BRomantic Poets: Wordsworth & Coleridge

The fathers of the the Romantic movement were certainly unique in their own ways. It is no wonder that William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge became such good friends; both had passions for freedom and expression rooted in the ideals of the French Revolution which they no doubt picked up these theories during their extensive travels throughout Europe. Repulsed by the stifling society of their day, Wordsworth and Coleridge found themselves seeking higher, clearer air; figuratively and literally. Their shared regard for the strength and symbolic power of nature is clearly evident in their poetry; Wordsworth found mental escape amongst the physical beauty of the woods and lake country while Coleridge relied upon the climate for his failing health. Such high esteem for the natural world also displays their disdain for the harsh architecture of man; an attitude that was certainly passed down to their followers.

But they were not with out their differences, as friends hardly ever are, and they can be clearly picked out by analyzing the writing style of their most famous poems. Wordsworth's diction in "Tintern Abbey" is much more simplistic than the formal language of previous poets but it is not without complexity. He depicts the landscape in great detail, focusing on quaint images as well as profound beauty. His general point is to make clear the deep impact that this experience has left upon his being, how a physical appearance can contain inexplicable meaning if one chooses to look for it. Coleridge, however, lacks the more realistic approach that Wordsworth uses. His poem "Kubla Khan" is choppy, bizarre, and entirely otherworldly. His reknown imagination is clearly evident in the imagery so passionately described; a terrifying king, savage jungle, a mysterious maiden. Coleridge looked at a more blurred reality than Wordsworth, he focused more on fantastical, impossible ideals than his earthly friend. But is also common knowledge that Coleridge wrote his nonsensical poem while experiencing vivid dreams brought on by opium which is probably the reason behind his falling out with Wordsworth.