The Complete Prose Works: Literary Essays, Lectures and Letters (Unabridged Illustrated Edition) (eBook)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) stands as a towering figure in the realm of English literature, best known for his revolutionary influence in the domain of poetry and literary criticism. Coleridge, alongside his contemporary William Wordsworth, was a key figure of the Romantic movement, and their joint work 'Lyrical Ballads' (1798) is often marked as the harbinger of Romanticism in England. His opus extends beyond poetry, as evidenced by 'The Complete Prose Works: Literary Essays, Lectures and Letters (Unabridged Illustrated Edition)'; it showcases the breadth of his scholastic interest and his mastery in prose. Coleridge was not merely a poet but also a significant philosopher and critic. His lectures on Shakespeare and other literary figures were highly influential, and his essay 'Biographia Literaria' (1817) remains a seminal work on his own art, poetic theory, and critique of the literature. His prose reveals an intellect deeply engaged with a wide array of subjects from philosophy to religion and aesthetics, exhibiting an intricate weaving of thought within a literary heritage. Notably, Coleridge's poetic pieces like 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Kubla Khan' represent his unique ability to merge the natural world with the supernatural, and his profound insight into the human emotions and psyche, making him a central figure of Romantic literature and a subject of enduring scholarly interest.