Uthra E

Bp221125
II M. A. English

Tracing Utilitarianism in Abraham Cowley’s poems “Anacreontics,

Drinking and Anacreontics, The Epicure”

Abstract

Anacreontics, Drinking and Anacreontics, The Epicure are the poems written by

Abraham Cowley. During 17th century England was ruled by puritans. Puritans focused the

people to follow a strict rules as a justice. The poems indicates individual happiness is more

important that the justice. The research explore the poems by applying the theory of

Utilitarianism.

Keywords: Utilitarianism, pleasure, happiness, drinking.

Introduction

Abraham Cowley was born in 1618, London and he was died in July 28, 1667, Chertsey,

England. He was a poet and essayist who wrote poetry of faithful decorous nature. He adapted

Pindaric Ode to English Verse, it is a kind of poetic form. He was educated at Westminster

School and the University of Cambridge. He was dismissed in 1643 by the parliament during

the civil war and joined the royal court at Oxford.

He went to abroad and performed various Royalist mission until his return to England

in 1656. Cowley manage to use grossly elaborate, self-consciously poetic language that

decorator, rather than expressed his feelings. He also wrote an unfinished epic “

Davideis”(1656).
Cowley as Metaphysical Poet

Cowley is considered a transitional figure from the metaphysical poets to the Augustan

poets during 18th century. Cowley’s most effective poem is the elegy written for the death of

his friend and also a fellow poet Richard Crashaw. He was mostly influence by Donne and Ben

Jonson. His versatile imagination ranged far and wide. He easily adapted to diverse subjects

that fits his own purposes. He ignored various current fashions and concentrate on economy,

unity, form and imagination.

Some of the poems of Abraham Cowley are “The Mistress”(1647), “ A

Supplication”(1633), “Anacreontics, Drinking”(1656), “Anacreontics, The Epicure”(1633),

“Anacreontics, The swallow”, “Beauty”. In these poems, the research explore two poems of

Abraham Cowley which are Anacreontics, Drinking and Anacreontics, The Epicure.

Anacreontics, Drinking the poem dwells upon drinking alcohol and it’s justification.

The theme of the poem is drinking alcohol and it’s justification. Each line of the poem given a

kind of justification to drink alcohol. The word Anacreontics means “ a tradition established”.

The most widely used literary tools in this poem is personification. It also used metaphor,

allegory and authorial intrusion.

Anacreontics, The Epicure the word Epicure means one who take pleasure in eating

and drinking. The poem is written in light-hearted and playful tone. The poem is written in

regular rhyme scheme and meter. The speaker express his Epicurean philosophy is confident

and assertive manner. The poem notable for its use of imagery. The speaker describes his

surroundings in a sensual and luxurious way. It deals about the celebration of life’s pleasure.
Theoretical Background of the Study

Ethical theories are explaining and systematically human morality and it is consider as

a philosophical attempt to describe or prescribe “right action” and “wrong action”. Ethical

theories are classed as either deontological which means it defines right and wrong regardless

of the outcomes. Where as consequentialist theory focus on the outcomes.

There are four broad categories of ethical theory include deontology, Utilitarianism,

right and virtue. In this, the research intended to explore Utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism theory

Utilitarianism theory was first associated with Jeremy Bentham, it is an tradition ethical

theory which belief that behavior is moral if it produces the greatest benefit to the most people

is the one that is ethically correct. There are two types of Utilitarianism, Act Utilitarianism and

Rule Utilitarianism.

Act Utilitarianism supports a person performs the acts that benefit the most of the

people without a personal feelings or social constraints like laws. A Rule Utilitarianism seeks

to benefit of the people and their values justice. Utilitarian concerns the ability to compare the

various types of consequences of comparing material gains such as money against intangible

gains happiness. Utilitarianism is not always concerned with justice.

In simple term Utilitarianism is a theory of morality that promotes the actions that

favors happiness or pleasure. It opposes the actions that causes unhappiness or harm. It aim for

to betterment of society as a whole. It supports the action is right if it results in the happiness

of the people in a society or a group. It does not cares about the things like feelings, emotions,

culture or justice.
Three Generally Accepted Principles of Utilitarianism.

1.Pleasure or happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic value

2.Actions are right if they promote happiness and wrong if they promote

unhappiness.

3.Everyone’s happiness counts equally.

Objectives

The research aimed to trace the Utilitarianism theory in Abraham Cowley’s poem. The

research portrayed the 17th century of England and the strict rules of puritans. Finally, the

research intended to explore how Cowley’s poem supports the ideas that happiness is more

important then the culture and justice.

Literature Review

J. Bremer, Francis’s article published in 2009, in this article Francis describe about the

living life of puritans. This article tries to find the answer for the questions like what did it

means for a puritan to live a godly life? How was sinfulness defined? And did puritanism make

individual joyless and repressed as the popular stereotype portrays them? It stress the point that

“puritans viewed drunkenness as a sin, although drinking was acceptable”(Bremer)

This quote clearly describes that drinking is not a sin in puritanism but puritans are

viewed drinking alcohol as a sin.

Cowley’s in his poem “ Anacreontics, Drinking” gives justification for drinking. He

uses a metaphor, by using this he describes all the eternal bodies like sky, sea, earth and moon

are drinking. Sky drinks from sea earth drinks from sky where as moon drinks from sun.
 He assumes the reader as ‘ man of morals’. He raised a questions against all the mam

of morals that why I should not drink?. The poet very well knows that drinking is seen as

something immortal and even sinful. But he supports this actions because it gives happiness to

the people.

Anacreontics, The Epicure a poem written by Cowley which describes the themes or

ideology of carpe diem. The poet rejected that the asceticism of the stoics which means a

discipline no achieve control over the promptings of the emotions. The poets wants one should

enjoy the present moment to the fullest.

Tracing Utilitarianism in Cowley’s poem

The puritans were followed strict rules during 17th century. This poems are also written

in 17th century. The two poems are comically raising a thoughts against the rules followed by

the puritans. The main focus on the poem Anacreontics, Drinking and Anacreontics, The

Epicure is to question the moral values of the puritans and it supports the ideology of

Utilitarianism. Which indicates individual pleasure and happiness is more important or valued

then the justice and culture or practice.

Drinking alcohol is a kind of human pleasure and people get happiness over it. Cowley

was an physician by knowing the effects caused by alcohol, he supports it. It shows that the

happiness is not in the society. Healthy lifestyle and moral life is secondary, individual

happiness is good to human.

“Should every creature drink but l?

Why, man of morals, tell me why?”( Cowley)

 These stanza refers that man of morals are puritans and raises a question that every

eternal creature are drinking why should I not?. Questioning all the moral values that followed

by puritans. The Utilitarianism theory speaks the same ideas.

“ Let me alive my pleasure have:

All are stoics in the grave”(Cowley)

Stoics refers certain values that has to be followed to be virtue but in these lines poet

argued that stoics is a grave which refers that it a dead one. The poet also asked that let me,

which refers allow me to live a pleasure of life and happy life.

Conclusion

The research traces the Utilitarianism theory in Abraham Cowley’s poems

Anacreontics, Drinking and Anacreontics, The Epicure both the poems accepts the ideology of

Utilitarianism which is happiness and pleasure is the only thing that has intrinsic value in life.

More than a justice and moral happiness is necessary for people.

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Bermer , Francis j., „Living the puritan life‟, Puritanism:A Very short Introduction, Very Short

Introductions (New York, 2009; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Sept. 2013),

https://doi.org?10.1093/actrade/9780195334555.303.004, Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.

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