Leaves of Grass · Character

My Captain

The fallen leader whose ship has survived every storm, mourned by a speaker who cannot celebrate the victory without him.

supporting

Also known as my Captain, My Captain, O Captain, O Captain

First appearance: song of myself

As a supporting figure in Leaves of Grass, My Captain is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The little captain who remains serene and composed, directing the fight and refusing to surrender.

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He is the captain of a hard-won voyage, the figure whose 'pass-key of hearts' opens every door and whom President and sugar-field laborer greet as brother. The tension is unbearable: the prize is won, the people exult,…

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Character Web

4 connections

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Relationship types

Family
Other

Character groups

Historical and Symbolic Personages
National and Mythic Archetypes
Protagonist
Maternal and Mediating Forces

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when the speaker fully internalizes the world’s suffering, feeling…

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Relationships

Narrator
family · negative
My Captain is a beloved, father-like leader whose death the narrator mourns with deep… How this plays out →

Relationship notes

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See My Captain in song of myself

In the story

My Captain appears across 17 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Old-Time Sea-Fight
The little captain who remains serene and composed, directing the fight and refusing to surrender.
The Midnight Wreck
The captain on the quarter-deck, giving orders with a pale countenance.
A Boston Ballad
Not directly present; the poem's martial imagery echoes the captain motif.
Drum-Taps
Symbolic figure representing the fallen leader, mourned in the poem 'O Captain! My Captain!'.
First O Songs for a Prelude
Implied through the martial tone and the reference to leading the war, the Captain symbolizes the guiding force in the conflict.
Song of the Banner at Daybreak
Referenced indirectly through the martial imagery and the banner's call to war, though not explicitly named in the excerpt.
The Artilleryman’s Vision
The young colonel who leads the charge with a brandished sword.
Memories of President Lincoln
Central figure of the chapter, representing President Lincoln, mourned and celebrated.
When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d
The 'him I love' and 'large sweet soul' mourned throughout; represents Abraham Lincoln.
When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd
The beloved figure whose death is mourned.
Coffin That Passes Through Lanes and Streets
The deceased leader being mourned, represented by the passing coffin.
Passing the Visions
Implied as the 'sweetest, wisest soul of all my days and lands' for whose dear sake the lilac, star, and bird are twined.
O Captain! My Captain!
The fallen captain, representing Abraham Lincoln, lies dead on the deck after the ship's successful voyage.
Hush’d Be the Camps To-day
The dear commander whose death is mourned by the soldiers.
Camps of Green
Referenced indirectly as 'the President over the corps and generals all.'
Abraham Lincoln, Born Feb. 12, 1809
Implied reference to Abraham Lincoln as the honored figure being remembered.
Now Precedent Songs, Farewell
Referenced in the poem title 'Captain! My Captain!'

Chapter companion notes

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