Walt Whitman’sWalt Whitman’s“O Captain! My “O Captain! My Captain!”Captain!”

By Jill Salas andBy Jill Salas and

Ed FudaczEd Fudacz

Walt Whitman, An Walt Whitman, An American PoetAmerican Poet

Walt Whitman helped to forge an Walt Whitman helped to forge an American voice in literature.American voice in literature.

He was one of America’s first, and some He was one of America’s first, and some say greatest, poets.say greatest, poets.

Whitman served as a bridge between the Whitman served as a bridge between the old and modern American literature, old and modern American literature, creating a style unique and fiercely creating a style unique and fiercely important.important.

Whitman’s poetryWhitman’s poetry

His major, and only His major, and only work, work, Leaves of Leaves of GrassGrass was a lifetime was a lifetime project.project.

Leaves of Grass underwent constant revision, and wasreleased numerous times over Whitman’s lifetime.

““O Captain! My Captain!”O Captain! My Captain!”

Whitman’s most popular work in his Whitman’s most popular work in his lifetime was written as a memorial to one lifetime was written as a memorial to one of Whitman’s heroes, Abraham Lincoln. of Whitman’s heroes, Abraham Lincoln.

Whitman served as a nurse in the Civil Whitman served as a nurse in the Civil War, which heavily influenced his War, which heavily influenced his thinking and was reflected in his poetry.thinking and was reflected in his poetry.

Lincoln’s death Lincoln’s death deeply affected a deeply affected a nation torn by the nation torn by the war, and Whitman war, and Whitman served as a voice to served as a voice to the millions in the millions in mourning.mourning.

In MemoriumIn Memorium

Our ProjectOur Project

For our website, we have attempted to For our website, we have attempted to unite Whitman’s “O Captain! My unite Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” with its author and era. Captain!” with its author and era.

We have used historical context, We have used historical context, pictures, criticism, and some creativity to pictures, criticism, and some creativity to create a useful tool for exploring this create a useful tool for exploring this subject.subject.

Our lessons plans represent a lesson in history, literature, and Whitman himself.

Whitman was a bold and interesting poet, and we haveattempted to capture this in our project.

Whitman was a poet and a voice of a still relatively youngAmerica, and he serves as a window into his time and anAmerican spirit that still survives today.