Cowper’s the Task Comparison to Two Other Famous Literature Works, Essay Example

Cowper’s, “The Task”, differs from other poetic works, such as “The Rape of the Lock”, because Cowper is poet of his own kind, with a unique style of composition and a unique way of thinking. A good example of his difference in style is the descriptions of his sceneries. Cowper is quieter in his descriptions; whereas, Pope is more refined and sparkling in his descriptions of sceneries. For instance, in the book, A Winter Walk at Noon, the Cowper describes the scenery as no noise, pleased with solitude, withered leaves, etc. Pope’s, The Rape of the Lock, describes scenery with more vivid imagination, such as tim’rous rays, rousing shakes, and silver sound. In addition, the language that is used by Cowper is plain and convincing. Furthermore, Cowper is considerably variable in his tone. The variability can be observed in the Cowper’s tone as he is mocking a tribute to a sofa in Pope’s Rape of the Lock. The introduction to the work opens with “I sing to the sofa”. Cowper’s tendency to use and mock verses from the Rape of the Lock suggests that Cowper used Pope as a model for his own literature, whereby they are similar in context.

The mocking tone in the introduction to the poem can also be compared to another work, known as the poem, “Paradise Lost”. Like Cowper, Milton’s Paradise Lost begins with jokes and muse while stating the purpose of his work. The work of Cowper has also been thought to be a religious movement as Paradise Lost was known. It was quoted in Cowper by Goldwin Smith (p.62), “The Task had so caught the Evangelical spirit of the age that, according to one critic, “As Paradise Lost is to militant Puritanism, so is The Task to the religious movement of its author’s time”.

Works Cited

Smith, G. Cowper . London. Macmillan. (1880). p.62.