Exploring Romanticism: Coleridge and the Legacy of Romantic Poets

Characteristics of Romanticism

He had all the characteristics of Romanticism, for example:

• for the ballad structure (a typical poetic structure of the middle age) and for the themes of his poetry;

• In many of his poems there is a medieval setting

• The present of mystery and supernatural which make him also a poet that follow the theory of sublime (the sense of mystery was increased by the fact that most of his poems are unfinished and also by the fact that in his poems there isn’t a final explanation of supernatural events);

• The description of nature, that had an important role for Coleridge (he see nature as a living being but NOT as a source of happiness or consolation);

• Exoticism;

• Musicality of his verses that was obtain through the use of alliterations, archaic language,rhymes,repetitionecc.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

One of his most important poems is “The rime of the ancient mariner”. The story told in this poem is the story of a crime and the punishment of this crime. The story is told by the protagonist (the ancient mariner) who is condemned to travel, for the rest of his life, around the world, land by land, telling this story to the people. The aim of this poem is to teach people love and respect for all creatures of God.

Ideals and Disillusionment of the Romantics

In the first age the romantics was enthusiastic for the ideals of Napoleon, but during the second period, they have a disillusion.

The form privileged was the ballad (started 2 century ago), because was the expression of unknown, mysterious, aspect that was revaluated by the romantics.

The ballad was setting in ideal place. It’s the fruit of the romantics imagination, the possibility for the poet to create something new.