The keel is the part of a ship that provides stability. What is Whitman referring to with the phrase “the steady keel”?Lincoln’s re-election as presidentthe president’s deaththe horrific injuries the soldiers suffered during the warthe idea of freedom that the United States stands for

The ship in Whitman’s poem represents the United States, and its voyage represents the nation’s struggle through the Civil War. A keel helps keep a ship stable, so “the steady keel” suggests the enduring principles that support the country, especially its ideal of freedom. It does not refer to Lincoln’s death or the soldiers’ injuries.

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