Frost at Midnight by Samuel Coleridge

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Frost at Midnight by Samuel Coleridge

In the poem, "Frost at Midnight," Samuel Coleridge uses his creative

imagery and fascination with nature to create a beautiful picture.

Focusing on the “frost,” Coleridge personifies this natural occurrence

as it “performs its secret ministry” as though it were a mysterious

man lurking in the night. Much like other Romantic writers, Coleridge

focuses on the natural elements in his surroundings to reflect upon

his past. And thus realizes that he can make changes for his future.

Nature as Coleridge recalls nature, “Tis calm indeed!” Coleridge

explains, “so calm, that it disturbs/ And vexes meditation with its

strange/ And extreme silentness. The only disturbance in this “silent

Ministry” is the “owlets cry.” With this silence, he is able to

reflect, which he does quite vividly. The poem starts out in a slow

and somber mood as he talks about the peacefulness and beauty of

nature. He uses a style of prose or “free verse”, which has no

particular rhyme or meter. This could be used to help convey his

thoughts in a more story-like manner. The poem is broken down into

four paragraphs of varying length and all, primarily, deal with

nature. Particularly, how Nature effects the imagination.

He communicates how many more freedoms there are out in a natural

setting and how one can remain free-spirited, as opposed to one who

resides in the city. Coleridge is inspired by nature; he conveys that

it teaches one to “ask” questions. He thus Comes to his own

conclusion, that his child will “wander like a breeze” in a natural

setting and “[he] shalt learn far other lore, /And in far other

scenes” which is very contrary to his own childhood in the city.

Coleridge says, “I was reared/In the great city, pent ‘mid cloisters

dim.” He feels that the city deprived him of the liberation and beauty

that nature provides.

The depiction of nature in this poem is very vivid in description

especially in the last stanza, when Coleridge is expressing that every

season will be sweet to his child.

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