Comparison

Both O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman and Uphill by Christina Rossetti are similar in their themes of a journey. In O Captain! My Captain!, the ship and its crew are returning home after a victorious voyage. Instead of being a joyous moment for the ship crew, it was a sad one because their captain died shortly after their victory. The poet describes the festivities on the shore as the boat arrives, the happy townspeople celebrating the return of their captain. This contrasts the sullen mood on the ship, where the crew deeply mourns the loss of their captain. In real, this poem is a symbolism poem resembling President Lincoln after his assassination. In this poem, captain is Lincoln and the ship is the civil war. The journey of this ship is a metaphor for the long fight and time of war between the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War, which Lincoln led. After a complete victory, with the journey almost completed, Lincoln was assassinated weeks after the war ended. The Union now felt the personal loss of a friend and compatriot. The same is true for the poem, with the crew feeling the deep sorrow of losing their brave captain, just as the journey is about to come to an end. This gives the poem the theme. In Uphill, the topic of conversation is a journey towards death and heaven. In this poem, the road symbolizes the long and difficult journey the poet takes while the inn refers to heaven. The door is the gates of heaven and the image of beds indicates rest, comfort, shelter and security. Rossetti is concerned about the length of the journey and whether it is all "up-hill." She is also concerned that there will be

nowhere for her to stay when she has completed her journey. The other character informs her that it is a long journey that will take all day but there is an inn that she can stay in at the end. Rossetti is reassured that she will find the inn without difficulty. She also discovers that other people who have already completed the journey will be there too. She wonders whether will she have to knock the door of the inn when she reaches it or whether will it be kept waiting for admittance. She is told that the door will be opened upon arrival and that those who have gone before will be ready to greet her. She is promised rest and comfort once she reaches the inn and there will be enough places for all. After a long struggle, Rossetti can look forward to a good rest. Both poems deal with journeys; the first one is the journey back home and conveys the sadness of the loss to the reader while the latter is the long journey towards heaven and the poet herself is looking forward to death.

Contrast

An outstanding theme of O Captain! My Captain! is loyalty. The speaker shows so much commitment to his fallen leader, commonly referring to him as my Captain and even my father. This poem shows such fierce loyalty to the fallen Captain, considering that Whitman never personally knew him. Whitman shows a strong sense of commitment and loyalty to not only Lincoln, but also to his country. He was the one who had to tell the excited crowd about the death and take on the Captains former roles. For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning, Here Captain! Dear father! The arm beneath your head! It is some dream that on the deck, youve fallen cold and dead. No other shipman had shown such commitment before. The historical context is extremely important in this situation, because if it werent for Lincolns assassination, this piece of history would have never been created. O Captain! My Captain! was actually written just a few days after his passing. In Uphill, another theme besides the theme of a journey is the theme of doubt. As it is a conversational poem, the questions represent a sense of uncertainty and doubt. The poet is unsure what the journey holds and what will be found at the end of it. The never-ending questioning is short and simple and the answers received often serve to create more questions.

ACTIVITY 1 O Captain! My Captain! (Text- to- self connection) Title: This poem reminds me of Concept/ Topic: Post-reading writing an essay Standards addressed: Intermediate - 16 year old students Time: 40 minutes (1 period) Learning outcome: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to write an essay of 250 350 words on the death of someone/ something that meant something to them Specific objectives: i. ii. Students will be able to understand the content of the poem completely. Students will be able to make connections between the poem and themselves

Required materials: Poem, whiteboard and students note books Step-by-step procedures: i. The teacher hands out copies of the poem to the students and asks them to read it. ii. The teacher explains briefly the assassination of President Lincoln and its connection to the poem and asks the students to read the poem again now. iii. The teacher starts a discussion with the students on what they understand of the poem and how they may have experienced a similar situation in the lives. iv. Few students share their experience about the death of loss of something/ someone precious to them. v. The teacher ends the lesson by giving the students a take home writing assignment and praises the class for their involvement in class during the lesson.

Lesson Development Stage Activity and content 1. The teacher briefs the class on the activity Set Induction (5 minutes) for the day a poem titled O Captain! My Captain! 2. Teacher hands out copies of the poem to the students and asks them to read it softly 1. The teacher explains to the class the historical background of the poem the assassination of President Lincoln 1. The teacher asks the students to read the poem again and explain what they Students will the Students will have some background about To direct students to the topic. Rationale

Stage 1 (5 minutes)

knowledge the topic.

understand of the poem now

2. The teacher asks the students the themes understand Stage 2 (25 minutes) of the poem poem

completely

3. The teacher asks the students questions and will be able to that relates the poem to themselves e.g. internalize the poem Have you experienced a situation like in the by relating it to their poem? 4. Few students are picked to share their experience 1. Teacher asks the students to write an essay of 250 350 words about an To give the students experience in their own lives with the a take home opening sentence This poem reminds me assignment and to of motivate them for daily lives

Closure (5 minutes)

2. The teachers praises the students for their the coming lessons active participation in class during the lesson

Assessment: The students are assessed based on how well they connect the poem to themselves and also their language.

ACTIVITY 2 Uphill Title: How many different tones are there? Concept/ Topic: Memorise and recite! Standards addressed: Intermediate - 16 year old students Time: 40 minutes (1 period) Learning outcome: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to memorise at least 60% of the poem and recite it in different tones e.g. sad, angry, happy, curious etc. Specific objectives: i. ii. Students will be able to understand the content of the poem completely. Students will be able to see the poem from different perspectives

Required materials: Poem, whiteboard and students note books Step-by-step procedures: i. The teacher introduces the activity, hands out copies of the poem to the students and asks them to read it. ii. Teacher and students engage in a discussion on the types of tones present and how they sound iii. Teacher allows the students to work among themselves to choose the tone and to practice the recital iv. v. Few students volunteer to recite the poem to their class. The teacher praises the students for their involvement in class during the lesson.

Lesson Development Stage Activity and content 1. The teacher briefs the class on the activity Set Induction (5 minutes) for the day memorizing the poem Uphill and reciting it in different tones. 2. Teacher hands out copies of the poem to the students and asks them to read it softly To arouse students Stage 1 (10 minutes) 1. Teacher and students discuss the various tones present and how they sound interest and to build up background To direct students to the topic. Rationale

knowledge for the lesson

1. Teacher

allows

students

to

work Students

will the

individually or in pairs and to decide in understand

which tone they would like to recite the poem, be able to Stage 2 (20 minutes) poem. see the difference

2. Teacher gives some time to the students to when the poem is memorise or practice recital. recited in different

3. Few students volunteer to recite the poem tones and how it to their class. affects the meaning. students

Closure (5 minutes)

1. The teachers praises the students for their Motivate

active participation in class during the for future lessons. lesson and their creativity

Assessment: The students are assessed based on their tone, pronunciation and recital etiquette.

Justification: 4 practical advantages to be found in studying and reciting poetry: Poetry offers mastery of language, and stocks the mind with images and ideas in unforgettable words and phrases Poetry trains and develops our emotional intelligence Poetry reminds us that language is holisticthat how something is said is part of what is being said, with the literal meaning of words only part of their whole meaning, which is also carried by tone of voice, inflection, rhythm Poetry lets us see the world through other eyes, and equips us imaginatively and spiritually to face the joys and challenges of our lives (Source: http://www.poetryoutloud.org/uploads/fl/7ad707a991/POL_Poems_Put_to_Use.pdf)