The Task MCQs and Summary

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

Summary:

The Task is a long didactic poem by William Cowper, published in 1785. It consists of six books written in blank verse and reflects Cowper’s thoughts on nature, rural life, morality, and the corruptions of urban civilization.

• The poem was inspired by a challenge from Lady Austen, who suggested Cowper write about a sofa, which became the subject of Book I: The Sofa.
• The poem expands beyond the sofa into themes of nature, simple rural life, Christianity, and political and social issues.
• Cowper critiques materialism, corruption, and human folly, advocating instead for a peaceful life connected with nature and faith.
• He contrasts the artificiality of city life with the purity of the countryside, emphasizing spiritual and moral values.
• The poem includes vivid descriptions of landscapes, reflections on solitude, and criticisms of slavery and war.

Cowper’s conversational tone, use of blank verse, and deep reflections make The Task an important work of pre-Romantic poetry, influencing later poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge.