Free Essays on Christabel

In the poem Christabel, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Colerdige’s use of mysteriuos imagery and magic is present throughout the entire poem. In Christabel he continues in a dark path of unknowingness and despair. Many of his later poems, including Christabel, came from his being subject to continues nightmares of guilt and despair, and also from feelings of remorse( Norton 417 ). These feelings were major prose in his poetry. Coleridge often priviledges weird tales and bizarre imagery over the commonplace. Taking a look at this specific poem one might be able to see how this poem follows his use of bizarre and detailed imagery. In the beginning the poem seems to go in one direction; as if, it were to be a love story, but near what is suppose to be the end because Christabel is unfinished, the reader is left feeling as if they have been subject to some mystical spell, quite like the character Christabel. The setting takes place in the forest outside of a castle. It is here that the reader is first introduced to Coleridge’s brilliant use of imagery, through the way he describes the setting. He sets the setting as followed, Is the night chilly and dark? The night is chilly, but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray: ‘Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring comes slowly up this way( 14-22 ). Looking closely one can see that the lines are set in ryhming couplets.... Free Essays on Christabel Free Essays on Christabel In the poem Christabel, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Colerdige’s use of mysteriuos imagery and magic is present throughout the entire poem. In Christabel he continues in a dark path of unknowingness and despair. Many of his later poems, including Christabel, came from his being subject to continues nightmares of guilt and despair, and also from feelings of remorse( Norton 417 ). These feelings were major prose in his poetry. Coleridge often priviledges weird tales and bizarre imagery over the commonplace. Taking a look at this specific poem one might be able to see how this poem follows his use of bizarre and detailed imagery. In the beginning the poem seems to go in one direction; as if, it were to be a love story, but near what is suppose to be the end because Christabel is unfinished, the reader is left feeling as if they have been subject to some mystical spell, quite like the character Christabel. The setting takes place in the forest outside of a castle. It is here that the reader is first introduced to Coleridge’s brilliant use of imagery, through the way he describes the setting. He sets the setting as followed, Is the night chilly and dark? The night is chilly, but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray: ‘Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring comes slowly up this way( 14-22 ). Looking closely one can see that the lines are set in ryhming couplets.... Free Essays on Christabel I think the two transgressions that Christabel performed was that of shame and jealousy. In the first part’s conclusion Coleridge describes Christabel as she comes out of the orgasmic gaze. He describes her as crying and smiling at the same time and then finally resting like a playful kid. In the second part of the poem, Sir Leoline is presented to Geraldine and he finds out that she is his once best friend’s daughter. Sir Leoline is so excited to see her that he embrace’s her and Christabel gets extremely jealous, the second transgression. She’s so jealous that she hisses like a snake. She now becomes the snake and Geraldine becomes the dove. Sir leoline orders Barcy the Bard to take Geraldine home and he vows that he will kill the traitor that harmed Geraldine. Both ladies are startled by this revelation, but continue on with Barcy the Bard. As they continue the journey, Sir Leoline listens to the dream and finally realizes that his daughter and Christabel have had intimate relations and he becomes furious and sorrowful at the same time. I wonder if Sir Leoline’s old friend set this whole thing up just to get back at Sir Leoline for something he did. The poem never tells us what happened that broke the two of them up, only that the relationship ceased. Also, during this incident of discovery, Coleridge describes both women as reptiles. Coleridge’s constant description of the reptile, the dog at the front door, the supernatural being is Gothic but not scary. It’s dark, but not gory. I like how he chooses the right animal or description of buildings, like the castle. The feel of the poem is mysterious and mystical. They both became snakes when they noticed Sir Leoline looking at them with disgust. And they showed no shame or guilt of their encounter. It appeared that they were just amazed and astonishe d at being caught. Maybe they wanted to continue the affair. Or take the secret to their grave. Sir Leoline, impulsive...