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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. Who is the author of "O Captain! my Captain!"?

2. Which details in the second stanza evoke a patriotic occasion?

3. What does it mean that the people are "exulting"?

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

5. What type of rhyme is employed in line 20, "From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won"?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Write an essay that considers the following: what message does the poem's central conceit send about the necessity of any one individual--even a president--to a collective effort like the preservation of the Union? Offer evidence from the poem to support your claims, and if you use outside sources for information related to the poem's historical background, be sure to cite these in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you propose and defend a statement of theme for "O Captain! My Captain!" that takes into account key features of the poem: the celebration of Lincoln and grief over his death, the interrelated nature of victory and loss, and the relationship between the individual and the group. Offer both quoted and paraphrased evidence from the poem in support of your claims.

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