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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 5 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Line 5, " But O heart! heart! heart!" is an example of which technique?

2. Who is the speaker of the poem?

3. In context, the word "fearful" in line 1 indicates that the trip was which of the following?

4. What does the phrase "swaying mass" refer to (line 12)?

5. In the second quatrain of the second stanza, what becomes clear about the speaker's state of mind?

Short Essay Questions

1. What evidence is there that the speaker is struggling to understand and process the captain's death?

2. Describe the form of "O Captain! My Captain!"

3. What ironic contrast do the poem's images highlight?

4. Explain the allegorical nature of the poem's central conceit.

5. What elements of the poem's diction establish a warm and personal relationship between the speaker and the captain?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that analyzes Whitman's use of synecdoche and metonymy in "O Captain! My Captain!" Identify where these techniques are used in the poem and explain the meaning of each instance. Then, explore the relationship these techniques assert between individuals and groups and tie this to the poem's overall meaning.

Essay Topic 2

How does Whitman's use of musical devices support the poem's theme? Write an essay that identifies where Whitman uses assonance, consonance, and alliteration and explains the effect these devices create. Then, tie Whitman's use of these devices to the poem's larger thematic concerns.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that takes and defends a position about how the poem characterizes its own speaker--and by extension, how it characterizes the individual American. Offer evidence drawn from the poem's diction, figurative language, details, imagery, and structure as you defend your claims.

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