|
E211: British Literature to 1760 William Cowper Study Questions Alfred Drake | Uni Hall 329 | W 3-4 | ajdrake@ajdrake.com Assigned: Selections from The Task and "The Castaway" (2875ff). 1. Regarding the selection from Book 1, "A Landscape" (2875-77), consider the qualities in such a passage that might inspire a poet such as Wordsworth (who, like some other romantic poets, admired Cowper's work). How well does Cowper convey his perceptions and feelings in nature's presence? And what about the next selection, "Crazy Kate"? Does the characterization of this woman remind you of anything in Wordsworth's poetry, if you have read much by that poet? 2. Regarding the selection from Book 2, "The Stricken Deer" (2872-78), explain the religious signficance of the verses. What common sentiment does the selection offer regarding what Dr. Johnson called "the vanity of human wishes"? 3. In the selection from Book 4, "The Winter Evening: A Brown Study" (2878-80), what is the connection between Cowper's description of the landscape's natural processes and the workings of the human mind? Why is evening a favorite time for the speaker? 4. In "The Castaway" (2880-81), aside from the narrative about an unfortunate sailor, what is the poem's subject? How do you understand the final stanza (lines 61-66)? Edition: Abrams, M.H. et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 1C. 7th. edition. New York: Norton, 2000. ISBN 0393975673.
|