As my research of Samuel Taylor Coleridge shows (in so far as to read about him on SparkNotes), one thing seems to recur throughout his poetry: imagination. Coleridge himself claims that a poet is one that "diffuses a tone, and spirit of unity, that blends, and (as it were) fuses, each into each, by that synthetic and magical power, to which we have exclusively appropriated the name of imagination" (page 355). Whether Coleridge was a genius, or simply hallucinogenic due to his opiate addiction (as shown by his vision and resulting composition of Kubla Khan), one will never know.
Many of his poems reflect this obsession with imagination, such as the aforementioned Kubla Khan. The entire first three stanzas are pure imagery describing the "pleasure-dome" built by Kubla Khan (page 342-line 2).
Even his The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, while much more metaphoric, contains significant imagination. For example, after the Mariner has killed the albatross, the ship reaches a stand still. Then, the crew sees a ship coming toward them. Coleridge describes this ship with incredible imagery.
" And straight the Sun was flecked with bars,
(Heaven's Mother send us grace!)
As is through a dungeon-grate he peer'd
With broad and burning face.
Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)
How fast she nears and nears!
Are those her sails that glance in the Sun,
Like restless gossameres?
Are those her ribs through which the Sun
Did peer, as through a grate?
And is that Woman all her crew?
Is that a DEATH? and are there two?
Is DEATH that woman's mate?" (page 330-331-lines 177-189)
These stanzas, like those in Kubla Khan, are pure imagery; one can really see a ghost ship, wrecked and beaten. However, Coleridge's poems are more than just imagery, many images from his poetry are those that he doubtfully had seen in real life. Unlike Wordsworth (with many poems describing sites seen and visited), and other Romantics, Coleridge frequently used his imagination and gift for words to give readers an unseen, new experience. This can be seen in poems such as Kubla Khan and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, some of his more famous and longer lasting poems.
While the rest of the Romantic poets utilized imagery in their poems, no one quite captures Coleridge's fascination and resulting complete utilization of imagination.
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Leanne,
ReplyDeleteVery good focus on and exploration Coleridge's imaginative poetry, as exemplified in this passage from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. You make some insightful comments on this passage, and on Coleridge's connection to other Romantics.
Your reference to his drug abuse made me laugh. SO true. Let's just say it was genius for now, and I will say I see what you're saying. He was a kind of king of imagination. His epic involving the albatross certainly got the senses going. His imagery is strong and brilliant. You did his texts justice!
ReplyDeleteI like how you connected other poets from his era (romantics) to his own works and used more than one of his poems, making it a versatile post.
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