Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Definition

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, literary critic, and philosopher who played a pivotal role in the Romantic movement during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His works often drew on themes from medieval literature, reflecting a fascination with the past, folklore, and the supernatural, which connects to the broader trend of medievalism in Romantic and Victorian literature.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Coleridge is best known for his influential poems such as 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Kubla Khan,' which highlight his imaginative use of language and imagery.
2. His collaboration with William Wordsworth on 'Lyrical Ballads' marked a significant shift in poetry from classical to Romantic ideals, focusing on nature and human experience.
3. Coleridge's fascination with dreams and the subconscious is evident in his works, reflecting Romantic values that explore deeper emotional truths.
4. His critical writings on literature, especially regarding imagination and creativity, laid the groundwork for modern literary criticism and theory.
5. Coleridge often drew inspiration from medieval legends, folklore, and Gothic elements, making him a key figure in the medievalist revival during the Romantic era.

Review Questions

• How did Samuel Taylor Coleridge's works reflect the principles of Romanticism?
  • Coleridge's works embody the principles of Romanticism through their emphasis on emotion, imagination, and nature. In poems like 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,' he explores deep emotional experiences and a connection to nature while utilizing vivid imagery. His focus on individual experience and subjective perception aligns closely with Romantic ideals that prioritize personal feeling over reason.
• Discuss the significance of 'Lyrical Ballads' in relation to Coleridge's impact on Romantic literature.
  • 'Lyrical Ballads,' co-authored by Coleridge and Wordsworth, is significant as it marked a transformative moment in English poetry by breaking away from traditional forms and themes. This collection emphasized ordinary experiences and everyday language, making poetry accessible to a broader audience. Coleridge's contributions to this work helped establish key themes within Romantic literature, such as nature's beauty and the exploration of human emotion.
• Evaluate Coleridge's contributions to medievalism in literature and how they influenced later writers.
  • Coleridge's contributions to medievalism can be seen through his use of Gothic elements, folklore, and themes from medieval literature that permeate his poetry. By intertwining these elements into his works, he sparked an interest in medieval culture that influenced later writers such as Tennyson and Browning. His unique blend of romantic imagination with medieval themes opened new avenues for exploring historical narratives within literature, encouraging subsequent generations to delve into the past creatively.

Related terms

Romanticism:

An artistic and intellectual movement that emphasized emotion, individualism, and the beauty of nature, often contrasting with the rationalism of the Enlightenment.

Lyrical Ballads: A collection of poems published by Coleridge and William Wordsworth in 1798, considered a landmark work that helped to launch the English Romantic movement.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: A poem by Coleridge that combines elements of the supernatural and moral lessons, illustrating his interest in medieval themes and storytelling.