Lesson 7.04: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in 1772 in Devonshire, England.  His father was a principal at the school where Coleridge attended.  Coleridge was the last of fourteen children, and his father died when he was only nine years old.  Because Coleridge loved learning, he found comfort in his books because he was very lonely after his father’s death.

Coleridge attended Jesus College in Cambridge University because his father had wanted him to be in the clergy. But, while he was there, he started learning about the ideals of the French Revolution.  (During this time the reign of the kings ended and the middle class was strengthened.) These ideals of democracy really appealed to him, so he dropped out of college after only one year. During this one year in college, he acquired so much debt that it would haunt him for the rest of his life.  He was in love with his good friend's sister, but found her to be engaged to someone else when he returned to their home town.  He hurriedly married Sara Fricker, whom he did not love, because that was the accepted order of the New World.  Coleridge did not spend very much time with her because he traveled in order to stay away from her.

In 1796, Coleridge started writing and publishing his works. He also started a very close relationship with William Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy. They traveled to Germany together where he mastered the German language and became a literary translator. He and Wordsworth worked on Lyrical Ballads together; this proved to be one of the greatest literary achievements in British literature. They later had a falling out in their relationship and ceased being friends.

Because Coleridge had some arthritis issues all throughout his life, his doctor prescribed opiuma very addictive narcotic drug which is from the poppy plant and is often used to make codeine, morphine, and heroin to ease his pain. This was a common drug to prescribe during this time, but Coleridge did not know that he would become addicted to it.  Even while he was taking opium, he continued to write.  He even became a criticsomeone who is professionally qualified to offer a written evaluation of other literature of other literary works. He lived the remainder of his life from donations from strangers and help from his brothers because the financial hardships he encountered in college followed him throughout his life. He died in London in 1834, leaving behind a vast legacy of published works.

Go ahead and read through Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner which is one of his most popular works that he developed during his time spent with William Wordsworth. This is a rather lengthy poem that tells the story of a sailor who does something wrong and has to pay for it the rest of his life. Read carefully and take some notes so that you can complete the Study Questions that will follow in the Task section.