Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Life and Achievements

What defines a poet? Samuel Taylor Coleridge was one with a brilliant mind whose talent for poetry went beyond the ordinary. Poets, such as Coleridge, were described as delusional artist whose poems were hard to grasp by the common man. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a complex lyricist, convoluted philosopher, but most importantly, he was human. As stated, “Coleridge achievements have been given more widely varying assessments than that of any other English literary artist” (Leonard 15). Coleridge’s passion for poetry as a child, struggles and friendships of adulthood, and depression affected his proficient writings.

Coleridge was born on October 21, 1772 in Ottery St. Mary, England. As a child, he did not have much of a relationship with his mother which explains the close relationship with his father, John Coleridge. John was vicar of Ottery and headmaster of a local grammar school.

( http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/125261/Samuel-Taylor-Coleridge ). John’s involvement in the literature world sparked interest with young Samuel. Coleridge developed a strong passion for reading and gained a wild imagination. John sudden pass in 1781 forced Coleridge to move into the Christ’s Hospital School for orphans. Nevertheless, Coleridge did not take this as downfall. He continued to thrive in his studies. In 1791, Coleridge enrolled into the University of Cambridge. Coleridge was considered as a determined and intelligent student until he became distracted. Unfortunately, Coleridge dropped out of school never obtaining a degree. In the fall of 1793, young and naive, Coleridge enlisted into the Light Dragoons army. Coleridge used his literary skills to teach soldiers how to write, but due to his lack of ability to fight or even ride a...

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...ho he loves ( http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173251 ).

Works Cited

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. Selected Poetry and Prose of Coleridge. Ed. Donald A.

Stauffer. New York: 1951.

Kohler, Dayton, and Magill, Frank N., eds. Masterplots Cyclopedia of World Authors: Rev. of

Samuel Taylor Coleridge. New York: 1958: 223.

European Graduate School. “Samuel Taylor Coleridge”. The European Graduate School Graduate and Postgraduate Studies. March. 2014. 9 .

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. “Samuel Taylor Coleridge.” Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Apr. 2014. 11 .

Orr, Leonard. Critical Essays on Samuel Taylor Coleridge. New York: G.K. Hall, 1994.