Samuel Taylor Coleridge Flashcards
What’s Coleridge’s most famous poem?
“The time of the ancient mariner”.
It’s a long poem, divided into 7 parts, each one introduced by a brief summary of the story so far.
It was included in the first edition of “The Lyrical Ballads”.
In his later edition he added notes to the margins, to warn readers about the allegories of the work. The poem is highly simbolic
What was the mariner’s reason for killing the albatross?
It remains a mistery, but there are several interpretations:
1. Killing the albatross separates the mariner from the community, the environment and the logical chain of cause and effect. He must bear the burden of his guilt for the rest of his life. He is condemned to tell his story to people to teach them to respect and love all natural creatures.
2. Allegory for the man’s fall, from punishment to final redemption.
3. See-Voyage as a metaphor for the life itself. It’s a spiritual journey, from death to rebirth.
4. Inherent conflict between man and nature. The act of the mariner is unnatural, and it could be seen as a metaphor for the man constantly trying to overcome the limits of natural laws. This act alters the nature, creating an imbalance. The mariner’s perpetual retelling of the story acquires the symbolic value of a perpetual returning to the act.
5. Exploration and colonialism. It’s a recent interpretation that sees the poem as an allegory of British sailors who exploited with violence friendly nature. The albatross could be seen as a metaphor for the betrayal of trust
What are the stylistic features of “The time of the ancient mariner”?
It’s in the form of a medieval ballad, with an archaic language.
Wide use of sound effects, such as rhymes, similes, alliterations, repetitions, personifications.
The realistic and the supernatural coexist in a mysterious, dream-like and almost magical atmosphere
Why did Coleridge enter the British Army?
Because he contracted debts, caused by his licentious life
What’s the turning point in Coleridge’s career?
The turning point is represented by the meeting with Wordsworth
Why did Coleridge use opium?
Coleridge suffered from rheumatism and found relief from pain in opium, and he became addicted.
His opium addiction drove him apart from his wife, compromised the friendship with Wordsworth and also had a negative effect on his creativity
Where did Coleridge study?
He was son of a clergyman and headmaster of a grammar school. He was a precocious child.
Before 20, he entered the University of Cambridge, but he soon turned away his studies.
