To understand the poem well, you must know that it is an extended metaphor in which the victory of the Union over the Confederacy in the American Civil War is compared to a ship returning home after a victory. Grief-stricken, he walks slowly towards where his beloved captain lies on the deck, cold and dead. While the crowd keeps erupting in joy, the speaker cannot join them. After all, they are celebrating the homecoming of their ship and the success of the mission. He wants the bells ringing and the crowd cheering. The speaker addresses the crowd on the shore and calls for celebration. After a long tumultuous journey (fearful trip), the ship has now come back victorious (victor ship) with its mission fulfilled (object won). The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,įrom fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won Īs the ship has now been anchored safely at the harbour. It also suggests a great loss to the people. But these lines actually highlight the unbearable pain and grief the speaker is going through at the death of the captain. It is no wonder that a dead man won’t respond to calls and won’t have feelings. He doesn’t feel the speaker’s hand under his head as he has no pulse now and no will power. The captain is not answering the speaker’s repeated calls. My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, Advertisements My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, He cannot accept the reality that his dear captain is now dead and fallen on the deck. However, the speaker wishes that it is some dream he is going through. Though the captain is not probably his father literally, he has done something of great responsibility to have earned that respect. The speaker puts his arms under the captain’s head and tries to raise him as he calls him ‘dear father’. The profound admiration and reverence people hold for the captain is evident in the above extract. Their ‘eager faces’ say they can’t wait to see their beloved captain. They have brought bouquets and wreaths with ribbon to give him a grand welcome. They are waving the flag and playing the bugle for him. The people have gathered to welcome their captain. The sailor calls the dead captain to rise up and hear the sound of the bells. Rise up-for you the flag is flung-for you the bugle trills,įor you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths-for you the shores a-crowding,įor you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells

The captain who was supposed to be welcomed grandly by the masses is now fallen on the deck, lifeless and cold. It looks like the speaker is utterly shocked, almost dumbstruck! He sees drops of blood on the ship. Is something bad going to happen? Advertisements It brings a sense of gloom and uncertainty. The two words ‘steady’ and ‘grim’ associated with the ship in the final line stand in sharp contrast to the exulting and celebratory mood of the people on the shore. It is ‘daring’ because it has not only survived many hardships but has also been successful in its mission. The ship is ‘grim’ because it has come back from a long hard voyage and has worn out. They are staring at the steady ship (keel) coming to the harbour. People are all celebrating (exulting) in joy. While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, Have they won a game or even maybe a battle with a great outcome? We are so far not sure what the prize actually is. The readers are informed about the grueling journey that the crew of this ship has gone through to bring home the prize they fought for. Here one must recognize the speaker of the poem. And it’s been a success they have won the prize they have been fighting for. It has survived (weathered) every storm (rack). The ship has returned home from a dreadful voyage. He wants to inform him that the ‘fearful trip’ is complete. The poem begins with the speaker addressing someone as his captain. The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won, O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

O captain my captain