Project Gutenberg
2004-04-01
Public domain in the USA.
224
Cowper, William
1731
1800
Caldecott, Randolph
1846
1886
Caldecott, R. (Randolph)
The Diverting History of John Gilpin
Showing How He Went Farther Than He Intended, and Came Safe Home Again
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gilpin
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Marit Henningsen and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team
"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.)
Reading ease score: 77.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
en
Humorous poetry, English
Horses -- Juvenile poetry
Wit and humor, Juvenile
Horsemanship -- Juvenile poetry
Marriage -- Juvenile poetry
Horse racing -- Juvenile poetry
PZ
Text
Children's Picture Books
Category: Poetry
Category: Humour
Category: British Literature
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