The poem “Old Ironside” written by Oliver Wendell Holmes is about saving a historical American warship by revealing the ship’s significance in American history during the early 1800s. The warship, named the USS Constitution, was significant because of its remarkable contributions in battle. For this reason, Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the poem using metaphors, symbols, and imagery to convey the ship’s importance to the American people, and to prevent its destruction by evoking strong feelings, such as a sense of patriotism and admiration from the readers.
In order to emphasize the importance of the ship, Holmes uses metaphors to demonstrate the important characteristics of the ship. So, Holmes began the poem by referring to the ship’s flag, …show more content…
More specifically, Holmes uses imagery to describe the ship, the sea, and the settings of the war that took place by using vivid words to set the scene. For example, “Her deck, once red with heroes’ blood, where knelt the vanquished foe,” stirs people and creates an image of the glory that comes after winning a victory whenever people think about the old warship. In addition, it also reminds the American people of the many Americans who were willing to die for the freedom and the pride of the country. This makes it even harder for the American people and the government to take down the warship for scrap. Instead, at the last stanza of the poem “Oh, better that her shattered hulk; Should sink… The lightning and the gale.”, Holmes suggested that it would be the best for the warship to be destroyed by nature since it would be better than being destroyed by scrapping it.
Overall, this poem contains many characteristics of Romanticism because it focuses on feelings and nature. In addition, it also focuses on the main values, such as pride, honor and glory of the American people back in the early 1800s. This poem would strongly suggest well to all Americans because it delivers a message that American citizens should treasure the things that are unique to their
In order to emphasize the importance of the ship, Holmes uses metaphors to demonstrate the important characteristics of the ship. So, Holmes began the poem by referring to the ship’s flag, …show more content…
More specifically, Holmes uses imagery to describe the ship, the sea, and the settings of the war that took place by using vivid words to set the scene. For example, “Her deck, once red with heroes’ blood, where knelt the vanquished foe,” stirs people and creates an image of the glory that comes after winning a victory whenever people think about the old warship. In addition, it also reminds the American people of the many Americans who were willing to die for the freedom and the pride of the country. This makes it even harder for the American people and the government to take down the warship for scrap. Instead, at the last stanza of the poem “Oh, better that her shattered hulk; Should sink… The lightning and the gale.”, Holmes suggested that it would be the best for the warship to be destroyed by nature since it would be better than being destroyed by scrapping it.
Overall, this poem contains many characteristics of Romanticism because it focuses on feelings and nature. In addition, it also focuses on the main values, such as pride, honor and glory of the American people back in the early 1800s. This poem would strongly suggest well to all Americans because it delivers a message that American citizens should treasure the things that are unique to their