraham Lincoln.


What types of figurative language are used in these lines spoken by the Captain to Viola in The Twelfth Night?

Ok first it is not O'Captain my Captain not your Captain :) The first lines of the poem serve to begin the controlling metaphor upon the rest of the poem builds........... and that's all I know It's Figurative language in the end so no comments plz :)


How do you cite the poem o captain my captain?

To cite the poem "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman in MLA format, include the author's name, the title of the poem in quotation marks, the title of the book or website in italics, the editor or compiler's name if known, the publication information, and the page number where the poem appears. For example: Whitman, Walt. "O Captain! My Captain!" Leaves of Grass. Edited by Harold W. Blodgett and Sculley Bradley, Norton, 1973, p. 308.


Where does the phrase oh captain my captain come from?

The phrase "O Captain! My Captain!" comes from a poem by Walt Whitman written in honor of President Abraham Lincoln after his assassination. It symbolizes grief and lamentation over the loss of a beloved leader.


What does O captain mt captain rise up and hear the bells mean?

The phrase "O Captain! My Captain! Rise up and hear the bells" is from a poem by Walt Whitman written in honor of Abraham Lincoln after his assassination. It is a call for the Captain, referring to Lincoln, to awaken and receive the accolades and mourning of the people.


What does Storm mean in captain oh captain?

In the poem "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman, the storm represents the struggles and challenges faced by the nation following the death of President Abraham Lincoln. The storm symbolizes the tumultuous time of mourning and uncertainty that prevailed after Lincoln's assassination.


What figurative language does Shel Silverstien use in his poem Captain Hook?

In his poem "Captain Hook," Shel Silverstein uses personification, as he describes Captain Hook's missing hand as leading a life of its own and having adventures. This personification adds a whimsical and imaginative touch to the poem.


The captain was a hero In the context of this poem from O Captain! My Captain!?

In the poem "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman, the captain symbolizes Abraham Lincoln and his leadership during the American Civil War. The term "hero" is used to describe the captain's role in guiding his ship (the country) through a tumultuous time. The captain's death represents Lincoln's assassination and the nation's loss of a great leader.