The Castaway MCQs and Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: June 10, 2025

Summary:

“The Castaway” is a deeply melancholic poem written by William Cowper in 1799, shortly before his death. The poem is inspired by an incident from George Anson’s sea voyage, where a sailor was washed overboard and left to drown.
  • The poem symbolizes Cowper’s own struggles with depression and despair, drawing a parallel between the drowning sailor and his own feelings of abandonment and isolation.
  • The stormy sea represents the challenges and hardships of life, while the sailor’s helpless struggle reflects Cowper’s personal sense of being forsaken by God.
  • The final stanza expresses hopelessness, as the speaker suggests that he too is lost, just like the sailor, but in a figurative sense—drowning in sorrow.
  • The poem is written in elegiac verse, emphasizing its tragic and sorrowful tone.
The Castaway
The Castaway
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1. : Who wrote The Castaway?





2. : What inspired Cowper to write this poem?





3. : What does the drowning sailor symbolize?





4. : Which theme is most prominent in The Castaway?





5. : What does the stormy sea symbolize in the poem?





6. : What is the tone of The Castaway?





7. : What literary device is commonly used in the poem?





8. : Why does Cowper compare himself to the lost sailor?





9. : How does the poem end?





10. : What is the poetic form of The Castaway?





 
Question Answer
Poem Name The Castaway
Poet William Cowper
Year of Publication 1799
Main Theme Isolation, despair, divine abandonment
Symbolism Stormy sea = Life’s struggles, Drowning sailor = Cowper’s depression
Tone Tragic and melancholic
Poetic Form Elegy
Literary Device Allegory

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