Coleridge Dejection and Eolian Harps

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Coleridge, Dejection, and Eolian Harps

Gary Weissman '90 (English 32, 9!!"

The Romantic image of the Aeolian lute that appears in "Dejection: An Ode" also appears in

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Eolian arp" !#$%& The Aeolian lute and the Eolian harp arenames for the same instrument( )hich produces music )hen the )ind *lo)s on its musicalchords +oth poems are in first,person( and the narrator's -oice is clearly that of the poet The t)opoems use the same imagery. the *ree/e represents the creati-e po)er of nature acting as a musefor the poet( and the harp represents the poet )ho responds to nature *y creating poetryColeridge )onders a*out his indi-iduality in "The Eolian arp(" as0ing )hat if he is only anotherharp treated *y nature in the same )ay as all other harps

The 1uestion of the poet's relation to nature arises in the ode as )ell Coleridge suppliessome)hat of an ans)er in his later poem )hen he )rites( in effect( that each Eolian harp gi-esand ta0es differently from nature o)e-er( Coleridge( ha-ing figured this( finds himself faced

)ith a ne) dilemma( also e2pressed figurati-ely )ith the image of the harp 3n "Dejection: AnOde" the harp's music reflects Coleridges dejection )ith ra0es and moans ")hich *etter far )eremute"

The solution to the current pro*lem in each poem is found( to some degree( outside the poet( inthe silent audience the poet addresses Coleridge turns to Sara 4ric0er in the earlier poem( andlater to Sara utchinson( lea-ing *oth poems some)hat open,ended The solution offered in thepoems is that the pro*lem itself is an egotistical one( and that Coleridge must thin0 of someoneelse to gain a )ider perspecti-e and relie-e himself of the dilemma

Cycles in #ennyson and Coleridge

Gary Weissman '90 (English 32, 9!!"

The 5ady of the 5a0e catches E2cali*ur )hen +edi-ere thro)s the s)ord into the )ater( in "The6assing of Arthur" !788,7%$& *y Alfred( 5ord Tennyson The returning of the s)ord to the la0econcludes the cycle that *egan )hen 9ing Arthur first too0 it from the )ater

3n "Dejection: An Ode" Coleridge also emphasi/es the cycle of nature gi-ing to man and mangi-ing *ac0 to nature onetheless( Tennyson's epic poem ta0es a much different form thanColeridge's ode( *ut *oth )or0s seriously address the struggle of the indi-idual to restore order ina situation of chaos *y coming to terms )ith nature This coming to terms ta0es the form ofrecogni/ing and fulfilling a cycle of gi-ing and ta0ing from nature Coleridge plays the part of*oth 9ing Arthur and +edi-ere. he is li0e Arthur in that his health and happiness are passinga)ay( and li0e +edi-ere *ecause( *y means of )riting the ode( he gi-es *ac0 to nature(sym*olically thro)ing E2cali*ur *ac0 in the la0e
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#heme and $%&ject in $am%el #aylor Coleridge

Age and ;outh The Agony of 6enance in "Rime of the Ancient


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#he gony o enance in /ime o the ncient 1ariner (lines

4!254!4"

6en Herndon, English 32, 9!9

The mariner in Coleridge's poem( )e find( has *een condemned to retell his story to anyone hecan ma0e listen Constantly reciting this tale of sin is an "agony" )hich )ill not *e relie-ed untilthe story has *een completely told hether this penance )as placed on him from )ithin or from)ithout is uncertain( *ut o*-ious is the fact that in order to purge the sin from his system( he feltcompelled to tell his story

This penance could -ery )ell *e the same moti-ation for 6ip's retelling of his childhood from the-antage point of a later stage in life 4or 6ip( the protagonist and narrator of Great Epectationse2perienced an e-ent similar to the mariner's shooting of the Al*atross ,, he left his rightful home)ith oe for false e2pectations in the gentlemen's )orld of 5ondon 3ndeed( a certain degree of

guilt follo)ed him throughout the *oo0( )hich( although not e2plicitly stated( may ha-e *eenrelie-ed upon the termination of the final chapter( that is( in the form of the no-el itself 3n these)ays( although their respecti-e literary techni1ues are 1uite different !one a poem( the other ano-el&( the t)o )or0s in 1uestion run parallel courses *oth in terms of su*ject matter and in formColeridge( li0e ords)orth(felt a great loss )ith the "*etrayal" of the re-olutionaries in 4ranceand the Reign of Terror( and spo0e of this metaphorically as a loss of the innocence of idealisticchildhood Dic0ens sa) the despair around him in 5ondon among the poor and the corruption ofthe gentlemen's class and )ondered )hat had happened to their innocence

. Gotta #ell )o% #his7 8 Comp%lsie $torytelling in 7/ime7

and Great Epectations

%lie Cohen '92 (English 32, 9!!"

A feature common to Great Epectations( Waterland( and "The Rime of the Ancient


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These urges arise from a need to *ecome responsi*le for past actions ,, the


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hile Tennyson is dejected o-er the tragic death of his close friend( Coleridge is dejected*ecause he has lost his health( youthful joy( and creati-ity Coleridge considers loss and death onmore personal terms *ecause his o)n life is in 1uestion Tennyson deals )ith a more factual andunchanga*le case of loss and death *ecause allam is literally dead Therefore( the solution *othpoets arri-e at yeild different results Tennyson( *y turning to allam( learns to accept his death

and ma0e due )ith )hat allam has left him in the form of letters and memories of time theyspent together This solution( to some degree( is una-oida*le *ecause it is the most rational andpositi-e )ay of dealing )ith the death of a friend The poem charts Tennyson's arri-al to thissome)hat anticipated conclusion The solution to Coleridge's pro*lem is more comple2 and(indeed( he does not arri-e at a fulfilling ans)er 4or *oth Tennyson and Coleridge the strongestsolutions do not to e2ist )ithin their poems( *ut in the actually )riting of their poems( as if)riting poetry is the *est thera

#he oem as a =ehicle o 1editation in #ennyson and

Coleridge

6eylan >a--a-, '90 (English 32, 9!!"

3n "3n


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3n "9u*la 9han(" Samuel Taylor Coleridge employs a superficially loose and disjointedconstruction )hich is actually carefully designed to trigger associations of imagery that producemental echoes of ju2taposed impressions !"Coleridge's 3ntellectual De*ts"& The lac0 of aconsistent rhyme scheme( the une-en di-ision of stan/as( and the use of iam*ic meter )ith a-arying num*er of feet all contri*ute to a sense of disorientation( )hich in turn facilitates the

process of mental echoing The most important element of this effect( ho)e-er( are the imagesthemsel-es:

+ut ohJ that deep romantic chasm )hich slantedDo)n the green hill ath)art a cedarn co-erJA sa-age placeJ as holy and enchantedAs e'er *eneath a )aning moon )as haunted+y )oman )ailing for her demon lo-erJ !orton >( p 8=F&

3n a mere fi-e lines( Coleridge e-o0es a rush of impressions encompassing such disparatesu*jects as se2( nature( and religion Ina*le to integrate this apposition of imagery rationally( the

conscious mind gi-es )ay to the su*conscious process of association( thus lea-ing the reader)ith a series of fantastic and mysterious impressions that are felt rather than understood

!4ollo) for te2t of poem&

6%&la 6han? ;r, =ision in a Dream< +ragment

The follo)ing fragment is here pu*lished at the re1uest of a poet of pt and deser-ed cele*rity(and( as far as the author's o)n opinions are concerned( rather as a psychological curiosity( than onthe grounds of any supposed poeticmerits

3n the summer of the year #$#( the author( then in ill health( had retired to a lonely farmhouse*et)een 6orloc0 and 5inton( on the E2moor confines of Somerset and De-onshire 3nconse1uence of a slight indisposition( an anodyne had *een prescri*ed( from the effects of )hichhe fell asleep in his chair at the moment that he )as reading the follo)ing sentence( or )ords ofthe same su*stance( in %rchas's ilgrimage: "ere the 9han 9u*la commanded a palace to *e*uilt( and a stately garden thereunto And thus ten miles of fertile ground )ere inclosed )ith a)all" The author continued for a*out three hours in a profound sleep( at least of the e2ternalsenses( during )hich time he has the most -i-id confidence that he could not ha-e composed lessthan from t)o to three hundred lines. if that indeed can *e called composition in )hich all theimages rose up *efore him as things( )ith a parallel production of the correspondent e2pressions()ithout any sensation or consciousness of effort On a)a0ing he appeared to himself to ha-e a

distinct recollection of the )hole( and ta0ing his pen( in0( and paper( instantly and eagerly )rotedo)n the lines that are here preser-ed At this moment he )as unforunately called out *y aperson on *usiness from 6orloc0( and detained *y him a*o-e an hour( and on his return to hisroom( found( to his no small surprise and mortification( that though he still retained some -agueand dim recollection of the general purport of the -ision( yet( )ith the e2ception of some eight orten scattered lines and images( all the rest had passed a)ay li0e the images on the surface of astream into )hich a stone has *een cast( *ut( alasJ )ithout the after restoration of the latterJ
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Then all the charm3s *ro0en ,, all that phantom )orld so fair@anishes( and a thousand circlets spread(And each misshapeBs the other Stay a)hile(6oor youthJ )ho scarcely dar'st lift up thine eyes ,,

The stream )ill soon rene) its smoothness( soonThe -isions )ill returnJ And lo( he stays(And soon the fragments dim of lo-ely formsCome trem*ling *ac0( unite( and no) once moreThe pool *ecomes a mirror

B4rom Coleridge's #he ict%re? or, the loer's /esol%tion,lines $,HH

;et from the still sur-i-ing recollections in his mind( the author has fre1uently purposed to finishfor himself )hat had *een originally( as )ere( gi-en to him B3 shall sing a s)eeter song today:*ut the tomorro) is yet to come As a contrast to this -ision( 3 ha-e anne2ed a fragment of a -ery

different character( descri*ing )ith e1ual fidelity the dream of pain and disease3n Kanadu did 9u*3a 9hanA stately pleasure dome decree:here Alph( the sacred ri-er( ranThrough ca-erns measureless to manDo)n to a sunless seaSo t)ice fi-e miles of fertile groundith )alls and to)ers )ere girdled round:And there )ere gardens *right )ith sinuous rills(here *lossomed many an incense,*earing tree.And here )ere forests ancient as the hills(Enfolding sunny spots of greenery

+ut ohJ that deep romantic chasm )hich slantedDo)n the green hill ath)art a cedarn co-erJA sa-age placeJ as holy and enchantedAs e'er *eneath a )aning moon )as haunted+y )oman )ailing for her demon lo-erJAnd from this chasm( )ith ceaseless turmoil seething(As if this earth in fast thic0 pants )ere *reathing(A mighty fountain momently )as forced:Amid )hose s)ift half,intermitted *urstuge fragments -aulted li0e re*ounding hail(Or chafly grain *eneath the thresher's flail:And Lmid these dancing roc0s at once and e-er3t flung up momently the sacred ri-er4i-e miles meandering )ith a ma/y motionThrough )ood and dale the sacred ri-er ran(Then reached the ca-erns measureless to man(And san0 in tumult to a lifeless ocean:


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And Lmid this tumult 9u*3a heard from farAncestral -oices prophesying )arJThe shado) of the dome of pleasure4loated mid)ay on the )a-es.here )as heard the mingled measure

4rom the fountain and the ca-es3t )as a miracle of rare de-ice(A sunny pleasure dome )ith ca-es of iceJ

A damsel )ith a dulcimer3n a -ision once 3 sa):3t )as an A*yssinian maid(And on her dulcimer she played(Singing of


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Austen( Coleridge( and the e) 6hilsophy

Coleridge's .ntellect%al De&ts

Glenn Eerett, ssociate roessor o English, @niersity o #ennessee at 1artin

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's greatest intellectual de*ts )ere first to illiam ?od)in's 6oliticalustice( especially during his 6antisocratic period( and to Da-id artley's ;&serations on 1an()hich is the source of the psychology )hich )e find in "4rost at


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a plan to li-e in a utopian community !modeled on ?od)in's ideas of such a community& )ithele-en other gentlemen and their )i-es in the )ilds of 6ennsyl-ania Shelley( as )ell( )asinfluenced in no small fashion *y ?od)in. ?od)in's daughter *ecame his )ife and editor?od)in's influence is also e-ident in "


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hen Coleridge )rote this poem( he had just seen the first four stan/as of ords)orth's"3mmortality" ode o) does it respond to that poem ust glancing at the titles( )e see that onepoem is a*out intimations of immortality recalled from childhood and the other a*out mentaldepression here do the poems touch o) much agreement and disagreement a*out the natureof poetic perception do you find

> 3f ")e recei-e *ut )hat )e gi-e" and the spea0er "may not hope from out)ard forms to )inGThe passion and the life( )hose fountains are )ithin(" is there any hope for him Does anything)ithin the poem suggest a solution

8 Some readers feel that although parts of this ode are *rilliant( it does not achie-e artistic unity,,e-en in comparison )ith "9u*la 9han" Do you agree

F This poem )as condensed for pu*lication from -erse letter to Sara utchinson( ords)orth'ssister,in,la)( )ith )hom Coleridge )as in lo-e Composed in 7H>( it is almost the last greatpoem that he )rote( and in it he *emoans the loss of his creati-e po)ers is pro*lem )as an

opium addiction )hich he could not sha0e and for )hich he felt *oth self,pity and enormousguilt !At the time( laudanum )as as readily a-aila*le as aspirin and used for such minordiscomforts as headaches and dyspepsia& Coleridge )ent out of his )ay to o*scure these*iographical facts Does the poem need a conte2t( or )as he right

$t%dent Commentary on the oem

Coleridge( Dejection( and Eolian arps The ope in ature,as,( p 8#%&
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4or Coleridge( *eauty truly lies in the eye of the *eholder Infortunately( his misery is of such anintensity that it has *ecome self,perpetuating( )ith Coleridge *ecoming depressed *ecause of hisdepression 3ne2trica*ly caught in the throes of utter gloom( Coleridge cannot ma0e the mentalshift necessary to shed nature's "shroud" and don her ")edding garment" 3nstead( Coleridge mustcomfort himself )ith the happiness of Sara utchinson( )riting of the )oman he lo-es( "To her

may all things li-e( from pole to pole( G Their life the eddying of her li-ing soulJ" !orton >( p8#7&

3n "5ines Composed a 4e)


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That in this moment there is life and food4or 4ITIRE years

+ut this re, -isiting turns out not to *e a simple recharging of his esthetic *atteries Time haspassed( and he has changed Try to summari/e line %%,H: )hat has he lost( and )hat is the

"a*undant recompense" for that loss

F "3 ha-e learnedG To loo0 on nature( not as in the hourG Of thoughtless youth. *ut hearingoftentimesG The still sad music of humanity " e loo0s on nature and hears the music ofhumanity o) hat are the intermediate steps in this association hat is that music

= "Romantic )riters( though nature poets( )ere humanists a*o-e all( for they dealt )ith the non,human only insofar as it is the occasion for the acti-ity )hich defines man: thought( the processof intellection" Do you thin0 this statement is true of ords)orth hich poems )ould you useto illustrate your argument

% 3n *oth "Tintern A**ey" and "Dejection(" the last -erse paragraph spea0s of the poet's mostintimate personal relationship hy hat has such an association got to do( in either poem( )ith"the shaping po)er of imagination" 3s there anything in the poem that accounts for thismo-ement

# ohn Stuart


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pri-ilege of tra-el e found meaning in philosophical )or0s *y 9ant( Schiller( 5essing(Schelling( and A Schlegel )hile -isiting ?ermany Through these philosophical influences(Coleridge fully em*raced the ideal of pri-ileging the emotions( and thus )as a*le to con-eyemotion )ith -i-id imagery 3n 78F's "Dejection: An Ode(" he del-es into the e2perience ofsuffering:

A grief )ithout a pang( -oid( dar0( and drearA stifled( dro)sy( unimpassioned grief(hich finds no natural outlet( no relief(3n )ord( sigh( or tear

ith mere suggestion( Coleridge's )ords at once gi-e the reader a general sense of his miseryand narrate the poet's loss of creati-e energy Encoded in the poem is his surrender to opiumaddiction. his grief lac0s "a pang" and is "stifled( dro)sy" *ecause of his a*use of laudanum"@oid( dar0( and drear" gi-e insight into the sorry state of Coleridge's emotions( )hile the"natural outletN relief" that he lac0s is his -an1uished creati-e energy 3n this manner Coleridge

elo1uently descri*es a personal e2perience )ith human suffering e )holeheartedly in-ol-eshimself in a theme )hich is uni-ersal )ith the intensity of his )or0

ane Austen lac0ed *oth the philosophical e2posure and tra-el e2perience of Coleridge She li-edall of her life in ampshire and +ath( England( mainly in-ol-ed in family circles Although her)riting coincided )ith Emotionalist philosophy( Austen's )or0 lac0s the imagery and intensity)hich )as so integral in the poetry of Coleridge This creates a hindrance to her a*ility to con-eysuffering in an intense and personal )ay 3n 78's ride and rej%dice( she )rites )ith somedistance on ane's suffering o-er the potential loss of +ingley's affections:

Eli/a*eth chose for her employment the e2amination of all the letters )hich anehad )ritten to her since her *eing in 9ent They contained no actual complaint(nor )as there any re-i-al of past occurrences( or any communication of presentsuffering +ut in all( and in almost e-ery line of each( there )as a )ant of thatcheerfulness )hich had *een used to characteri/e her style( and )hich( proceedingfrom the serenity of a mind at ease )ith itself( and 0indly disposed to)ards e-eryone( had *een scarcely e-er clouded Eli/a*eth noted e-ery sentence con-eyingthe idea of uneasiness( )ith an attention )hich it had hardly recei-ed on the firstperusal !Austen >>&

Austen's )riting e-o0es no mental images of ane's condition for the reader o imagery is usedto con-ey intense suffering Austen e-en seems to de,emphasi/e ane's unhappiness( remindingthe reader that she possesses "a mind at ease )ith itself" Austen's rhetorical choices are anything*ut intense. ane's condition is descri*ed as "a )ant ofN cheerfulness" and "uneasiness" Austen's)riting( shielded from philosophical engagement( lac0s the mechanisms to con-ey the nature ofane's suffering intensely

E2perience )ith profound philosophical )or0s )as a great influence upon Samuel TaylorColeridge e *ecame intellectually free to utili/e emotionally suggesti-e imagery and re-eal hispersonal struggles )ith profound suffering ane Austen )as still immersed in a culture ofrestraint The emotions of her characters come across as superficial *ecause( lac0ing


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philosophical grounding( she did not possess the tools to enli-en the feelings of her charactersThough *oth Coleridge and Austen address suffering in their )or0( Coleridge ta0es the approachof plunging the reader )ith him into the a*yss( )hile Austen )rites )ith restraint

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Coleridge Dejection and Eolian Harps