William Cowper Criticism
William Cowper (1731–1800) stands as a pivotal figure in English literature, bridging the Neo-Classical and Romantic periods with a body of work that spans hymns, satires, and translations. His poetry, notably The Task and the Olney Hymns, not only displays his mastery of language and form but also offers profound insights into his psychological landscape, as examined by critics like Morris Golden and Richard Terry.
The Task, Cowper's crowning literary achievement, seamlessly melds satire with a personal exploration of nature and society. This work is a focal point for scholars such as Andrew Elfenbein, who highlights its thematic unity and emotional depth. Further, Vincent Newey explores the moral and philosophical dimensions of Cowper’s satirical and lyrical styles. His translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey reflect his ambitious scope, despite receiving mixed critical responses.
Cowper's influence extends to Romantic poets like Wordsworth and Shelley, underscoring his role in the literary evolution. He offers a vision of nature and society that resonates with contemporary and historical audiences. As Lodwick C. Hartley notes, Cowper's reflections on education and religion remain pertinent, and his correspondence has set a standard in English letter-writing.
Biographically, Cowper’s life was marred by personal tragedies and mental health struggles, infusing his poetry with themes of isolation and a quest for divine understanding. Critics such as Kenneth MacLean and Morris Golden have noted how these personal challenges impacted his literary output. Despite these difficulties, Cowper enjoyed periods of happiness, particularly during his time at Olney with the Unwin family.
Cowper's reception has been varied, with critics like William Hazlitt offering criticism of his portrayal of nature, while others praise his introspective and socially aware verse. The Task remains a subject of extensive analysis by scholars such as Richard Feingold and W. Gerald Marshall, who explore its engagement with the social and religious discourses of Cowper's era. This duality of emotional depth and structured rationality cements Cowper's legacy as a critical public poet.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Cowper, William (Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism)
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William Cowper
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Fausset explores the nuances of Cowper's letters.
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A Short View of Education
(summary)
In the following essay, Hartley describes Cowper's view of education, arguing that although Cowper's ideas are based mainly on religion, they can still serve as general suggestions on the topic.
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Solitude and Society
(summary)
In the following essay, Golden explores the symbolism in Cowper's poetry in an attempt to uncover the poet's attitudes about himself.
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Short Poems, Lyric and Comic
(summary)
In the following essay, Free offers a comprehensive analysis of Cowper's shorter poems, demonstrating that a sense of control, and reference to external objects as markers of internal states are important to Cowper's verse.
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The Moral Satires and Retirement
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Newey examines the moral content of Cowper's satires and compares them to the poet's freer style in Retirement.
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Cowper's Olney Hymns
(summary)
In the following essay, Watson offers a close reading of Cowper's hymns.
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Homer: The Heroic Task
(summary)
In the following essay, King details Cowper's experience of translating Homer's Illiad and Odyssey.
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William Cowper's New Aesthetic in The Task
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In the following essay, King outlines some factors contributing to the final structure of The Task. He cites various social movements of the time and compares Cowper to Laurence Sterne.
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Cowper's Task and the Anxieties of Femininity
(summary)
In the following essay, Elfenbein analyzes Cowper's treatment of femininity in The Task. The poetry of William Cowper, especially his most famous poem, The Task, both encapsulates the developments of eighteenth-century poetry from Popean satire to the doctrine of sensibility and anticipates the achievements of the early romantics. The Task, more than any other poem of the later eighteenth century, functions as a turning point in literary history because of its radical redefinition of possibilities for the poetic subject. Critics, however, have rarely paid close attention to Cowper's powerful manipulation of ideology, and locating precisely his innovations can help us comprehend the peculiar complexities of the position of the poet in relation to society during this era.
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Walking into Public Notice
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In the following excerpt, Ella describes Cowper's public life. He details correspondence both with friends, such as Unwin and Newton, and enemies, such as Martin Madan.
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‘Meaner Themes’: Mock-Heroic and Providentialism in Cowper's Poetry
(summary)
In the following essay, Terry examines Cowper's mock-heroic poems, arguing that they are often allegories for providentialism. He also situates Cowper between the Augustans and the Romantics.
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'Still at Home': Cowper's Domestic Empires
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In the following essay, O’Brien explores Cowper's interest in politics, particularly in British Imperialism.
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William Cowper
(summary)
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Cowper, William (Poetry Criticism)
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On Thomson and Cowper
(summary)
In the following excerpt, originally published in 1841, Hazlitt disparages the excessive effeminacy and polish of Cowper's poetry, while praising the merits of elegance, satire, and pathos in his verse.
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William Cowper
(summary)
In the following essay, MacLean presents an overview of Cowper's life and writings, suggesting that “neurotic terror” principally informs his poetry and other works.
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Solitude and Society
(summary)
In the following essay, Golden surveys the myriad ways in which Cowper's mental attitudes and instabilities—including feelings of isolation, delusion, victimization, abandonment, despair, and divine rapture—are reflected in his poetry.
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William Cowper: The Heightened Perception
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In the following excerpt, Spacks assesses Cowper as a writer of hymns, considers his poetic technique, and offers a stylistic and thematic survey of The Task.
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Cowper's Conception of Truth
(summary)
In the following essay, Baird clarifies Cowper's representation of divine truth in the poems “The Progress of Error” and “Truth.”
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William Cowper: State, Society, and Countryside
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Feingold evaluates The Task as a public poem, examining the work's principal themes and the dynamics of its social critique.
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The Presence of ‘the Word’ in Cowper's The Task
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In the following essay, Marshall argues that the loss of contact with the Word of God in the modern city is the central and unifying theme of The Task.
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William Cowper and 1789
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In the following essay, Hutchings evaluates Cowper as a political poet, especially in his responses to the French Revolution.
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Redefining Georgic: Cowper's Task
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In the following essay, Griffin views The Task as an eighteenth-century modification of the classical Georgic poetic form, while arguing that it depicts a more privatized and spiritualized conception of labor and its relation to the divine order than its predecessors.
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William Cowper and the Poetry of Empire
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In the following essay, Faulkner focuses on Cowper's expressions of British Imperialist ideology—and its inherent ambivalence—in his poetic works.
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‘Meaner Themes’: Mock-Heroic and Providentialism in Cowper's Poetry
(summary)
In the following essay, Terry analyzes the sources, technique, subject matter, and style of Cowper's mock-heroic poetry, linking these with the poet's belief in Evangelical providentialism.
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Cowper's Task and the Writing of a Poet's Salvation
(summary)
In the following essay, Heller interprets The Task as Cowper's effort to sublimate his personal belief that he was spiritually condemned into a poetic manifestation of God's approval.
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‘Still at Home’: Cowper's Domestic Empires
(summary)
In the following essay, O'Brien probes Cowper's juxtaposition of private and public concerns, and his moral focus on the still, small, quiet and humble in The Task.
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On Thomson and Cowper
(summary)
- Further Reading