| Description |
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's tendency to modify his poems after their initial publication is fascinating in that it betrays his uneasiness with the outcome of his poetical inspiration. Some of Coleridge's poetry contains prefaces, glosses, arguments and apologies. Through these addenda Coleridge not only attempts to alter the moral and social ramifications of the poem, but also tries to evade direct responsibility for those same works. "Kubla Khan" and "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Coleridge's most well known and studied poems, are paradigmatic manifestations of Coleridge's complex defensiveness. Although entirely dissimilar in form, them, tone and style, they both caused a strong reaction among his contemporaries for their bizarre nature, and continual critical analysis dealing largely with the complex and detailed framing that accompanies such powerful poetry. The result is a multi-level structure that transforms the poem into a more accessible, and yet more complex, work. |
