The Palgrave Literary Dictionary of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

This volume explores Coleridge's life, poems, prose, and intellectual contexts, covering canonical works and lesser-known pieces, and his relationships with Wordsworth and Hutchinson. It also examines his changing reputation, opium use, and political beliefs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 26 November 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive volume delves into the intricate labyrinth of the renowned writer, Coleridge (Virginia Woolf). It encompasses a comprehensive examination of his poems and prose, exploring their origins, interpretations, and receptions. The book also delves into the various aspects of his life, including his troubled marriage, fatherhood, conversations, shifting intellectual contexts, and enduring legacy.

Major entries in this volume cover canonical works such as "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Christabel," "Kubla Khan," the "conversation poems," and "Biographia Literaria." However, to gain a deeper understanding of Coleridge, it is essential to explore his lesser-known poems, which encompass lyrics, satire, and comical squibs. Similarly, his prose, ranging from his early radical writings to the more conservative "On the Constitution of the Church and State," his influential Shakespeare lectures, and the vast resource of his notebooks, offers a rich tapestry of his thoughts and ideas.

Coleridge was a voracious reader throughout his life, engaging extensively with the works of numerous influential figures, including Milton, Fielding, Berkeley, Priestley, Kant, Schelling, and many others. Among his most significant relationships was with William Wordsworth, with whom he shared a close bond and collaborated on various literary projects. Another important figure in Coleridge's life was Sara Hutchinson, with whom he had a tumultuous relationship that played a significant role in his artistic and personal development.

The book traces Coleridge's changing reputation, from his brilliant young activist days to his later status as the "Sage of Highgate" and the advocate of imaginative theories and practical criticism. It also delves into various topics that influenced his thought and writing, such as opium consumption, plagiarism, the French Revolution, Pantisocracy, Unitarianism, and the Salutation and Cat tavern.

Through meticulous research and analysis, this volume provides a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Coleridge's life and work, shedding light on his profound influence on literature and intellectual discourse. It serves as a valuable resource for scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike, offering a deeper understanding of one of the most enigmatic and influential writers of the Victorian era.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031155710
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022