What is the theme behind "Dead Poet's Society" poem "Oh Capta

Question:Theme behind the poem in Dead Poets Society

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Theme behind the poem in Dead Poets Society

The poet, Walt Whitman, tells us poetically of Abraham Lincoln's death at the very end of the American Civil War. Whitman took part in the Civil War on the Union side. He thought the world of Lincoln and poured out his marvelous poem to express his feelings when Lincoln was assassinated

The Captain is Abraham Lincoln.
captain = leader = President
"the fearful trip" is the American Civil War.
"the ship" - America
"anchor'd safe and sound," - the war is over
The Captain is dead - Lincoln was killed at the moment of victory.

The whole theme of the movie was "carpe diem" or seize the day and that pretty much fits the theme of that poem as well.

well i used to recite this poem for recitations when i was in school & its been more than a decade now but i think the outline is about a boy who's waiting at dock for the return of the ship after a daring voyage and apparently the captain of the ship ,who is also his father, is lying motionless on the deck..

so the boy sings out to him, telling him the fateful journey is over and why he's lying motionless..
unfortunately, he's dead..