Analyzing Repetition in Poetry

The video tutorial explores how repetition in Walt Whitman's poem 'O Captain! My Captain!' influences the reader's impression of the captain's return. It provides a step-by-step guide to analyzing repetition, highlighting its emotional impact and significance in the poem. The tutorial emphasizes the shift in mood from excitement to mourning, driven by repeated phrases like 'heart heart heart' and 'fallen cold and dead.'

What is the primary purpose of using repetition in poetry?

• To emphasize important themes or emotions

• To fill space on the page

• To confuse the reader

• To make the poem longer

In the first stanza, what does the repetition of 'heart' signify?

• The narrator's physical pain

• The emotional impact of the captain's death

• The sound of the ship's engine

• The rhythm of the poem

How does the repetition of 'heart' affect the reader's perception of the poem?

• It makes the poem more confusing

• It describes the ship's condition

• It adds a musical quality

• It signals an emotional turning point

Why does the narrator repeat 'O Captain! My Captain!' in the second stanza?

• To express anger

• To celebrate the captain's achievements

• To show excitement and later realization of the captain's death

• To describe the ship's journey

What is the effect of not repeating 'O Captain! My Captain!' in the third stanza?

• It highlights the ship's arrival

• It emphasizes the captain's leadership

• It shows the narrator's anger

• It indicates the narrator's acceptance of the captain's death

What does the repeated phrase 'fallen cold and dead' emphasize in the poem?

• The finality and shock of the captain's death

• The captain's bravery

• The ship's victory

• The narrator's dreams

What is the significance of the phrase 'fallen cold and dead' being repeated at the end of each stanza?

• It underscores the central tragedy of the poem

• It praises the captain's leadership

• It describes the weather conditions

• It highlights the ship's journey

Which step is NOT part of analyzing repetition in a poem?

• Count the number of lines in the poem

• Ask what impression the repetition makes

• Ask why the author chose to repeat these words

• Highlight the repetition

What mood shift does the repetition in the poem help convey?

• From excitement to deep sadness

• From confusion to clarity

• From anger to joy

• From fear to relief

What is the overall impression left by the author's use of repetition in the poem?

• The narrator was indifferent to the captain's fate

• The ship's victory was the main focus

• The captain's death was a shocking and painful event

• The captain's journey was uneventful