Dead Poets Society Syllabus

Whether you’ve watched it one time or one million times, Dead Poets Society is a spectacular movie that probably gave you the urge to pick up a book. In this movie, Robin Williams stars as a young English teacher, John Keating, who makes reading books and writing poetry seem pretty cool to a group of young high school boys.

In honor of National Poetry Month, I have compiled a “Dead Poets Society Syllabus” for anyone looking for a John Keating approved curriculum or some light summer reading.

O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman

It is no surprise that this poem is at the top of the list as John Keating so cleverly has his students refer to him as “captain.” It is a classic poem written about the death of American president: Abraham Lincoln.

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick

During their first class period with Mr. Keating, one of the boys is asked to read this poem aloud while staring into the trophy case, locking eyes with pictures of former students. Keating uses this poem to encourage the boys to “carpe diem” or seize the day.

Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

One of the first poems read aloud in the first Dead Poets Society meeting, Ulysses is a true classic that is both moving and empowering.

O Me! O Life! by Walt Whitman

Possibly my favorite poem by Whitman, it is the perfect read for any young student looking for inspiration or hope for the future. Whitman offers valuable advice when he writes, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”

The Prophet by Abraham Cowley

Composed on the back of a Playboy centerfold, this poem seemed to be a favorite of the Cassanova of the society, Cameron.

The Congo: A Study of the Negro Race by Rachel Lindsay

Read aloud to the beat of a bongo, the boys danced around the cave chanting this poem together.

A Song of Joys by Walt Whitman

Keating uses this poem to conjure up a sense of empowerment in the boys as each shouts out a line before kicking a field goal.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

This poem is one that you were probably required to read multiple times throughout your education. In the movie, Keating recites this poem as the boys are encouraged to walk around the courtyard and “make their own path.”

The Ballad of William Bloat by Raymond Calvert

This poem tells the story of a man plotting to kill his wife who is “the curse of his life." After reading this haunting piece aloud, the boys then begin to exchange their own scary stories.

She Walks In Beauty by Lord Byron & Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

Keating motivates his class to improve their speech in order to “woo” women. One student recognizes the power of poetry and uses these two famous love poems to flatter two women he brings to a Dead Poets Society meeting, claiming he wrote them himself.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Although it is not a poem, this classic piece could not be excluded from the Dead Poets Society syllabus. The beginning excerpt from Walden that is read aloud at the beginning of every meeting is a personal favorite and worth the read.