The Task

by William Cowper, H.T. Griffith (Editor), Humphrey Sumner Milford (Editor)

The subject for The Task, begun in 1783, was suggested by Cowper's friend Lady Austen. The poem was published in 1785. Divided into six books, the poem begins with a mock-heroic account of the sofa, but soon expands into a reflection on a number of subjects including retired life in the countryside, the pleasures of gardening, attacks on slavery, fraud, and dishonesty, and it ultimately ends on a religious theme.

The Task was extremely influential on Cowper’s contemporaries and subsequent writers. It was greatly admired by Jane Austen (who quoted extensively from it in her novels), Robert Burns (who asked ‘Is not The Task a glorious poem?’), and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (who praised the poem’s ‘chastity of diction’ and ‘harmony of blank verse’). Cowper’s use of blank verse presaged the work of James Thomson and William Wordsworth.

Genres: Poetry, Classics

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1785

About the author

The Task , best-known work of William Cowper, British poet, considered a precursor of romanticism, in 1785 praises rural life and leisure.

William Cowper served as an English hymnodist. Cowper, one most popular man of his time, wrote of everyday nature scenes of the English countryside and thus changed the direction of 18th century. In many ways, he foreran later authors. Samuel Taylor Coleridge called him "modern," whilst William Wordsworth particularly admired Yardley-Oak . He a nephew of Judith Madan.

From severe manic depression, Cowper suffered, found refuge in a fervent evangelical Christianity, the inspiration behind his much-loved hymns, often experienced doubt, and feared doom to eternal damnation. His religious sentiment and association with John Newton (who wrote Amazing Grace , the hymn) led to much memorable writing.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the time I'm writing, there are 9 ratings and no reviews of this extended blank verse meandering. Perhaps no-one has time any more to read this sort of stuff, so popular in the 18th century. Yet there's a lot to enjoy in the interminable circumlocutions - line after line describing how to make a hotbed to grow cucumbers (not that he's as explicit as that, you have to know how before you start reading), and enough technicalities of horticulture to write a book on herbaceous borders -
And then there are the famous quotes, 'England, with all thy faults, I love thee still' , 'God made the country and man made the town', 'the cups, that cheer but not inebriate', which I suppose prove how much this was read and absorbed in its time.
It's a bit soporific, though!

[Galuh Fadhelah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i want to read this. i like this book

[Alex Lauff · Rating 4 out of 5]

not particularly enjoyable to read in one sitting but I respect him

[Mollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this has some really, really wonderful moments and is quite gorgeously written. Perhaps it is just tiring to read in its entirety quite quickly, as I have done.