The Difference Between Coleridge and Wordsworth as Romantic Poets

How to Differentiate Coleridge from Wordsworth as Pioneers of the Romantic Movement in English Literature.

 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth were both pioneers of the Romantic Movement in English literature, and their works were instrumental in shaping the literary landscape of their time. However, despite their close friendship and collaboration, there are distinct differences in their writing styles and thematic concerns.

One of the primary differences between Coleridge and Wordsworth is their approach to the imagination. Wordsworth believed that the imagination was a powerful force that could connect individuals to nature and inspire them to seek a more profound understanding of the world. He saw nature as a source of spiritual renewal and believed that the beauty and majesty of the natural world could heal the human soul. This can be seen in his famous poem "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey," in which he describes the restorative powers of nature:

"And I have felt

 A presence that disturbs me with the joy

 Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime

 Of something far more deeply interfused,

 Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,

 And the round ocean and the living air,

 And the blue sky, and in the mind of man"

Coleridge, on the other hand, saw the imagination as a more complex and potentially dangerous force. He believed that the imagination was capable of creating new worlds and ideas but could also lead to madness and delusion. Coleridge's most famous poem, "Kubla Khan," is an example of this. The poem describes a dreamlike landscape inspired by opium use and is characterized by its vivid and surreal imagery. The poem ends abruptly, leaving the reader with a sense of incompleteness and uncertainty.

Another significant difference between Coleridge and Wordsworth is their approach to religious faith. Wordsworth was a deeply religious man who saw God in nature and believed that the natural world was a manifestation of divine power. In his poems, he often explores the relationship between human beings and the divine and celebrates the beauty and wonder of God's creation.

Coleridge, on the other hand, struggled with his faith throughout his life. He was raised as a Unitarian but later converted to Anglicanism. He believed in the importance of faith but was critical of organized religion and its dogmatic beliefs. His poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" explores themes of sin and redemption, but it does so in a way that is both critical of traditional religious beliefs and deeply spiritual.

Finally, Coleridge and Wordsworth differ in their approach to the supernatural. Wordsworth believed that the supernatural was a natural part of the world and that it was possible to experience it through one's imagination and emotions. In his poem "The Prelude," he describes a supernatural encounter with a

"huge and mighty Forms that do not live

Like living men, moved slowly through the mind

By day and were a trouble to my dreams."

Coleridge, on the other hand, was more skeptical of the supernatural and often used it to explore themes of madness and delusion. His poem "Christabel" is a Gothic tale of a young woman who is seduced by a supernatural being and is characterized by its eerie and unsettling atmosphere.

In conclusion, while Coleridge and Wordsworth were both pioneers of the Romantic Movement in English literature, they had distinct differences in their writing styles and thematic concerns. Wordsworth celebrated the beauty and wonder of nature and saw the imagination as a source of spiritual renewal, while Coleridge was more skeptical of the imagination and the supernatural and explored themes of madness and delusion. Both poets made significant contributions to English literature and continue to be studied and celebrated to this day.