S T Coleridge 21 October 1772 – 25 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member ofIntroduction :
the Lake Poets. He also shared volumes and collaborated with Charles Lamb, Robert Southey, and Charles Lloyd. He wrote the poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, as well as the major prose work Biographia Literaria. His critical work, especially on William Shakespeare, was highly influential, and he helped introduce German idealist philosophy to English-speaking culture. Coleridge coined many familiar words and phrases, including suspension of disbelief. He had a major influence on Ralph Waldo Emerson and on American transcendentalism.
Coleridge's Definition of poem :
A poem contains the same elements as a prose composition; the difference, therefore, must consist in a different combination of them, in consequence of a different object proposed. The mere addition of meter does not in itself entitle a work to the name of poem, for nothing can permanently please which does not contain in itself the reason why it is so and not otherwise. Our definition of a poem may be thus worded. “A poem is that species of composition which is opposed to works of science, by proposing for its immediate object pleasure, not truth; and from all other species (having this object in common with it) it is discriminated by proposing to itself such delight from the whole as is compatible with a distinct gratification from each component part.”
Difference between poem and poetry :
Coleridge distinguishes a poem from in his 'Biographia Literaria' by saying that poetry is a wider than a poem poetry is an activity of poet's min but a poem is merely one of the form of expression. Poetic creativity is basically an activity of imagination he identifies imagination with the soul of poetry. His comments on poem and poetry are artistic, philosophical and psychological.At first it is necessary to know how Coleridge distinguishes a poem from prose composition. Coleridge says that a poem contains the elements as a prose composition. Both of them use words so there is no difference between a poem and a prose composition, in this respect Coleridge says-“ a poem contains the same elements as a prose composition” but one difference is to be noticed here that metre or rhyme both is used in the poem and they are not used in prose composition.In this, the lowest sense, one might attribute the name of a poem to the well-known enumeration of the days in the several months;
Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November, &c.
Thus, to Coleridge, mere super addition of meter or rhyme does not make a poem.
Different between poetry and science :
"A poem is that species of composition which is opposed to works of science, by proposing for its immediate object pleasure, not truth; and from all other species (having this object in common with it) it is discriminated by proposing to itself such delight from the whole as is compatible with a distinct gratification from each component part.”
For, in a legitimate poem, the parts must mutually support and explain each other; all in their proportion harmonizing with, and supporting the purpose and known influences of, metrical arrangement.
Theory of imagination :
According to Coleridge there are Two kind of imagination :
- Primary imagination
Primary Imagination: (Living power and prime agent of all human perception). Coleridge asserts that the mind is active in perception. This activity which is subconscious and is the common birth right of all men, is the work of the Primary Imagination, which may be defined as the inborn power of perceiving that makes it possible for us to know things. The Primary Imagination is a repetition in the finite mind of the eternal art of creation in the infinite I AM. The power of perception, Coleridge called as Primary Imagination whereas the poetic imagination as the Secondary Imagination. It differs from the Primary Imagination in degree, but not in kind. While all men possess the Pprimary, only some men possess the heightened degree of the universally human power to which the poet lays claim.
Secondary Imagination: (Echo of the Primary Imagination) differs in two important respects from Primary Imagination. First, Primary Imagination is subconscious, while Secondary Imagination coexists "with the conscious will" and involves, therefore, elements of conscious and subconscious activity. Poetic "making" blends conscious selection with subconscious infusion, some elements are intentionally chosen while others are mysteriously given or supplied from the deepness of the poet's subconscious mind. Second, the secondary Imagination is described as a power that "dissolves, diffuses, dissipates, in order to recreate." It dissolves and then reintegrates the components in a new way that draws attention to their coalescence. Secondary Imagination bridges the gap between the world of spirit and matter; it fuses perception, intellect, feeling, passions and memory. It struggles to idealize and unify.
Fancy: On the other hand, is distinguished from Imagination (both primary and secondary) because it is not poetic. It differs from Imagination in kind. Fancy is merely aggregative and associative;
Process :
The process take place on the mind of poet which is 3d .
- Diffuses
- Dissipates
- Dissolves
Conclusion :
To conclude, metre is essential to a poem to make it different from a prose piece, to heighten the effect, to enliven pleasure and to help us in memorizing a poem; metre also balances the spontaneous overflow of passion in the poet’s mind; metrical language better conveys excitement than prose. Since passion is the property of poetry, metre is organic to poetry. Then anything related to metre is actually related to the spirit of poetry.
Kinjal. M
