William Cowper’s The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk
INTRODUCTION: English poet William Cowper
(1731-1800) reconstructed the famous story of Alexander Selkirk, who spent a
segregated life for four years on a deserted island and later rescued by a
British ship. The poem highlights the sorrow and solitude suffered by Selkirk
during his stay on an isolated island. According to Cowper Selkirk (the persona
conceived by the poet) regretted his decision later considering his wrong
decision the sole cause of his misery. In this poem Cowper projects Selkirk’s
reflection on the entire subject of solitude.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
ELEMENT: Most probably Cowper’s depiction of
Selkirk’s miserable state in solitude is the reminiscence of his own personal
experiences in life. From 1763, after having a mental breakdown and suicide
attempt, he was subject to acute melancholia which later turned into religious
form. Depression and paranoia was his characteristic trait accentuated by
religious melancholy and informed with a strongly Calvinist sense of potential
damnation and sin. In his autobiographical Memoir he wrote,
‘Conviction of sin and expectation of
instant judgment never left me.’
In this
particular poem he celebrates Christian belief by introducing the concept of
mercy which enables a penitent man to accept his tragic lot. It deals with the
theme of a man’s isolation and helplessness. Storms and shipwreck recur in his
literary work reinforcing his own conviction- ‘God moves in a mysterious way.’
ROMANTIC
ELEMENTS:
Though Cowper earned fame as a hymnodist but it is believed that he is
one of the precursors of romanticism. There are numerous feature found in his
poems can provide testimony to the fact. They are –
·
Simplicity
of expression
·
Spontaneity
·
Earnest
and personal tone
·
Use of
blank verse
·
Focus on
everyday life
·
Pantheistic
creed
·
And
emotional responses to the way of the world
In many
aspects Cowper’s work exhibits traits of romanticism. Even in this poem he
maintains the criteria adroitly.
ABOUT OF
THE POEM: In this poem which he wrote
during his abode in the Island of Juan Fernandez, he recoils with a conditional
horror from the isolation. There is no pleasure in the solitary monarchy of
Selkirk’s, because it also entails the lack of society, friends, and love, a
loss of which is compensated by trivial concession of divine mercy, which
reconciles man to his lot, in the final lines of the poem. Cowper’s meditation
on sin and misfortune is explicitly expressed through Selkirk’s deliberation
The poem
starts with Selkirk’s bold assertion of being monarch of ‘all I survey’. And
undisputed right. As he is stranded on an isolated island he declares himself
the lord of ‘the fowl and the brute’. He is unable to realize the charms of
solitude that sages have experienced during their meditation in solitary state.
It appears to him that being in the realm of turmoil and anarchy is far better
than ruling the deserted island. He is afflicted by the pangs of loneliness.
Being completely obsessed by his loneliness he finds himself ‘out of humanity’s
reach.’ He longs to hear the sweet music of speech .Even he is astounded by the
tameness of the beasts that are not habituated to the presence of any human
being .Being in such a plight he mourns the loss of the sublime aspects of life
bestowed on a man like friendship, love, and society. Now he is deprived or the
sallies of youth, wisdom offered by religion, truth and maturity. Selkirk
exhorts the wind to be his envoy and fetch some cordial endearing report from
his friends. The very thought of his native land increases the intensity of his
despondency .Eventually he becomes so engrossed by his sorrow ,solitude and
despair that he reconciles his mind to his tragic fate. This final acceptance
of destiny is attained by the contemplation of divine mercy.
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