The Well-Educated Mind Poetry: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

1772-1834

English, Romantic Poet

Well-Educated Mind: Poetry

Selected Poetry:

"Christabel"

"Kubla Khan"

"Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

"Dejection: An Ode"

"The Eolian Harp"

"The Lime-Tree Bower My Prison"

⭐⭐⭐

WHO WAS COLERIDGE?

From an early age, Samuel Taylor Coleridge was fascinated by the stories he read in books, including Shakespeare, Arabian Nights, and Robinson Crusoe. He was taught that poetry was as "severe as science" -- even more so because it was "more difficult, more subtle, and more complex." I personally agree!

While at college to become a clergyman, as his father had desired, his own views about religion were challenged. He left school and met a friend whom he planned to start a utopian commune in Pennsylvania, where government would be equally run by all, which was kind of redundant since early America was already a place for government "of..., for..., and by the people." 

Coleridge also married a woman he did not love as part of the commune plan; but he was miserable because he actually loved a different woman, who was engaged to another man. Meanwhile, Coleridge's utopia-planning partner switched gears and left Coleridge high and dry. Therefore, he had nothing more to do but start writing poetry. That is usually how these things happen.

But it was just as well because he met William Wordsworth, who greatly influenced him, and from there his poetry flowed into a very natural style. The two poets worked so closely together that it is said they are the beginning of the Romantic period in poetry. 

Coleridge also had interests in philosophy, politics, and religion, some of which had found its way into his writings and poetry. Unfortunately, he was of poor health and sadly became addicted to opium. He also  struggled with debt. He died at the age of 62 in London. 

MY BRIEF OPINE

As part of The Well-Educated Mind Poetry section, Susan Wise Bauer suggested selections to read, which I completed. I took notes while I read, and I have since lost those notes. I tend to write on scrap paper and then leave it on my desk. But this was over six weeks ago or more, and I no longer know where that scrap paper is. My guess is it is in a recycle bin somewhere in Hillsborough County. 

So...I will try to remember something. 

The ones I liked to read were "Kubla Khan," and "Dejection." I mostly had no idea what he was saying, but the language was very beautiful. I only read them once through, and some of them I looked at analysis because I was really lost -- like with "Christabel" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

With poetry, it is necessary to read through poems numerous times and do get analysis, if one is stuck. But I have two issues: one, is time, and I am just reading them once to expose myself; and two, I am eager to get to more current poets, like Longfellow, Tennyson, and Whitman. I may encounter the same problem with them, but I do not know. Poetry is my least favorite of TWEM genre, besides science. It is like reading a foreign language, and it can be very frustrating. 

The next poet to review: John Keats.