Trivia: What was Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” an extended metaphor for?
World War I
The death of Abraham Lincoln
The sinking of the Titanic
Whitman’s time in the Navy
Correct Answer: The death of Abraham Lincoln
So why is this answer correct? : “O Captain! My Captain!” was published as part of Walt Whitman’s 1865 “Sequel to Drum-Taps,” a collection of poems inspired by the Civil War in America. It is probably his most famous poem, combining the triumph of winning the war with the loss of the Captain, President Abraham Lincoln. It captured the hearts of Americans and became a well-loved tribute to the assassinated President.