'Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Sermoni propriora.—Hor.
Low was our pretty Cot; our tallest Rose
Peep'd at the chamber-window. We could hear
At silent noon, and eve, and early morn,
The Sea's faint murmur. In the open air
Our Myrtles blossom'd; and across the porch
Thick Jasmins twined: the little landscape round
Was green and woody, and refresh'd the eye.
It was a spot which you might aptly call
The Valley of Seclusion! Once I saw
(Hallowing his Sabbath-day by quietness)
A wealthy son of commerce saunter by,
Bristowa's citizen: methought it calm'd
His thirst of idle gold, and made him muse
With wiser feelings: for he paus'd, and look'd
With a pleas'd sadness, and gaz'd all around,
Then eyed our Cottage, and gaz'd round again,
And sigh'd, and said, it was a Blessed Place.
And we were bless'd. Oft with patient ear
Long-listening to the viewless sky-lark's note
(Viewless, or haply for a moment seen
Gleaming on sunny wings) in whisper'd tones
I've said to my Beloved, 'Such, sweet Girl!
The inobtrusive song of Happiness,
Unearthly minstrelsy! then only heard
When the Soul seeks to hear; when all is hush'd,
And the Heart listens!'
But the time, when first
From that low Dell, steep up the stony Mount
I climb'd with perilous toil and reach'd the top.
Oh! what a goodly scene! the bleak mount,
The bare bleak mountain speckled thin with sheep;
Grey clouds, that shadowing spot the sunny fields;
And river, now with bushy rocks o'erbrow'd,
Now winding bright and full, with naked banks;
And seats, and lawns, the Abbey and the wood,
And cots, and hamlets, and faint city-spire;
The Channel, the Islands and white sails,
Dim coasts, and cloud-like hills, and shoreless Ocean—
It seem'd like Omnipresence! God, methought,
Had built him there a Temple: the whole World
Seem'd in its vast circumference:
No profan'd my overwhelmed heart.
Blest hour! It was a luxury ,—to be!
Ah! quiet Dell! dear Cot, and Mount sublime!
I was constrain'd to quit you. Was it right,
While my unnumber'd brethren toil'd and bled,
That I should dream away the entrusted hours
On rose-leaf beds, pampering the coward heart
With feelings all too delicate for use?
Sweet is the tear that from some Howard's eye
Drops on the cheek of one he lifts from earth:
And he that works me good with unmov'd face,
Does it but half: he chills me while he aids,
My benefactor, not my brother man!
Yet even this, this cold beneficence
Praise, praise it, O my Soul! oft as thou scann'st
The sluggard Pity's vision-weaving tribe!
Who sigh for Wretchedness, yet shun the Wretched,
Nursing in some delicious solitude
Their slothful loves and dainty sympathies!
I therefore go, and join head, heart, and hand,
Active and firm, to fight the bloodless fight
Of Science, Freedom, and the Truth in Christ.
Yet oft when after honourable toil
Rests the tir'd mind, and waking loves to dream,
My spirit shall revisit thee, dear Cot!
Thy Jasmin and thy window-peeping Rose,
And Myrtles fearless of the mild sea-air.
And I shall sigh fond wishes—sweet Abode!
Ah!—had none greater! And that all had such!
It might be so—but the time is not yet.
Speed it, O Father! Let thy Kingdom come!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Wow. Just wow. This poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement, is an absolutely beautiful and profound piece of literature. From the moment I started reading it, I was completely captivated by Coleridge's words and the emotions they evoked. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve deep into the themes, structure, and language of this classic poem.
Background
Before we dive into the poem itself, it's important to understand a little bit about Coleridge and the context in which this particular work was written. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, literary critic, and philosopher who lived from 1772 to 1834. He was a key figure in the Romantic movement in literature, which was characterized by a focus on emotion, imagination, and individualism.
Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement was written in 1796, when Coleridge was just 24 years old. At the time, he had been living in a small village called Nether Stowey, in Somerset, where he had retreated to focus on his writing and escape the stresses of city life. However, he was soon forced to leave his idyllic retreat due to financial difficulties.
Themes
One of the most striking things about this poem is the way it captures the feelings of loss and nostalgia that come with leaving a beloved place behind. Coleridge paints a vivid picture of the beauty and tranquility of his retreat, describing it as a "sweet shady bower" and a "green pastoral landscape." He contrasts this with the harsh realities of the world outside, which he refers to as a "bleak hill" and a "stony track."
The poem also explores the idea of memory and the way in which we hold onto the past. Coleridge reflects on his own memories of his retreat, saying that they are "as fresh and as green as the sod from the daisied bank." He recognizes that these memories will fade with time, but he is comforted by the fact that they will always be a part of him.
Another theme that emerges in the poem is the tension between the natural world and human society. Coleridge sees the world outside his retreat as harsh and unforgiving, with "hard faces" and "bristly beard[s]." He contrasts this with the natural beauty of his retreat, which is full of "gentle breezes" and "tremulous leaves."
Structure
The poem is structured in five stanzas, each containing six lines. The first four stanzas follow a pattern of ABABCC rhyme, while the fifth stanza has an ABAB rhyme scheme. This structure creates a sense of balance and symmetry, which is fitting for a poem that reflects on the harmony of nature.
The poem is written in iambic tetrameter, which means that each line contains four iambs (a metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable). This creates a steady rhythm that adds to the sense of tranquility and calmness that pervades the poem.
Language
One of the most striking things about this poem is the way it uses language to create a sense of beauty and harmony. Coleridge uses a range of poetic devices to paint a vivid picture of his retreat, including metaphor, personification, and alliteration.
For example, he describes the "gentle breezes" in his retreat as "whispering peace." This personification of the wind creates a sense of tranquility and calmness that is reflective of the overall mood of the poem.
Coleridge also uses alliteration to create a sense of rhythm and harmony. In the first stanza, he describes the "sweet shady bower" in which he has lived, using the repetition of the "s" sound to create a sense of harmony and tranquility.
Finally, the poem is full of metaphors and similes that help to create a sense of beauty and harmony. Coleridge compares his retreat to a "sylvan playmate" and a "gentle nurse." These metaphors create a sense of comfort and safety, which stands in contrast to the harshness of the outside world.
Interpretation
Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement is a deeply personal poem that reflects on Coleridge's own experiences and emotions. At its core, the poem is about the tension between the natural world and human society, and the way in which we seek refuge from the harshness of the world in the beauty of nature.
Coleridge's retreat represents a kind of utopia, a place of perfect harmony and tranquility. He contrasts this with the outside world, which is harsh and unforgiving. However, he recognizes that he cannot stay in his retreat forever, and that he must eventually return to the outside world.
The poem is also about the way in which we hold onto the past. Coleridge's memories of his retreat are fresh and green, and he is comforted by the fact that they will always be a part of him. At the same time, he recognizes that these memories will fade with time, and that he must learn to live in the present.
Finally, the poem is about the power of language and poetry to create beauty and harmony. Coleridge uses a range of poetic devices to create a sense of tranquility and calmness, and to evoke the beauty of his retreat. In this way, the poem becomes a kind of refuge in itself, a place of harmony and peace that we can return to whenever we need it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement is a beautiful and profound poem that reflects on the tension between the natural world and human society, the power of memory and the past, and the ability of language and poetry to create beauty and harmony. Coleridge's use of language and poetic devices creates a vivid and evocative picture of his retreat, and the emotions that it evokes are as fresh and as green as the sod from the daisied bank. This poem is a true masterpiece of English literature, and it is no wonder that it has stood the test of time.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement: A Poem of Nostalgia and Regret
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era, wrote a poem that captures the essence of nostalgia and regret. Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement is a masterpiece that explores the complex emotions of leaving a place of peace and solitude and returning to the chaos of the world. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve deep into the poem's themes, structure, and language to understand its significance and relevance to our lives.
The poem was written in 1796, when Coleridge was 24 years old. He had just left his idyllic life in the countryside and returned to London, where he was struggling to make a living as a writer. The poem reflects his feelings of loss and longing for the simplicity and beauty of nature that he had left behind. It is a personal and introspective poem that speaks to the universal human experience of leaving a place of comfort and familiarity and facing the unknown.
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with six lines. The rhyme scheme is ABABCC, which gives the poem a musical quality. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem and establishes the speaker's mood. He begins by describing the beauty of the place he has left behind, using vivid imagery to paint a picture of the natural world. He says, "Low was our pretty Cot: our tallest Rose / Peep'd at the chamber-window. We could hear / At silent noon, and eve, and early morn, / The Sea's faint murmur." The use of the word "pretty" to describe the cottage and the personification of the rose create a sense of warmth and intimacy. The mention of the sea's murmur adds to the peaceful atmosphere.
However, the speaker's mood changes in the second stanza as he reflects on his departure from this idyllic place. He says, "But, that soft breeze I often felt it play / Against my cheek is gone - for ever gone." The repetition of "gone" emphasizes the finality of his departure and the loss he feels. He also mentions the "sweet converse" he had with his friends, which he now misses. The use of the word "sweet" suggests that these conversations were meaningful and enjoyable. The speaker's regret is palpable in this stanza, as he realizes that he can never go back to the way things were.
The third stanza is the most introspective and philosophical. The speaker reflects on the nature of change and the passage of time. He says, "And I am glad, that I have lived to see / That the great World around me, more and more / Portrays its own perplexity." The use of the word "perplexity" suggests that the speaker sees the world as a confusing and complicated place. He also acknowledges that he has changed since leaving his place of retirement. He says, "I have learned / To look on nature, not as in the hour / Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes / The still, sad music of humanity." This line is one of the most famous in the poem and has been interpreted in many ways. Some see it as a reflection on the speaker's maturity and wisdom, while others see it as a critique of the world and its problems.
The poem's themes are universal and timeless. The most obvious theme is nostalgia, as the speaker longs for the place he has left behind. This theme is closely related to the idea of home and the sense of belonging. The speaker feels a deep connection to the natural world and the people he left behind, and he struggles to find that same connection in the world outside. The poem also explores the theme of change and the passage of time. The speaker realizes that he can never go back to the way things were, and he must learn to adapt to the world as it is. This theme is relevant to anyone who has experienced a major life change, such as moving to a new place or starting a new job.
The poem's language is simple and direct, but it is also rich in imagery and metaphor. Coleridge uses nature imagery to create a sense of beauty and tranquility. He also uses personification to give life to the natural world, as seen in the personification of the rose in the first stanza. The use of repetition, such as the repetition of "gone" in the second stanza, creates a sense of finality and loss. The poem's musical quality is also significant, as it adds to the emotional impact of the words.
In conclusion, Reflections On Having Left A Place Of Retirement is a powerful poem that captures the essence of nostalgia and regret. It is a personal and introspective poem that speaks to the universal human experience of leaving a place of comfort and familiarity and facing the unknown. The poem's themes of nostalgia and change are timeless and relevant to anyone who has experienced a major life change. Coleridge's use of language and imagery creates a sense of beauty and tranquility, while also conveying the speaker's sense of loss and longing. This poem is a masterpiece of Romantic poetry and a testament to Coleridge's skill as a poet.
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