The major Romantics were fascinated by the possibilities of verse narrative. Compare and/or contrast the handling of narrative in works by TWO of the poets studied on the module. Which poet in your view makes richer use of the possibilities of narrative? (You should make detailed reference to at least two narrative poems by each of your chosen poets.)
William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are often discussed alongside each other. There are significant similarities as well as differences in their lives and in their works. They both dominated the Romantic era with the likes of Shelley, Keats and Blake. William Wordsworth was born in Cumberland in 1770. He attended Cambridge but his educational interest began decline despite the pressure to graduate and proceed into a professional field. Coleridge was born two years after Wordsworth, in 1772; he was both imaginatively and intellectually precocious. By the time he was three years old, he could read the bible. He also attended Cambridge in 1792, then went on to become a public lecturer; he lectured diverse audiences on political issues such as the slave trade, the war with France(he was a passionate opponent of the war), and government legislation against freedom of speech. He also supported the idea of a panti-socratic society and was criticised for that. The friendship between Coleridge and Wordsworth started in 1797.
Their differences did not affect their compatibility, Wordsworth and Coleridge collaborated on a project they would eventually call Lyrical Ballads. This exposed their similarities as well as different poetic views and different ways of conveying their political and personal ideas through poetry. They became friends in 1797, they shared ideas and discussed about social issues at the time. Coleridge’s poems can be enjoyed musically compared to Wordsworth’s that is best enjoyed as a simple/common speech. Poems like ‘Kubla Khan’ and ‘Ancient Mariner’ are complex so therefore reading it as common speech would not produce the best desired effect of the poem Coleridge aims to achieve. Compared to Wordsworth, Coleridge’s poem intentionally addresses nature/situations in a complicating way. Coleridge creates the most complex situations in his poems, this makes his poetic diction and ideas far from being mediocre. In ‘Kubla Khan’ for example, Coleridge describes Xanadu as a place of pleasure. He uses vivid imagery to describe Xanadu, giving awesome detail to its surrounding even though it’s just a fiction of his imagination. His description gives life to the natural world, from the ‘sacred river’ (3) to the ‘sunny spots of greenery in the forests’ (11). He compares Xanadu, a dome of sunny pleasure to the frightening and cold caverns. He repeatedly described the caverns ‘measureless to man'(4, 27). This emphasis portrays the power of nature over man. Despite the beauty of Xanadu, the natural world surrounding it cannot be controlled by man; the caves are endless and frightening, the river is noisy and violent. Coleridge introduces the supernatural world when he mentions the Damsel and her demon lover (16). There is a deep sense of mystery in Coleridge’s poems.
Coleridge use of verse narrative perfectly blends with his imaginative and concise poems. Using the verse narrative to describe supernatural events is satisfying and greatly enjoyable. Coleridge influenced later romantic poets John Keats and Shelley. Wordsworth on the other hand uses verse narrative in an apparently more straightforward and naturalistic way; this is matched by the qualities of his style which is a deliberate attempt to get away from elaborateness of 18th century poetic diction. In ‘The Last of the Flock’ for example, Wordsworth simply describes a shepherd’s loss of innocence through a flock of sheep he had to sell in order to make ends meet. Wordsworth uses the verse narrative to convey his own personal views. While Coleridge uses the verse narrative to convey ideas that portray a different world from the familiar world. He creates situations and characters unfamiliar to the readers. His poetic reality somewhat becomes the reader’s; Coleridge uses verse narrative to introduce a new world rather than shed light from his personal view of things. In Wordsworth use of the verse narrative he allows himself to be in total control, consciously commenting on philosophical and social ideas. In ‘The Idiot Boy’ for example, Wordsworth questions society and how it labels specific individuals, he also writes about a mother’s love towards her disabled son. In lines (151-155):
The clock is on the stroke of twelve,
And Johnny is not yet in sight:
—The Moon’s in heaven, as Betty sees,
But Betty is not quite at ease;
And Susan has a dreadful night.
This is a perfect example of Wordsworth’s use of natural and simple characters in our everyday world to convey his intended themes.
Coleridge on the other hand, is in less obvious control; subconscious material plays an important role in his use of verse narrative. His poems are like dreams and visions, although he consciously used his imagination, the subconscious also plays a big role in his poetic works.
Both poets at different times criticised each other’s work, one of the factors that led to the deterioration of their friendship. They had conflicting views on ways of writing poetry and how inspiration is derived. In Coleridge criticism of Wordsworth’s Preface to Lyrical ballads, he disagrees with Wordsworth’s idea of poetic diction. He believed Wordsworth had good intentions but was unable to clearly convey it in the Preface. Coleridge was dependent on drug induced inspiration; he admitted to writing The Ancient Mariner while he was on opium. Wordsworth on the other hand believes inspiration to be derived naturally. Their friendship hit the rocks after a misinformation by a friend of Coleridge named Montagu. He informed Coleridge that Wordsworth had made undermining and rude comments about Coleridge. In Lyrical Ballads one can clearly see the difference in Coleridge and Wordsworth’s poetry. The preface written by Wordsworth does not apply to Coleridge’s poetry. Coleridge acknowledged the fact that they had different ideas of how poetry should be written. Wordsworth poetry describes the natural world adding a refreshing view of nature. Wordsworth and Coleridge both believed experience of nature is important for the development and self-realisation of a young individual. Coleridge expresses this idea clearly in ‘Frost at Midnight’ a poem that reflects his own life. In ‘Frost at Midnight’ the poet speaker reflects on his past life and how his privileges of experiencing nature were taken away from him after he was sent to a boarding school after his father’s death. He vows to ensure his baby experiences the beauty of nature and learn about God. The speaker shares how he had to use his imagination of home as an escape from the reality he was facing. Coleridge believed nature can teach us to love and be joyful.
Ancient Mariner was criticised by Wordsworth, he made clear his disapproval of the poetic diction and Coleridge’s lack of seeking approval. The only thing good in the poem according to Wordsworth was the ‘passion’. Wordsworth criticised the character of the Mariner, his lack of action instead being acted upon and the lack of connection of events in the poem. Coleridge did not conform to traditional ideas of deriving inspiration, rather he choses his own style. Wordsworth criticism of Coleridge is more personal than logical, Coleridge paid careful attention to detail and this did not affect the depth of his imagery. This is creative and admirable.
Wordsworth was known to have used opium briefly but never for inspirational purpose. Coleridge was dependent on opium for drug induced inspiration, For Wordsworth he allowed natural things to inspire him. He let nature set the mood for his poem by comparing nature with real-life events and people. Coleridge believed in a complex concept of primary and secondary imagination.
Wordsworth disapproved of Coleridge’s elaborate and complex diction, he criticised the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge. Wordsworth’s works were criticised by Coleridge, he disapproved Wordsworth’s consistent exploitation of nature. Coleridge became closer to God in his older years, he believed in the doctrine of the trinity. Wordsworth on the other hand was Anglican who believed nature to be a supernatural force; he links God with nature. Meanwhile Coleridge separates religion from nature, nature as a force of its own rather than linking the two. He believed in the New Testament which states that evil and good dwells in the heart of men.
Wordsworth wrote on the failed friendship he had with Coleridge. In A Complaint he metaphorically compared their friendship to a never drying well, what he hoped for it to be. Coleridge commented on their friendship as well but on a deeper level, involving God, this again proves Coleridge to be the deep thinker in comparison to Wordsworth who wrote A Complaint in simple words. They both used symbolism differently and it is important to understand their use of symbolism to be able to understand their poetic differences.
Wordsworth was favoured by the media at the time. While Coleridge was always criticised for choosing opium as his source of inspiration. The source of inspiration does not matter, what matters really is the outcome. Coleridge’s poems are descriptively rich in comparison to Wordsworth’s. The two poets are individually unique, despite their similarities and differences. Coleridge was classified as one of Wordsworth understudy but he was able to break out of that box by finding and creating his own unique way of writing. Despite being portrayed as a less talented individual in comparison Wordsworth, Coleridge is one of the most important poets of the romantic era. The way he implements the verse narrative perfectly blends with the imaginative circumstances he creates. He was able to write about nature using his wild and extravagant imaginations to share his religious views. It takes a lot of patience, thoughts and high creative intelligence for one to be able achieve all this.
Wordsworth was against the use of exaggerated diction; he uses simple everyday words in his poetry, that the common people will understand and easily relate to his poetry. His poetry was almost informal. Coleridge on the other hand was very imaginative with his words; his creativity lies in his ability to reel readers into his imaginative/unrealistic world. In Christabel, Coleridge describes good versus evil using the supernatural. With every event in the poem, Coleridge leaves the reader suspicious of Geraldine. From the mastiff’s growl to Geraldine’s refusal to pray. Coleridge slowly reveals Geraldine for what she truly is. Her enchantment of Christabel portrays the repression of a young innocent girl as Christabel struggled to expose Geraldine. Imagery of serpents and the use of enchantments represents the supernatural world/beings and how it affects the lives of vulnerable humans.
Overall, Coleridge and Wordsworth are two very talented poets with different views on how poetry should be written. In my opinion Coleridge’s works contain rich poetic diction and powerful use of imagery. The mysteriousness in Coleridge’s can create a natural curiosity for the reader, curiosity that leads the reader into a different world filled with a unique experience of the supernatural world through text. The famous writer, Charlie Kaufmann states that “writing should be a journey into the unknown”. Coleridge’s bravery allows him use his mind to journey into the unknown without the fear of losing his mind or losing touch with reality. Rather Coleridge embraces the unknown and familiarises himself with it, perfectly using the verse narrative to describe his wonderful imaginations to the readers.