My English Coursebook Standard Ten Guide Chapter 4.3 O Captain! My Captain! Textbook Questions and Answers
Warming Up:
Chit-chat
1. Discuss the following with your classmates:
Question (a)
What are the important games played in your school?
Answer:
We play cricket, baseball, kabaddi, foot-ball, langadi, etc. in our school.
Question(b)
Who are the captains of the various team games? Name them:
Answer:
| Games | Captain |
| 1. Cricket | Roshan More |
| 2. Baseball | Karan Shirke |
| 3. Kabaddi | Akshay Dalvi |
| 4. Football | John D’Mello |
| 5. Langadi | Kshitija Bhosale |
Question (c)
What is the role played by a team-game captain? What are his/her responsibilities?
Answer:
A team-game captain plays a pivotal role for the team. He/She is the backbone of the team. He inspires and motivates the team. He creates team spirit among his players. He also plays ; crucial role to maintain good relations among all the teammates. He/She keeps the bonding with the team. He keeps the team united. He takes the responsibility of drawbacks and defeats of the team.
Question (d)
What is the role of a captain of a ship? What are the responsibilities of a captain of a ship?
Answer:
A captain of a ship plays an important role. He is solely responsible for keeping the ship safe and sound. He guides and takes the ship safely to its destination. He navigates safely to reach wherever he wants to take the ship and the people on the ship. He is responsible for the safety of the ship and his crew. Sometimes he has to risk his life to overcome difficulties he faces on his way.
1. In pairs find as many meaningful words as you can from the following grid within five minutes. You can find words horizontal and vertically. (Hint – The words are related to battles or battleships. For example, soldier.
Question 1.
In pairs find as many meaningful words as you can from the following grid within five minutes. You can find words horizontal and vertically. (Hint – The words are related to battles or battleships. For example, soldier. (Answers are directly given.)
Answer:
English workshop:
1. Pick out from the poem all words related to ‘ship’. Make a list of them in a word register:
Question 1.
Pick out from the poem all words related to ‘ship’. Make a list of them in a word register:
(a) Port
(b) …………..
(c) …………..
(d) …………..
(e) …………..
(f) …………..
(g) anchored
(h) …………..
Answer:
(a) port
(b) keel
(c) vessel
(d) captain
(e) deck
(f) flag
(g) ship anchored voyage.
(h) shores
2. Read the poem again and complete the following sentences.
Question 1.
Read the poem again and complete the following sentences.
(a) The Captain lies on the deck ……………………….
(b) The Captain doesn’t answer as ……………………
(c) Captain does not feel anything ……………………
(d) The bugle and flag are ……………………………….
Answer:
(a) The Captain lies cold and dead on the deck.
(b) The Captain doesn’t answer as he is dead.
(c) The captain does not feel anything beneath the poet’s arm because he has no pulse nor will.
(d) The bugle is trilled and the flag is flung.
3. The poem has a direct reference to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on 15th April, 1865, after the Civil War was won. Match the symbols/images in Column A with what they refer to, in Column B.
Question 1.
The poem has a direct reference to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on 15th April, 1865, after the Civil War was won. Match the symbols/images in Column A with what they refer to, in Column B.
| Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ |
| 1. the ship | (a) victory (in the war) |
| 2. the fearful (trip/ voyage) | (b) the President of USA |
| 3. the port | (c) United States of America |
| 4. the bells (ringing) | (d) lifeless/dead |
| 5. Captain | (e) the deadly Civil War |
| 6. anchored safe | (f) celebrating victory |
| 7. no pulse, nor will | (g) peace after winning the war |
Answer:
- the ship – United States of America
- the fearful (trip/voyage) – the deadly Civil War
- the port – peace after wining the war
- the bells (ringing) – celebrating victory
- Captain – the President of USA
- anchored safe – victory (in the war)
- no pulse, nor will – lifeless/dead
4. The figures of speech ‘Apostrophe’ exists throughout the poem. Pick out lines where the poet directly addresses:
Question (a)
the dead captain:
Answer:
1. O Captain! My Captain!
2. rise up and hear the bells.
Question (b)
The grief in his heart:
Answer:
1. But O heart! heart! heart!
2. O the bleeding drops of red.
Question (c)
The sea shore:
Answer:
1. Exult, O shores and ring,
2. O bells!
B. Find from the poem, one example of each of the following.
Question (B)
Find from the poem, one example of each of the following.
Answer:
(a) Personification – O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done.
(b) Alliteration – The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done.
(c) Tautology – Where on the deck my Captain lies, fallen cold and dead.
(d) Exclamation – But O heart! heart! heart!
(e) Antithesis – While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring.
5. Find and answer in your own words:
Question (a)
What are the signs that the captain has passed away?
Answer:
Everyone’s eyes follow the steady keel of the ship, the vessel that seems so serious and bold. Where on the deck my Captain lies, fallen cold and dead. These lines shows that the captain has passed away.
Question (b)
Why was the crowd on the shore eagerly waiting to felicitate their captain?
Answer:
As the people saw the ship very close to the port, they felt that their captain is back. So they started shouting and enjoying to welcome their king. They wanted to felicitate their king for his great victory in the Civil War.
Question (c)
What are the signs that show the people are celebrating victory ?
Answer:
The bells are ringing when the victorious ship is near. The flag is flung. The bugle is playing loudly. People are crowding along the shores. They are rejoicing. They have come with bouquets and ribboned garlands to welcome their victorious Captain. These signs show that the people are celebrating victory.
Question (d)
……. dear father! This arm beneath your head…” Why do you think the speaker in the poem puts his arm under the Captain’s head?
Answer:
The speaker in the poem puts his arms under the Captain’s head because he wants to help him to hear the bells of happiness, he wants to show him the flag of victory and the happiness of the people who were there with bouquets and wreaths.
Question (e)
Describe the grief that the speaker in the poem feels at the death of his Captain.
Answer:
When the speaker in the poem saw steady keel of the ship that seems serious and bold; his heart is suddenly filled with very strong emotion. He urged his captain to rise up and hear the bells. He told him to rise up because the flag is flung for him. For him the bugle sounds. For him people have brought bouquets and wreaths. People are crowding along the shore to welcome him. He felt very sad and lamented after seeing captain’s dead body on the deck.
6. Glance through the poem again to find who the speaker addresses in the first two stanzas and the last stanza.
Question 1.
Glance through the poem again to find who the speaker addresses in the first two stanzas and the last stanza.
Answer:
In the first two stanzas the speaker addresses the Captain of the ship. In the last stanza, the speaker addresses the crowd gathered at the shore to welcome the Captain.
7. Fill the qualities in the diagram given below: (Answers is directly given.)
Question 1.
Fill the qualities in the diagram given below: (Answers is directly given.)
- courage
- naval expert
- integrity
- visionary
- confidence
- humane
- self-disciplined
- sympathetic
- leadership
- foresight
- knowledge of weather signs
- positive attitude
- role – model
- selfless service
- good administrator
Answer:
8. Complete the following sentences choosing from the alternatives:
Question 1.
Complete the following sentences choosing from the alternatives:
(Answers are directly given and underlined.)
Answer:
(a) The rhyme scheme of the poem is aabbcded. (aabbccdd/abcdede/aabbcded)
(b) The line repeated in every stanza fallen cold and dead. (O Captain! My Captain!/Fallen cold and dead)
(c) The steady rhythm in the poem consists of a pattern of three beats (three/four/five)
(d) In the third stanza the speaker does not address the Captain, (first/second/third)
(e) The type of poem is elegy because it is composed in memory of a passed away personality. (sonnet, lyric, elegy)
9. The feeling of grief and pain of the speaker in this poem are comparable to those of a great Maratha leader, inspite of winning the battle at a fort in Maharashtra. Guess who the great Maratha leader was and the Captain who was killed in the battle. Write down other basic historical facts of the above.
Question 1.
The feeling of grief and pain of the speaker in this poem are comparable to those of a great Maratha leader, inspite of winning the battle at a fort in Maharashtra. Guess who the great Maratha leader was and the Captain who was killed in the battle. Write down other basic historical facts of the above.
Answer:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the king of Marathas, wished to capture the strong and unconquerable Kondana fort, which was under the Mughal Emperor, Aurangazeb. Keeper of the Kondana was Udaybhan Rathor, a great warrior of the Mughals. Tanaji Malusare, the brave lion-hearted general of Shivaji Maharaj took the responsibility to fulfil his king’s wish.
Tanaji, with a few mavalas climbed up the fort at night with the help of ropes. He fought gallantly against the Mughals and conquered Kondana. Unfortunately Tanaji was killed in the battle. When Maharaj heard that heart-breaking news of the great warrior’s death, he expressed his grief and pain with the words – ‘I have won the fort but I have lost my lion.’ Since then the Kondana fort was called as ‘Sinhagadh.’
10. The poem has described the sad demise of the Captain. How would you console the son of | the Captain? Write a short paragraph using the points given below:
Question 1.
The poem has described the sad demise of the Captain. How would you console the son of | the Captain? Write a short paragraph using the points given below:
(a) Expressing grief on the death,
(b) An act of God.
(c) Words/sentences giving strength and courage to face the situation.
(d) Add your own points.
Answer:
Consoling the son of the Captain
I am at a total loss for words to express my feelings. I don’t understand how to console you for ! the loss of your father. Your father was a great man, full of integrity and character. Losing your dad can | be extremely difficult for you because you have lost your source of strength, stability and consistency in your life. I am extremely sorry for your loss.
He was a real hero for the nation and a real patriot giving inspiration to all. Your dad was a brave man. He had great courage and valour. He will be missed greatly and always remembered during the time of crisis. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to you and your family. May the soul of your father be at peace with our Heavenly father.
11. Read the poem. Write an appreciation of the poem in about 12 to 15 sentences.
Question 1.
Read the poem. Write an appreciation of the poem in about 12 to 15 sentences.
Answer:
- Title: O Captain! My Captain!
- Poet: Walt Whitman.
- Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme for the stanzas 1, 3, and 5 is ‘aabb’. For stanzas 2, 4, and 6, it is ‘abcb’.
- Figure of Speech (Any 1): Repetition, Tautology, Personification.
- Theme/Central Idea: The Central Idea of the poem is the lamentation (an expression of great sadness) for the death of the Captain.
Here, America, which had undergone the Civil War, is compared to a ship that had weathered a rough voyage; Abraham Lincoln, who steered the state through the Civil War is compared to the Captain. Five days after the war ended Abraham Lincoln was shot dead. The poet laments the death of this great leader.
My English Coursebook 10th Digest Chapter 4.3 O Captain! My Captain! Additional Important Questions and Answers
Simple Factual Activities:
Question 1.
State whether the following statements are True or False:
Answer:
- The speaker expresses his relief that the ship has reached its home port. – True
- Captain’s dead body is lying on the land. – False
- According to the speaker, his captain’s death feels like a horrible dream. – True
- The people are cheering because the voyage of the ship is successful. – True
Question 2.
Fill in the blanks and complete the following sentences:
(Answers are directly given and underlined.)
Answer:
- The Captain lies cold and dead on the deck.
- When the ship reached its home port he heard the people rejoicing and celebrating.
- The poet tells the Captain to rise up and hear the bell.
- The speaker is filled with grief because his captain is fallen cold and dead.
- The location of the battleship is near the port.
- While waiting to welcome the captain of the ship the people are rejoicing and celebrating.
Question 3.
State whether you agree or disagree with the following statements:
Answer:
- Stanza II portrays how people celebrate the triumph of the ship and their leader. – Agree
- The poet refers to the fallen Captain as “Father”- the father of nation. – Agree
- Stanza III expresses the poet’s profound sorrow for President Lincoln’s death. – Agree
- The poet is celebrating victory with the people of his country with joy. – Disagree
Question 4.
Fill in the blanks:
(Answers are directly given and underlined.)
Answer:
- The poet steps slowly and sadly on the deck.
- It is like a dream the Captain is fallen on the deck cold and dead.
- The poet tells his Captain to rise up and hear the bells.
Complex Factual Activities:
Find out the line/lines from the extract as ‘a proof’ for the following:
Question 1.
The civil war has ended.
Answer:
our fearful trip is done.
Question 2.
America has braved the tough storm of Civil War.
Answer:
The ship has weather’d every rack.
Question 3.
The speaker calls out to the Captain to rise up and join in the celebration of the end of the war.
Answer:
O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells.
Question 4.
The Captain is felicitated for the victory in the war.
Answer:
for you the flag is flung-for you the bulge trills.
Complete the following:
Question 1.
Complete the following:
(Answers are directly given and underlined.)
Answer:
(a) Captain does not feel anything because he has no pulse nor will as he is cold and dead.
(b) The ship is anchored safe and sound.
Activities based on Poetic Devices:
Question 1.
Find from the extract one example each of the following:
Answer:
- Exclamation – Exult O shores, and ring, O bells!
- Tautology – My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still.
- Personification – From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won.
Question 2.
Pick out rhyming pairs from the extract.
Answer:
1. Stanza 1: done-one; exulting-daring; red-dead
2. Stanza 2: bells-trills; a crowding-turning head-dead.