William Cowper (1731–1800), Manchester Art Gallery, England
William Cowper's "The Task": faith and nature
Exploring the evolution of Christian pilgrimage, morality, and self-discipline in William Cowper’s epic poem
Poetry at the beginning of the eighteenth century was less about emotion than cold reflection. It often took a moral or satirical firm. Cowper intended his poem to ramble, wander, and develop organically. He sought to give the impression of literature as a process created on the spot from the events described. Thus the three-legged stool is developed into a chair and then a sofa over time. His overarching principle is that of the Christian pilgrimage in a fallen world, and he sees his quest as a search for a poetic vision. Poetic language is that of an unfallen man, and his task is to use this corrupted language to express his thoughts and conform to God’s will.
