"Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, forms our true honor."
― Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, born on 21st October 1772 was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. Coleridge belonged to the town of Ottery St Mary in Devon, England.
Coleridge is one of the most important figures in English poetry. His poems directly and deeply influenced all the major poets of the age. He was known by his contemporaries as a meticulous craftsman who was more rigorous in his careful reworking of his poems than any other poet, and Southey and Wordsworth were dependent on his professional advice. His influence on Wordsworth is particularly important because many critics have credited Coleridge with the very idea of "Conversational Poetry". As important as Coleridge was to poetry as a poet, he was equally important to poetry as a critic. His philosophy of poetry, which he developed over many years, has been deeply influential in the field of literary criticism. This influence can be seen in such critics as A. O. Lovejoy and I. A. Richards.
Coleridge is arguably best known for his longer poems, particularly The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Christabel. Even those who have never read the Rime have come under its influence: its words have given the English language the metaphor of an albatross around one's neck, the quotation of "water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink" (almost always rendered as "but not a drop to drink"), and the phrase "a sadder and a wiser man" (usually rendered as "a sadder but wiser man").
His critical work, especially on William Shakespeare, was highly influential, and he helped introduce German idealist philosophy to English-speaking cultures. Coleridge coined many familiar words and phrases, including "suspension of disbelief". He had a major influence on Ralph Waldo Emerson and American transcendentalism. Throughout his adult life, Coleridge had crippling bouts of anxiety and depression; it has been speculated that he had bipolar disorder, which had not been defined during his lifetime.[3] He was physically unhealthy, which may have stemmed from a bout of rheumatic fever and other childhood illnesses. He was treated for these conditions with laudanum, which fostered a lifelong opium addiction.
Although experiencing a turbulent career and personal life with a variety of highs and lows, Coleridge's esteem grew after his death, and he became considered one of the most influential figures in English literature. Some of Coleridge's well known poems are "The Eolian Harp", "Frost at Midnight", "Fears in Solitude", "Dejection: An Ode", "To William Wordsworth, and many more.
Coleridge died in Highgate, London on 25 July 1834 as a result of heart failure.
Discussion Questions:
>> Coleridge has produced a rich range of works and contributed to Literature. Which creation of his remains the most memorable and inspiring to you?
>> Who from contemporary Literature do you think reflects the style and serenity of Coleridge's literary charisma?
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