Dead Poets Society” tells the story of an English teacher named John Keating, who uses poetry as his form of teaching towards the high-standard all-boys prep school. His unorthodox methods succeed, as his students are inspired and are taught to seize the day. One of the poems used in the film, “O Captain my Captain” is recited by Mr Keating, but not as a lesson, more so as a joke for his students to refer to him as.

The screenwriter chose this poem perhaps because it displays the main theme going throughout the movie with one of its principal characters. While the poem’s first line is the only one that occurs in-and-out of the movie as to how the students address Mr Keating; instead it connects with another character in the film, Neil Perry. In the movie, Neil is a student who aspires to be on the stage. However his father rejects the idea each time it is brought up. Essentially, he is the leader his friends follow and look up to – But, like “the captain”, nearing the end of the film he is found dead.

While the character did not recite the poem, “O’Captain My Captain” was indeed an underlying basis for Neil’s personality. A brave, fun-loving person who happens to be popular among the student body due to his outgoing nature and intelligence – perhaps the same thing can be said for what the audience learns about Neil. This poem impacts the audience in the sense that, his death mirrors the captain, “fallen cold and dead.” Not only that, but “his prize sought is won” was going on the stage and recieving acclaim; hours just before he took his own life.

The context could be applied at a funeral of someone who you grew close to, or admired to look on as your role-model growing up.

The scene:

The poem “O’Captain My Captain” by Walt Whitman:

O Captain! My Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head;

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.