Coleridges Poetry

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Context Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in Devon in 1772. His fat er! a "lergyman! moved is family to #ondon w en Coleridge was young! and it was t ere t at Coleridge attended s" ool $as e would later re"all in %oems su" as &'rost at (idnig t)*. He later attended Cambridge but left wit out "om%leting is studies. During t e %oliti"ally " arged atmos% ere of t e late eig teent "entury+t e 'ren" ,evolution ad sent s o"-waves t roug .uro%e! and .ngland and 'ran"e were at war+Coleridge made a name for imself bot as a %oliti"al radi"al and as an im%ortant young %oet/ along wit is friends ,obert Sout ey and 0illiam 0ordswort ! e be"ame one of t e most im%ortant writers in .ngland. Collaborating wit 0ordswort on t e revolutionary Lyrical Ballads of 1712! Coleridge el%ed to inaugurate t e ,omanti" era in .ngland/ as 0ordswort ex%lained it in t e 1232 %refa"e to t e t ird edition of t e wor-! t e idea of %oetry underlying Lyrical Ballads turned t e establis ed "onventions of %oetry u%side down4 5rivileging natural s%ee" over %oeti" ornament! sim%ly stated t emes over elaborate symbolism! emotion over abstra"t t oug t! and t e ex%erien"e of natural beauty over urban so% isti"ation! t e boo- %aved t e way for two generations of %oets! and stands as one of t e milestones of .uro%ean literature. 0 ile Coleridge made im%ortant "ontributions to Lyrical Ballads, it was mu" more 0ordswort 6s %ro7e"t t an Coleridge6s/ t us! w ile it is %ossible to understand 0ordswort 6s %oeti" out%ut in lig t of is %refa"e to t e 1232 edition of t e volume! t e %refa"e6s ideas s ould not be used to analy8e Coleridge6s wor-. 9nsofar as 0ordswort was t e %oet of nature! t e %urity of " ild ood! and memory! Coleridge be"ame t e %oet of imagination! ex%loring t e relations i%s between nature and t e mind as it exists as a se%arate entity. 5oems su" as &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner) and &;ubla ; an) demonstrate Coleridge6s talent for "on"o"ting bi8arre! unsettling stories full of fantasti" imagery and magi"/ in %oems su" as &'rost at (idnig t) and &De7e"tion4 :n <de!) e muses ex%li"itly on t e nature of t e mind as it intera"ts wit t e "reative sour"e of nature. Coleridge married in 171= and s%ent mu" of t e next de"ade living near and traveling wit 0ordswort and is sister Dorot y. 9n 1711! Coleridge met Sara Hut" inson! wit w om e fell dee%ly in love! forming an atta" ment t at was to last many years. Coleridge be"ame an o%ium addi"t $it is t oug t t at &;ubla ; an) originated from an o%ium dream* and! in 121>! moved in wit t e surgeon ?ames @illman in order to %reserve is ealt . During t e years e lived wit @illman! Coleridge "om%osed many of is im%ortant nonAfi"tion wor-s! in"luding t e ig ly regarded Biographia Literaria. However! alt oug e "ontinued to write until is deat in 12BC! ,omanti"ism was always a movement about yout ! and today Coleridge is remembered %rimarily for t e %oems e wrote w ile still in is twenties.

:nalysis Samuel Taylor Coleridge6s %la"e in t e "anon of .nglis %oetry rests on a "om%aratively small body of a" ievement4 a few %oems from t e late 1713s and early 1233s and is %arti"i%ation in t e revolutionary %ubli"ation of Lyrical Ballads in 1717. Dnli-e 0ordswort ! is wor- "annot be understood t roug t e lens of t e 1232 %refa"e to t e se"ond edition of t at boo-/ t oug it does resemble 0ordswort 6s in its ideali8ation of nature and its em% asis on uman 7oy! Coleridge6s %oems often favor musi"al effe"ts over t e %lainness of "ommon s%ee" . T e intentional ar" aisms of &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner) and t e y%noti" drone of &;ubla ; an) do not imitate "ommon s%ee" ! "reating instead a more stri-ingly styli8ed effe"t. 'urt er! Coleridge6s %oems "om%li"ate t e % enomena 0ordswort ta-es for granted4 t e sim%le unity between t e " ild and nature and t e adult6s re"onne"tion wit nature t roug memories of " ild ood/ in %oems su" as &'rost at (idnig t!) Coleridge indi"ates t e fragility of t e " ild6s inno"en"e by relating is own urban " ild ood. 9n %oems su" as &De7e"tion4 :n <de) and &Eig tingale!) e stresses t e division between is own mind and t e beauty of t e natural world. 'inally! Coleridge often %rivileges weird tales and bi8arre imagery over t e "ommon%la"e! rusti" sim%li"ities 0ordswort advo"ates/ t e &t ousand t ousand slimy t ings) t at "rawl u%on t e rotting sea in t e &,ime) would be out of %la"e in a 0ordswort %oem. 9f 0ordswort re%resents t e "entral %illar of early ,omanti"ism! Coleridge is nevert eless an im%ortant stru"tural su%%ort. His em% asis on t e imagination! its inde%enden"e from t e outside world and its "reation of fantasti" %i"tures su" as t ose found in t e &,ime!) exerted a %rofound influen"e on later writers su" as S elley/ is de%i"tion of feelings of alienation and numbness el%ed to define more s ar%ly t e ,omanti"s6 ideali8ed "ontrast between t e em%tiness of t e "ity+w ere su" feelings are ex%erien"ed+and t e 7oys of nature. T e eig tened understanding of t ese feelings also el%ed to s a%e t e stereoty%e of t e suffering ,omanti" genius! often furt er " ara"teri8ed by drug addi"tion4 t is figure of t e idealist! brilliant yet tragi"ally unable to attain is own ideals! is a ma7or %ose for Coleridge in is %oetry. His %ortrayal of t e mind as it moves! w et er in silen"e $&'rost at (idnig t)* or in fren8y $&;ubla ; an)* also el%ed to define t e intimate emotionalism of ,omanti"ism/ w ile mu" of %oetry is "onstituted of emotion re"olle"ted in tranFuility! t e origin of Coleridge6s %oems often seems to be emotion re"olle"ted in emotion. Gut $unli-e 0ordswort ! it "ould be argued* Coleridge maintains not only an emotional intensity but also a legitimate intelle"tual %resen"e t roug out is oeuvre and a%%lies "onstant % iloso% i"al %ressure to is ideas. 9n is later years! Coleridge wor-ed a great deal on meta% ysi"s and %oliti"s! and a % iloso% i"al "ons"iousness infuses mu" of is verse+%arti"ularly %oems su" as &T e Eig tingale) and &De7e"tion4 :n <de!) in w i" t e relations i% between mind and nature is defined via t e s%e"ifi" re7e"tion of falla"ious versions of it. T e mind! to Coleridge! "annot ta-e its feeling from nature and "annot falsely imbue nature wit its own feeling/ rat er! t e mind must be so suffused wit its own 7oy t at it o%ens u% to t e real! inde%endent! &immortal) 7oy of nature.
hemes, Motifs & Symbols

Themes The Transformative Power of the Imagination

Coleridge believed t at a strong! a"tive imagination "ould be"ome a ve i"le for trans"ending un%leasant "ir"umstan"es. (any of is %oems are %owered ex"lusively by imaginative flig ts! w erein t e speaker tem%orarily abandons is immediate surroundings! ex" anging t em for an entirely new and "om%letely fabri"ated ex%erien"e. Dsing t e imagination in t is way is bot em%owering and sur%rising be"ause it en"ourages a total and "om%lete disres%e"t for t e "onfines of time and %la"e. T ese mental and emotional 7um%s are often well rewarded. 5er a%s Coleridge6s most famous use of imagination o""urs in &T is #imeATree Gower (y 5rison) $1717*! in w i" t e s%ea-er em%loys a -een %oeti" mind t at allows im to ta-e %art in a 7ourney t at e "annot % ysi"ally ma-e. 0 en e &returns) to t e bower! after aving imagined imself on a fantasti" stroll t roug t e "ountryside! t e s%ea-er dis"overs! as a reward! %lenty of t ings to en7oy from inside t e bower itself! in"luding t e leaves! t e trees! and t e s adows. T e %ower of imagination transforms t e %rison into a %erfe"tly %leasant s%ot.
The Interplay of Philosophy, Piety, and Poetry

Coleridge used is %oetry to ex%lore "onfli"ting issues in % iloso% y and religious %iety. Some "riti"s argue t at Coleridge6s interest in % iloso% y was sim%ly is attem%t to understand t e imaginative and intelle"tual im%ulses t at fueled is %oetry. To su%%ort t e "laim t at is imaginative and intelle"tual for"es were! in fa"t! organi" and derived from t e natural world! Coleridge lin-ed t em to @od! s%irituality! and wors i%. 9n is wor-! owever! %oetry! % iloso% y! and %iety "las ed! "reating fri"tion and disorder for Coleridge! bot on and off t e %age. 9n &T e .olian Har%) $171=*! Coleridge struggles to re"on"ile t e t ree for"es. Here! t e s%ea-er6s % iloso% i"al tenden"ies! %arti"ularly t e belief t at an &intelle"tual bree8e) $C7* brus es by and in abits all living t ings wit "ons"iousness! "ollide wit t ose of is ort odox wife! w o disa%%roves of is un"onventional ideas and urges im to C rist. 0 ile is wife lies untroubled! t e s%ea-er agoni8es over is s%iritual "onfli"t! "aug t between C ristianity and a uniFue! individual s%irituality t at eFuates nature wit @od. T e %oem ends by dis"ounting t e %ant eist s%irit! and t e s%ea-er "on"ludes by %rivileging @od and C rist over nature and %raising t em for aving ealed im from t e s%iritual wounds infli"ted by t ese unort odox views.
Nature and the Development of the Individual

Coleridge! 0ordswort ! and ot er romanti" %oets %raised t e unen"umbered! imaginative soul of yout ! finding images in nature wit w i" to des"ribe it. :""ording to t eir formulation! ex%erien"ing nature was an integral %art of t e develo%ment of a "om%lete soul and sense of %erson ood. T e deat of is fat er for"ed Coleridge to attend s" ool in #ondon! far away from t e rural idylls of is yout ! and e lamented t e missed o%%ortunities of is s eltered! "ityA bound adoles"en"e in many %oems! in"luding &'rost at (idnig t) $1712*. Here! t e s%ea-er sits Fuietly by a fire! musing on is life! w ile is infant son slee%s nearby. He re"alls is boarding s" ool days! during w i" e would bot daydream and lull imself to slee% by remembering is ome far away from t e "ity! and e tells is son t at e s all never be removed from nature! t e

way t e s%ea-er on"e was. Dnli-e t e s%ea-er! t e son s all ex%erien"e t e seasons and s all learn about @od by dis"overing t e beauty and bounty of t e natural world. T e son s all be given t e o%%ortunity to develo% a relations i% wit @od and wit nature! an o%%ortunity denied to bot t e s%ea-er and Coleridge imself. 'or Coleridge! nature ad t e "a%a"ity to tea" 7oy! love! freedom! and %iety! "ru"ial " ara"teristi"s for a wort y! develo%ed individual.
Motifs onversation Poems

Coleridge wanted to mimi" t e %atterns and "aden"es of everyday s%ee" in is %oetry. (any of is %oems o%enly address a single figure+t e s%ea-er6s wife! son! friend! and so on+w o listens silently to t e sim%le! straig tforward language of t e s%ea-er. Dnli-e t e des"ri%tive! long! digressive %oems of Coleridge6s "lassi"ist %rede"essors! Coleridge6s soA"alled "onversation %oems are s ort! selfA"ontained! and often wit out a dis"ernable %oeti" form. ColloFuial! s%ontaneous! and friendly! Coleridge6s "onversation %oetry is also ig ly %ersonal! freFuently in"or%orating events and details of is domesti" life in an effort to widen t e s"o%e of %ossible %oeti" "ontent. :lt oug e sometimes wrote in blank verse! unr ymed iambic pentameter! e ada%ted t is metri"al form to suit a more "olloFuial r yt m. Got 0ordswort and Coleridge believed t at everyday language and s%ee" r yt ms would el% broaden %oetry6s audien"e to in"lude t e middle and lower "lasses! w o mig t ave felt ex"luded or %ut off by t e form and "ontent of neo"lassi"ists! su" as :lexander 5o%e! #ady (ary 0ortley (ontagu! and ?o n Dryden.
Delight in the Natural !orld

#i-e t e ot er romanti"s! Coleridge wors i%ed nature and re"ogni8ed %oetry6s "a%a"ity to des"ribe t e beauty of t e natural world. Eearly all of Coleridge6s %oems ex%ress a res%e"t for and delig t in natural beauty. Close observation! great attention to detail! and %re"ise des"ri%tions of "olor a%tly demonstrate Coleridge6s res%e"t and delig t. Some %oems! su" as &T is #imeA Tree Gower (y 5rison!) &Hout and :ge) $12BC*! and &'rost at (idnig t!) mourn t e s%ea-ers6 % ysi"al isolation from t e outside world. <t ers! in"luding &T e .olian Har%!) use images of nature to ex%lore % iloso% i"al and analyti"al ideas. Still ot er %oems! in"luding &T e Eig tingale) $"a. 1712*! sim%ly %raise nature6s beauty. .ven %oems t at don6t dire"tly deal wit nature! in"luding &;ubla ; an) and &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) derive some symbols and images from nature. Eevert eless! Coleridge guarded against t e pathetic fallacy! or t e attribution of uman feeling to t e natural world. To Coleridge! nature "ontained an innate! "onstant 7oyousness w olly se%arate from t e u%s and downs of uman ex%erien"e.
Prayer

:lt oug Coleridge6s %rose reveals more of is religious % iloso% i8ing t an is %oetry! @od! C ristianity! and t e a"t of %rayer a%%ear in some form in nearly all of is %oems. T e son of an :ngli"an vi"ar! Coleridge va"illated from su%%orting to "riti"i8ing C ristian tenets and t e C ur" of .ngland. Des%ite is "riti"isms! Coleridge remained defiantly su%%ortive of %rayer! %raising it in is noteboo-s and re%eatedly referen"ing it in is %oems. He on"e told t e novelist

T omas de Iuin"ey t at %rayer demanded su" "lose attention t at it was t e one of t e ardest a"tions of w i" uman earts were "a%able. T e "on"lusion to 5art 1 of Christabel %ortrays C ristabel in %rayer! &a lovely sig t to see) $271*. 9n &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) t e mariner is stri%%ed of is ability to s%ea- as %art of is extreme %unis ment and! "onseFuently! left in"a%able of %raying. &T e 5ains of Slee%) $123B* "ontrasts t e s%ea-er at restful %rayer! in w i" e %rays silently! wit t e s%ea-er at %assionate %rayer! in w i" e battles imaginary demons to %ray aloud. 9n t e sad %oem! &.%ita% ) $12BB*! Coleridge "om%oses an e%ita% for imself! w i" urges %eo%le to %ray for im after e dies. ,at er t an re"ommend a manner or met od of %rayer! Coleridge6s %oems refle"t a wide variety! w i" em% asi8es is belief in t e im%ortan"e of individuality.
Symbols The Sun

Coleridge believed t at symboli" language was t e only a""e%table way of ex%ressing dee% religious trut s and "onsistently em%loyed t e sun as a symbol of @od. 9n &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) Coleridge "om%ares t e sun to &@od6s own ead) $17* and! later! attributes t e first % ase of t e mariner6s %unis ment to t e sun! as it de ydrates t e "rew. :ll told! t is %oem "ontains eleven referen"es to t e sun! many of w i" signify t e C ristian "on"e%tion of a wrat ful! vengeful @od. Gad! troubling t ings a%%en to t e "rew during t e day! w ile smoot sailing and "alm weat er o""ur at nig t! by t e lig t of t e moon. 'reFuently! t e sun stands in for @od6s influen"e and %ower! as well as a symbol of is aut ority. T e setting sun s%urs % iloso% i"al musings! as in &T e .olian Har%!) and t e dan"ing rays of sunlig t re%resent a %inna"le of nature6s beauty! as in &T is #imeATree Gower (y 5rison.)
The Moon

#i-e t e sun! t e moon often symboli8es @od! but t e moon as more %ositive "onnotations t an t e sun. 9n &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) t e sun and t e moon re%resent two sides of t e C ristian @od4 t e sun re%resents t e angry! wrat ful @od! w ereas t e moon re%resents t e benevolent! re%entant @od. :ll told! t e moon a%%ears fourteen times in &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) and generally favorable t ings o""ur during nig t! in "ontrast to t e orrors t at o""ur during t e day. 'or exam%le! t e mariner6s "urse lifts and e returns ome by moonlig t. &De7e"tion4 :n <de) $1232* begins wit an e%ita% about t e new moon and goes on to des"ribe t e beauty of a moonlit nig t! "ontrasting its beauty wit t e s%ea-er6s sorrowful soul. Similarly! &'rost at (idnig t) also %raises t e moon as it illuminates i"i"les on a winter evening and s%urs t e s%ea-er to great t oug t.
Dreams and Dreaming

Coleridge ex%lores dreams and dreaming in is %oetry to "ommuni"ate t e %ower of t e imagination! as well as t e ina""essible "larity of vision. &;ubla ; an) is subtitled &: Jision in a Dream.) :""ording to Coleridge! e fell aslee% w ile reading and dreamed of a marvelous %leasure %ala"e for t e next few ours. D%on awa-ening! e began trans"ribing t e dreamAvision but was soon "alled away/ w en e returned! e wrote out t e fragments t at now "om%rise

&;ubla ; an.) Some "riti"s doubt Coleridge6s story! attributing it to an attem%t at in"reasing t e %oem6s dramati" effe"t. Eevert eless! t e %oem s%ea-s to t e imaginative %ossibilities of t e sub"ons"ious. Dreams usually ave a %leasurable "onnotation! as in &'rost at (idnig t.) T ere! t e s%ea-er! lonely and insomnia" as a " ild at boarding s" ool! "omforts imself by imagining and t en dreaming of is rural ome. 9n is real life! owever! Coleridge suffered from nig tmares so terrible t at sometimes is own s"reams would wa-e im! a % enomenon e details in &T e 5ains of Slee%.) <%ium %robably gave Coleridge a sense of wellAbeing t at allowed im to slee% wit out t e t reat of nig tmares.
The "ime of the #n$ient Mariner,% Parts I&I' Summary

T ree young men are wal-ing toget er to a wedding! w en one of t em is detained by a gri88led old sailor. T e young 0eddingA@uest angrily demands t at t e (ariner let go of im! and t e (ariner obeys. Gut t e young man is transfixed by t e an"ient (ariner6s &glittering eye) and "an do not ing but sit on a stone and listen to is strange tale. T e (ariner says t at e sailed on a s i% out of is native arbor+)below t e -ir-! below t e ill! K Gelow t e lig t ouse to%)+and into a sunny and " eerful sea. Hearing bassoon musi" drifting from t e dire"tion of t e wedding! t e 0eddingA@uest imagines t at t e bride as entered t e all! but e is still el%less to tear imself from t e (ariner6s story. T e (ariner re"alls t at t e voyage Fui"-ly dar-ened! as a giant storm rose u% in t e sea and " ased t e s i% sout ward. Iui"-ly! t e s i% "ame to a frigid land &of mist and snow!) w ere &i"e! mastA ig ! "ame floating by)/ t e s i% was emmed inside t is ma8e of i"e. Gut t en t e sailors en"ountered an :lbatross! a great sea bird. :s it flew around t e s i%! t e i"e "ra"-ed and s%lit! and a wind from t e sout %ro%elled t e s i% out of t e frigid regions! into a foggy stret" of water. T e :lbatross followed be ind it! a symbol of good lu"- to t e sailors. : %ained loo- "rosses t e (ariner6s fa"e! and t e 0eddingA@uest as-s im! &0 y loo-6st t ou soL) T e (ariner "onfesses t at e s ot and -illed t e :lbatross wit is "rossbow. :t first! t e ot er sailors were furious wit t e (ariner for aving -illed t e bird t at made t e bree8es blow. Gut w en t e fog lifted soon afterward! t e sailors de"ided t at t e bird ad a"tually broug t not t e bree8es but t e fog/ t ey now "ongratulated t e (ariner on is deed. T e wind %us ed t e s i% into a silent sea w ere t e sailors were Fui"-ly stranded/ t e winds died down! and t e s i% was &:s idle as a %ainted s i% K D%on a %ainted o"ean.) T e o"ean t i"-ened! and t e men ad no water to drin-/ as if t e sea were rotting! slimy "reatures "rawled out of it and wal-ed a"ross t e surfa"e. :t nig t! t e water burned green! blue! and w ite wit deat fire. Some of t e sailors dreamed t at a s%irit! nine fat oms dee%! followed t em beneat t e s i% from t e land of mist and snow. T e sailors blamed t e (ariner for t eir %lig t and ung t e "or%se of t e :lbatross around is ne"- li-e a "ross. : weary time %assed/ t e sailors be"ame so %ar" ed! t eir mout s so dry! t at t ey were unable to s%ea-. Gut one day! ga8ing westward! t e (ariner saw a tiny s%e"- on t e ori8on. 9t resolved into a s i%! moving toward t em. Too dryAmout ed to s%ea- out and inform t e ot er sailors! t e (ariner bit down on is arm/ su"-ing t e blood! e was able to moisten is tongue enoug to "ry

out! &: sailM a sailM) T e sailors smiled! believing t ey were saved. Gut as t e s i% neared! t ey saw t at it was a g ostly! s-eletal ull of a s i% and t at its "rew in"luded two figures4 Deat and t e Eig tAmare #ifeAinADeat ! w o ta-es t e form of a %ale woman wit golden lo"-s and red li%s! and &t i"-s man6s blood wit "old.) Deat and #ifeAinADeat began to t row di"e! and t e woman won! w ereu%on s e w istled t ree times! "ausing t e sun to sin- to t e ori8on! t e stars to instantly emerge. :s t e moon rose! " ased by a single star! t e sailors dro%%ed dead one by one+all ex"e%t t e (ariner! w om ea" sailor "ursed &wit is eye) before dying. T e souls of t e dead men lea%t from t eir bodies and rus ed by t e (ariner. T e 0eddingA@uest de"lares t at e fears t e (ariner! wit is glittering eye and is s-inny and. T e (ariner reassures t e 0eddingA@uest t at t ere is no need for dread/ e was not among t e men w o died! and e is a living man! not a g ost. :lone on t e s i%! surrounded by two undred "or%ses! t e (ariner was surrounded by t e slimy sea and t e slimy "reatures t at "rawled a"ross its surfa"e. He tried to %ray but was deterred by a &wi"-ed w is%er) t at made is eart &as dry as dust.) He "losed is eyes! unable to bear t e sig t of t e dead men! ea" of w o glared at im wit t e mali"e of t eir final "urse. 'or seven days and seven nig ts t e (ariner endured t e sig t! and yet e was unable to die. :t last t e moon rose! "asting t e great s adow of t e s i% a"ross t e waters/ w ere t e s i%6s s adow tou" ed t e waters! t ey burned red. T e great water sna-es moved t roug t e silvery moonlig t! glittering/ blue! green! and bla"-! t e sna-es "oiled and swam and be"ame beautiful in t e (ariner6s eyes. He blessed t e beautiful "reatures in is eart/ at t at moment! e found imself able to %ray! and t e "or%se of t e :lbatross fell from is ne"-! sin-ing &li-e lead into t e sea.)
Form

&T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner) is written in loose! s ort ballad stan8as usually eit er four or six lines long but! o""asionally! as many as nine lines long. T e meter is also somew at loose! but odd lines are generally tetrameter! w ile even lines are generally trimeter. $T ere are ex"e%tions4 9n a fiveAline stan8a! for instan"e! lines one! t ree! and four are li-ely to ave four a""ented syllables+tetrameter+w ile lines two and five ave t ree a""ented syllables.* T e r ymes generally alternate in an :G:G or :G:G:G s" eme! t oug again t ere are many ex"e%tions/ t e nineAline stan8a in 5art 999! for instan"e! r ymes ::GCCGDDG. (any stan8as in"lude "ou%lets in t is way+fiveAline stan8as! for exam%le! are r ymed :GCCG! often wit an internal r yme in t e first line! or :G::G! wit out t e internal r yme.
Commentary

&T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner) is uniFue among Coleridge6s im%ortant wor-s+ uniFue in its intentionally ar" ai" language $&.ftsoons is and dro%s e)*! its lengt ! its bi8arre moral narrative! its strange s" olarly notes %rinted in small ty%e in t e margins! its t emati" ambiguity! and t e long #atin e%igra% t at begins it! "on"erning t e multitude of un"lassifiable &invisible "reatures) t at in abit t e world. 9ts %e"uliarities ma-e it Fuite aty%i"al of its era/ it as little in "ommon wit ot er ,omanti" wor-s. ,at er! t e s" olarly notes! t e e%igra% ! and t e ar" ai" language "ombine to %rodu"e t e im%ression $intended by Coleridge! no doubt* t at t e &,ime) is a ballad of an"ient times $li-e &Sir 5atri"- S%en"e!) w i" a%%ears in &De7e"tion4 :n <de)*! re%rinted wit ex%lanatory notes for a new audien"e.

Gut t e ex%lanatory notes "om%li"ate! rat er t an "larify! t e %oem as a w ole/ w ile t ere are times t at t ey ex%lain some unarti"ulated a"tion! t ere are also times t at t ey inter%ret t e material of t e %oem in a way t at seems at odds wit ! or irrelevant to! t e %oem itself. 'or instan"e! in 5art 99! we find a note regarding t e s%irit t at followed t e s i% nine fat oms dee%4 &one of t e invisible in abitants of t is %lanet! neit er de%arted souls nor angels/ "on"erning w om t e learned ?ew! ?ose% us! and t e 5latoni" Constantino%olitan! (i" ael 5sellus! may be "onsulted.) 0 at mig t Coleridge mean by introdu"ing su" figures as &t e 5latoni" Constantino%olitan! (i" ael 5sellus!) into t e %oem! as marginalia! and by im%lying t at t e verse itself s ould be inter%reted t roug imL T is is a Fuestion t at as %u88led s" olars sin"e t e first %ubli"ation of t e %oem in t is form. $9nterestingly! t e original version of t e &,ime!) in t e 1717 edition of Lyrical Ballads, did not in"lude t e side notes.* T ere is "ertainly an element of umor in Coleridge6s s" olarly glosses +a bit of %arody aimed at t e writers of serious glosses of t is ty%e/ su" % rases as &5latoni" Constantino%olitan) seem "ons"iously silly. 9t "an be argued t at t e glosses are sim%ly an amusing irrelevan"y designed to ma-e t e %oem seem ar" ai" and t at t e truly im%ortant text is t e %oem itself+in its "om%li"ated! often C ristian symbolism! in its moral lesson $t at &all "reatures great and small) were "reated by @od and s ould be loved! from t e :lbatross to t e slimy sna-es in t e rotting o"ean* and in its " ara"ters. 9f one a""e%ts t is argument! one is fa"ed wit t e tas- of dis"overing t e -ey to Coleridge6s symbolism4 w at does t e :lbatross re%resent! w at do t e s%irits re%resent! and so fort . Criti"s ave made many ingenious attem%ts to do 7ust t at and ave found in t e &,ime) a number of interesting readings! ranging from C ristian %arable to %oliti"al allegory. Gut t ese inter%retations are dam%ened by t e fa"t t at none of t em $wit t e %ossible ex"e%tion of t e C ristian reading! mu" of w i" is "ertainly intended by t e %oem* seems essential to t e story itself. <ne "an a""e%t t ese inter%retations of t e %oem only if one disregards t e glosses almost "om%letely. : more interesting! t oug still Fuestionable! reading of t e %oem maintains t at Coleridge intended it as a "ommentary on t e ways in w i" %eo%le inter%ret t e lessons of t e %ast and t e ways in w i" t e %ast is! to a large extent! sim%ly un-nowable. Gy filling is ar" ai" ballad wit elaborate symbolism t at "annot be de"i% ered in any single! definitive way and t en framing t at symbolism wit side notes t at %i"- at it and offer a ig ly t eoreti"al s%iritualAs"ientifi" inter%retation of its "lassifi"ations! Coleridge "reates tension between t e ambiguous %oem and t e unambiguousAbutAridi"ulous notes! ex%osing a gulf between t e &old) %oem and t e &new) attem%t to understand it. T e message would be t at! t oug "ertain moral lessons from t e %ast are still "om%re ensible+) e livet best w o lovet best) is not ard to understand+ ot er as%e"ts of its narratives are less easily gras%ed. 9n any event! t is first segment of t e %oem ta-es t e (ariner t roug t e worst of is trials and s ows! in a"tion! t e lesson t at will be ex%li"itly arti"ulated in t e se"ond segment. T e (ariner -ills t e :lbatross in bad fait ! sub7e"ting imself to t e ostility of t e for"es t at govern t e universe $t e very unAC ristianAseeming s%irit beneat t e sea and t e orrible #ifeAinADeat *. 9t is un"lear ow t ese for"es are meant to relate to one anot er+w et er t e #ifeAinADeat is in

league wit t e submerged s%irit or w et er t eir simultaneous a%%earan"e is sim%ly a "oin"iden"e. :fter earning is "urse! t e (ariner is able to gain a""ess to t e favor of @od+able to regain is ability to %ray+only by reali8ing t at t e monsters around im are beautiful in @od6s eyes and t at e s ould love t em as e s ould ave loved t e :lbatross. 9n t e final t ree boo-s of t e %oem! t e (ariner6s en"ounter wit a Hermit will s%ell out t is message ex%li"itly! and t e reader will learn w y t e (ariner as sto%%ed t e 0eddingA@uest to tell im t is story.
(The "ime of the #n$ient Mariner,% Parts '&'II Summary

T e (ariner "ontinues telling is story to t e 0eddingA@uest. 'ree of t e "urse of t e :lbatross! t e (ariner was able to slee%! and as e did so! t e rains "ame! dren" ing im. T e moon bro-e t roug t e "louds! and a ost of s%irits entered t e dead men6s bodies! w i" began to move about and %erform t eir old sailors6 tas-s. T e s i% was %ro%elled forward as t e (ariner 7oined in t e wor-. T e 0eddingA@uest de"lares again t at e is afraid of t e (ariner! but t e (ariner tells im t at t e men6s bodies were in abited by blessed s%irits! not "ursed souls. :t dawn! t e bodies "lustered around t e mast! and sweet sounds rose u% from t eir mout s+t e sounds of t e s%irits leaving t eir bodies. T e s%irits flew around t e s i%! singing. T e s i% "ontinued to surge forward until noon! driven by t e s%irit from t e land of mist and snow! nine fat oms dee% in t e sea. :t noon! owever! t e s i% sto%%ed! t en began to move ba"-ward and forward as if it were tra%%ed in a tug of war. 'inally! it bro-e free! and t e (ariner fell to t e de"- wit t e 7olt of sudden a""eleration. He eard two disembodied voi"es in t e air/ one as-ed if e was t e man w o ad -illed t e :lbatross! and t e ot er de"lared softly t at e ad done %enan"e for is "rime and would do more %enan"e before all was re"tified. 9n dialogue! t e two voi"es dis"ussed t e situation. T e moon over%owered t e sea! t ey said! and enabled t e s i% to move/ an angeli" %ower moved t e s i% nort ward at an astonis ingly ra%id %a"e. 0 en t e (ariner awo-e from is tran"e! e saw t e dead men standing toget er! loo-ing at im. Gut a bree8e rose u% and %ro%elled t e s i% ba"- to its native "ountry! ba"- to t e (ariner6s ome/ e re"ogni8ed t e -ir-! t e ill! and t e lig t ouse. :s t ey neared t e bay! sera% s+figures made of %ure lig t+ste%%ed out of t e "or%ses of t e sailors! w i" fell to t e de"-. .a" sera% waved at t e (ariner! w o was %owerfully moved. Soon! e eard t e sound of oars/ t e 5ilot! t e 5ilot6s son! and t e oly Hermit were rowing out toward im. T e (ariner o%ed t at t e Hermit "ould s rive $absolve* im of is sin! was ing t e blood of t e :lbatross off is soul. T e Hermit! a oly man w o lived in t e woods and loved to tal- to mariners from strange lands! ad en"ouraged t e 5ilot and is son not to be afraid and to row out to t e s i%. Gut as t ey rea" ed t e (ariner6s s i%! it san- in a sudden w irl%ool! leaving t e (ariner afloat and t e 5ilot6s rowboat s%inning in t e wa-e. T e (ariner was loaded aboard t e 5ilot6s s i%! and t e 5ilot6s boy! mad wit terror! laug ed ysteri"ally and de"lared t at t e devil -nows ow to row. <n land! t e (ariner begged t e Hermit to s rive im! and t e Hermit bade t e (ariner tell is

tale. <n"e it was told! t e (ariner was free from t e agony of is guilt. However! t e guilt returned over time and %ersisted until t e (ariner traveled to a new %la"e and told is tale again. T e moment e "omes u%on t e man to w om e is destined to tell is tale! e -nows it! and e as no " oi"e but to relate t e story t en and t ere to is a%%ointed audien"e/ t e 0eddingA@uest is one su" %erson. T e " ur" doors burst o%en! and t e wedding %arty streams outside. T e (ariner de"lares to t e 0eddingA@uest t at e w o loves all @od6s "reatures leads a a%%ier! better life/ e t en ta-es is leave. T e 0eddingA@uest wal-s away from t e %arty! stunned! and awa-es t e next morning &a sadder and a wiser man.)
Form

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is written in loose! s ort ballad stan8as usually eit er four or six lines long but o""asionally as many as nine lines long. T e meter is also somew at loose! but odd lines are generally tetrameter! w ile even lines are generally trimeter. $T ere are ex"e%tions4 9n a fiveAline stan8a! for instan"e! lines one! t ree! and four are li-ely to ave four a""ented syllables+tetrameter+w ile lines two and five ave t ree a""ented syllables.* T e r ymes generally alternate in an :G:G or :G:G:G s" eme! t oug t ere are again many ex"e%tions/ t e nineAline stan8a in 5art 999! for instan"e! r ymes ::GCCGDDG. (any stan8as in"lude "ou%lets in t is way+fiveAline stan8as! for exam%le! are r ymed :GCCG! often wit an internal r yme in t e first line! or :G::G! wit out t e internal r yme.
Commentary

T is se"ond segment of t e &,ime) "on"ludes t e (ariner6s narrative/ ere e meets t e ost of sera% Ali-e s%irits w o $rat er grotesFuely* res"ue is s i% by entering t e "or%ses of t e fallen sailors! and it is ere t at e earns is moral salvation t roug is "onfession to t e Hermit and t e subseFuent "onfessions e must "ontinue to ma-e t roug out is life+in"luding t is one! to t e 0eddingA@uest. T is se"ond segment la"-s mu" of t e bi8arre imagisti" intensity found in t e first se"tion! and t e su%ernatural %owers even begin to seem sym%at eti" $t e submerged s%irit from t e land of mist and snow is now "alled &t e lonesome s%irit) in a side note*. T e more gruesome elements still surfa"e o""asionally! owever/ t e sin-ing of t e s i% and t e insanity of t e 5ilot6s son "ould ave "ome from a dramati"! gritty tale su" as Moby- Dick, and t e sera% s of t e %revious s"ene evo-e su" fantasti"al wor-s as aradise Lost. T e figurative arrangement of t is %oem is "om%li"ated4 one s%ea-er %ronoun"es 7udgments li-e &: sadder and a wiser man K He rose t e morrow morn)/ t e side notes are %resumably written by a s" olar! se%arate from t is first s%ea-er/ inde%endent of t ese two voi"es is t e (ariner! w ose words ma-e u% most of t e %oem/ t e 0eddingA@uest also s%ea-s dire"tly. (oreover! t e various time frames "ombine rat er intri"ately. Coleridge adds to t is "om%lexity at t e start of 5art J9! w en e introdu"es a s ort dramati" dialogue to indi"ate t e "onversation between t e two disembodied voi"es. T is te" niFue! again! influen"ed later writers! su" as (elville! w o often used dramati" dialogues in is eFually "om%li"ated tale of t e sea! Moby-Dick. Here in Coleridge6s %oem! t is dialogue %lunges t e reader suddenly into t e role of t e (ariner! earing t e voi"es around im rat er t an sim%ly earing t em des"ribed. Disorienting te" niFues su"

as t is one are used t roug out t e &,ime) to ensure t at t e %oem never be"omes too abstra"t in its inter%lay between side notes and verse/ t us! owever t eoreti"al t e level of t e %oem6s o%eration! its story remains "om%elling.
()ubla )han% Summary

T e s%ea-er des"ribes t e &stately %leasureAdome) built in Nanadu a""ording to t e de"ree of ;ubla ; an! in t e %la"e w ere :l% ! t e sa"red river! ran &t roug "averns measureless to man K Down to a sunless sea.) 0alls and towers were raised around &twi"e five miles of fertile ground!) filled wit beautiful gardens and forests. : &dee% romanti" " asm) slanted down a green ill! o""asionally s%ewing fort a violent and %owerful burst of water! so great t at it flung boulders u% wit it &li-e rebounding ail.) T e river ran five miles t roug t e woods! finally sin-ing &in tumult to a lifeless o"ean.) :mid t at tumult! in t e %la"e &as oly and en" anted K :s e6er beneat a waning moon was aunted K Gy woman wailing to er demonAlover!) ;ubla eard &an"estral voi"es) bringing %ro% esies of war. T e %leasureAdome6s s adow floated on t e waves! w ere t e mingled sounds of t e fountain and t e "aves "ould be eard. &9t was a mira"le of rare devi"e!) t e s%ea-er says! &: sunny %leasureAdome wit "aves of i"eM) T e s%ea-er says t at e on"e saw a &damsel wit a dul"imer!) an :byssinian maid w o %layed er dul"imer and sang &of (ount :bora.) He says t at if e "ould revive & er sym% ony and song) wit in im! e would rebuild t e %leasureAdome out of musi"! and all w o eard im would "ry &GewareM) of &His flas ing eyes! is floating airM) T e earers would "ir"le im t ri"e and "lose t eir eyes wit & oly dread!) -nowing t at e ad tasted oneydew! &and drunt e mil- of 5aradise.)
Form

T e " antAli-e! musi"al in"antations of &;ubla ; an) result from Coleridge6s masterful use of iambi" tetrameter and alternating r yme s" emes. T e first stan8a is written in tetrameter wit a r yme s" eme of :G::GCCD.D.! alternating between staggered r ymes and "ou%lets. T e se"ond stan8a ex%ands into tetrameter and follows roug ly t e same r yming %attern! also ex%anded+ :G::GCCDD''@@H99H??. T e t ird stan8a tig tens into tetrameter and r ymes :G:GCC. T e fourt stan8a "ontinues t e tetrameter of t e t ird and r ymes :GCCGD.D.'@'''@HH@.
Commentary

:long wit &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner!) &;ubla ; an) is one of Coleridge6s most famous and enduring %oems. T e story of its "om%osition is also one of t e most famous in t e istory of .nglis %oetry. :s t e %oet ex%lains in t e s ort %refa"e to t is %oem! e ad fallen aslee% after ta-ing &an anodyne) %res"ribed &in "onseFuen"e of a slig t dis%osition) $t is is a eu% emism for o%ium! to w i" Coleridge was -nown to be addi"ted*. Gefore falling aslee%! e ad been reading a story in w i" ;ubla ; an "ommanded t e building of a new %ala"e/

Coleridge "laims t at w ile e sle%t! e ad a fantasti" vision and "om%osed simultaneously+ w ile slee%ing+some two or t ree undred lines of %oetry! &if t at indeed "an be "alled "om%osition in w i" all t e images rose u% before im as t ings! wit a %arallel %rodu"tion of t e "orres%ondent ex%ressions! wit out any sensation or "ons"ious effort.) 0a-ing after about t ree ours! t e %oet sei8ed a %en and began writing furiously/ owever! after "o%ying down t e first t ree stan8as of is dreamt %oem+t e first t ree stan8as of t e "urrent %oem as we -now it+ e was interru%ted by a &%erson on business from 5orlo"-!) w o detained im for an our. :fter t is interru%tion! e was unable to re"all t e rest of t e vision or t e %oetry e ad "om%osed in is o%ium dream. 9t is t oug t t at t e final stan8a of t e %oem! t emati8ing t e idea of t e lost vision t roug t e figure of t e &damsel wit a dul"imer) and t e mil- of 5aradise! was written %ostAinterru%tion. T e mysterious %erson from 5orlo"- is one of t e most notorious and enigmati" figures in Coleridge6s biogra% y/ no one -nows w o e was or w y e disturbed t e %oet or w at e wanted or! indeed! w et er any of Coleridge6s story is a"tually true. Gut t e %erson from 5orlo"- as be"ome a meta% or for t e mali"ious interru%tions t e world t rows in t e way of ins%iration and genius! and &;ubla ; an!) strange and ambiguous as it is! as be"ome w at is %er a%s t e definitive statement on t e obstru"tion and t warting of t e visionary genius. ,egrettably! t e story of t e %oem6s "om%osition! w ile t emati"ally ri" in and of itself! often overs adows t e %oem %ro%er! w i" is one of Coleridge6s most aunting and beautiful. T e first t ree stan8as are %rodu"ts of %ure imagination4 T e %leasureAdome of ;ubla ; an is not a useful meta% or for anyt ing in %arti"ular $t oug in t e "ontext of t e %oem6s istory! it be"omes a meta% or for t e unbuilt monument of imagination*/ owever! it is a fantasti"ally %rodigious des"ri%tive a"t. T e %oem be"omes es%e"ially evo"ative w en! after t e se"ond stan8a! t e meter suddenly tig tens/ t e resulting lines are terse and solid! almost beating out t e sound of t e war drums $&T e s adow of t e dome of %leasure K 'loated midway on t e waves...)*. T e fourt stan8a states t e t eme of t e %oem as a w ole $t oug &;ubla ; an) is almost im%ossible to "onsider as a unified w ole! as its %arts are so s ar%ly divided*. T e s%ea-er says t at e on"e ad a vision of t e damsel singing of (ount :bora/ t is vision be"omes a meta% or for Coleridge6s vision of t e B33A undredAline master%ie"e e never "om%leted. T e s%ea-er insists t at if e "ould only &revive) wit in im & er sym% ony and song!) e would re"reate t e %leasureAdome out of musi" and words! and ta-e on t e %ersona of t e magi"ian or visionary. His earers would re"ogni8e t e dangerous %ower of t e vision! w i" would manifest itself in is &flas ing eyes) and &floating air.) Gut! awestru"-! t ey would nonet eless dutifully ta-e %art in t e ritual! re"ogni8ing t at & e on oneyAdew at fed! K :nd drun- t e mil- of 5aradise.) Study Iuestions 1. Coleridge writes freFuently about " ildren! but! unli-e ot er ,omanti" %oets! e writes about is own " ildren more often t an e writes about imself as a " ild. 0it %arti"ular referen"e to &'rost at (idnig t) and &T e Eig tingale!) ow "an Coleridge6s attitude toward " ildren best be " ara"teri8edL How does t is attitude relate to is larger ideas of nature and t e imaginationL

#i-e 0ordswort ! Coleridge is w olly "onvin"ed of t e beauty and desirability of t e individual6s "onne"tion wit nature. Dnli-e 0ordswort ! owever! Coleridge does not seem to believe t at t e " ild automati"ally en7oys t is %rivileged "onne"tion. T e " ild6s unity wit t e natural world is not innate/ it is fragile and "an be stunted or destroyed/ for exam%le! if a " ild grows u% in t e "ity! as Coleridge did! is idea of natural loveliness will be Fuite limited $in Coleridge6s "ase! it is limited to t e nig t s-y! as e des"ribes in &'rost at (idnig t)*. Coleridge fervently o%es t at is " ildren will en7oy a " ild ood among t e beauties of nature! w i" will nurture t eir imaginations $by giving to t eir s%irits! it will ma-e t eir s%irits as- for more* and s a%e t eir souls. 2. (any of Coleridge6s %oems+in"luding &'rost at (idnig t!) &T e Eig tingale!) and &De7e"tion4 :n <de)+a" ieve t eir effe"t t roug t e evo"ation of a dramati" s"ene in w i" t e s%ea-er imself is situated. How does Coleridge des"ribe a s"ene sim%ly by tra"ing is s%ea-er6s t oug tsL How does e imbue t e s"ene wit a sense of immedia"yL Coleridge utili8es sim%le and effi"ient met ods to s-et" is s"enes+in &'rost at (idnig t!) for instan"e! e o%ens is %oem wit is s%ea-er ex%li"itly "ontem%lating t e s"enery outside/ e uses a similar te" niFue in &T e Eig tingale.) 9n bot %oems! t e natural ob7e"ts t at t e s%ea-er des"ribes %rom%t is t oug ts in ot er dire"tions. Coleridge maintains is s"enes6 sense of immedia"y by aving is s%ea-ers be interru%ted or startled by somet ing a%%ening around t em/ t is te" niFue serves to wren" t e reader ba"- from t e s%ea-er6s abstra"t t oug ts to t e living! % ysi"al world of t e %oem. T e startling or disru%tive elements often ta-e t e form of sounds! su" as t e owl6s ooting in &'rost) and t e nig tingale6s singing in &Eig tingale.) B. How does Coleridge6s %oetry differ from t e ,omanti" ar" ety%e arti"ulated by 0ordswort in t e %refa"e to Lyrical BalladsL How does it resemble t at ar" ety%eL C. 0 at are some of t e ways in w i" we "an inter%ret t e %e"uliarities of &T e ,ime of t e :n"ient (ariner)+t e ar" aisms! t e side notes! et".L 0 i" inter%retation seems most "onvin"ingL 0 yL =. 9n many ways! &;ubla ; an) is a %oem w ose inter%retation de%ends on a -nowledge of events t at o""urred outside of t e %oem itself. How does t e story of t e %erson from 5orlo"affe"t t e ways in w i" t e %oem "an be understoodL 9s it %ossible to find any signifi"an"e in &;ubla ; an) wit out -nowledge of Coleridge6s o%ium dreamL >. Coleridge is often des"ribed as a &%oet of t e imagination.) 0 at does t is a%%ellation meanL 0 at role does imagination %lay in Coleridge6s wor-! bot as a sour"e and as a sub7e"tL 7. How does Coleridge "reate meta% ors from natural ob7e"ts and s"enesL How does t is %ra"ti"e su%%ort or "onfli"t wit is ex%li"it o%inions about t e uman tenden"y to im%ose our feelings u%on nature! as in &T e Eig tingale)L