The Diverting History of John Gilpin by William Cowper

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About this eBook

Author Cowper, William, 1731-1800
Illustrator Caldecott, Randolph, 1846-1886
Title The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Showing How He Went Farther Than He Intended, and Came Safe Home Again
Note Reading ease score: 77.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Credits Produced by Suzanne Shell, Marit Henningsen and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team
Summary "The Diverting History of John Gilpin" by William Cowper is a humorous poem written in the late 18th century. This light-hearted work can be classified as a narrative poem and explores the comedic misadventures of its titular character, John Gilpin. The story revolves around themes of domesticity and unexpected adventure, set against the backdrop of a whimsical portrayal of British society. The poem follows John Gilpin, a respectable citizen and a linendraper, who sets off on horseback to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife. However, the journey takes a chaotic turn as his horse bolts unexpectedly, leading him on a wild and uncontrollable ride through town. Throughout his eccentric escapades, including encounters with startled onlookers and a frantic chase, the poem captures the hilarity and absurdity of John’s situation. Ultimately, despite the chaos, Gilpin manages to return home safely, which emphasizes the humorous and entertaining nature of the story, making it a classic example of comic verse. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres
Subject Humorous poetry, English
Subject Horses -- Juvenile poetry
Subject Wit and humor, Juvenile
Subject Horsemanship -- Juvenile poetry
Subject Marriage -- Juvenile poetry
Subject Horse racing -- Juvenile poetry
Category Text
EBook-No. 11979
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Dec 26, 2020
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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