William Cowper Biography and Timeline — Page 2

Pity for Poor Africans Written

Cowper wrote Pity for Poor Africans, a poem challenging indifference to the slave trade.

Sweet Meat Has Sour Sauce

Cowper composed Sweet Meat Has Sour Sauce, using satirical verse against the slave trade.

Writes Antislavery Verse

Cowper contributed poems to British antislavery debate, using verse to criticize human bondage.

Homer Translations Published

Cowper published English blank verse translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey after years of work.

Retired Cat Poem Appears

Cowper's The Retired Cat appeared in his literary output, turning an animal incident into humorous moral poetry.

Abolitionist Verse

His anti-slavery poem The Negro's Complaint circulates in abolitionist campaigns

Role range: 1800

Slavery

Helps to distribute anti-slavery newspapers by the Correspondence Committees

Revises Homer Translations

Cowper continued revising his translations of Homer in pursuit of greater fidelity to the original epics.

To Mary Poem Written

Cowper wrote To Mary, a personal poem expressing care for his long standing companion Mary Unwin.

Castaway Poem Composed

Cowper composed The Castaway, a stark poem of isolation that became one of his final major works.

Death of William Cowper

Cowper died in East Dereham, leaving poetry notable for its emotional candor and attention to nature.