On 21st day of this month in 1772 the English poet and critic Samuel Taylor Coleridge (died 25 July 1834) was born. Along with his friend William Wordsworth he was a founder member of the Romantic movement and was also one of the Lake Poets. His most well-known poems include Khubla Kahn and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner‘. His acclaimed critical work about William Shakespeare was highly instrumental for introducing German Idealist philosophy to English-speaking culture.
Coleridge also introduced many well coined expressions such as ‘suspension of disbelief’ and had an influence of American Transcendentalism. He suffered a lot from anxiety and depression and may have been an undiagnosed bipolar sufferer in his adult life. This coupled with bouts of physical illness – the aftermath of rheumatic fever and other childhood illness led to his eventual dependency and addiction to Opium. Kublah Kahn, Coleridge claimed was written as a response to an opium dream.
Coleridge also wrote lots of ‘conversation poems’ The Eolian Harp’ 1795, ‘Reflections on having left a place of retirement’ 1795 ‘This Lime Tree Bower my Prison’ 1797, ‘Frost at Midnight’ 1798, ‘Fears in Solitude’ 1798, ‘The Nightingale: A conversation poem’ 1798 and ‘Dejection: An Ode’ 1802.
To get a more detailed idea of Coleridge, the man, his work and his contribution to Romanticism, you really must visit the fabulous website known as ‘Her Aeolian Harp‘. There you can indulge in poetry and humanities dedicated to Romanticism with beautiful videos.
Video by Her Aeolian Harp with thanks!
More about this interesting poet from here
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