Coleridge's Poetry and Prose: A Norton Critical Edition (Norton Critical Editions)

Coleridge is something of an enigma as a poet. What he brings to the table is a first-rate mind, an uncanny mastery of language, an imagination that is perhaps the finest of any poet in English and a scholar's knowledge of literature. What he lacked was consistency, perhaps due to an opium addiction that plagued him his entire working life. This addiction, brought on by a beautiful mind's ability to see the joys and terrors of life all too clearly, prevented Coleridge from devoting all of his energies to creating masterful poetry. Nevertheless, the poetry that he did manage to create is some of the most memorable verse ever composed. Kublai Khan, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Christabel and Dejection: An Ode all have an intense play of imagery and a depth of imagination that is supremely visual as well as aural in its effect. Coleridge's poetry engages all of the reader's senses, in a phenomenon similar to synesthesia with hallucinogenic overtones. A comparison to his use of opiates is inevitable.Coleridge was one of the most important literary critics of the era and most of his significant prose can be found in this collection. He was the intellect behind the Romantic literary movement where Wordsworth was its heart. Together, the two poets forged a revolution in verse at the beginning of the 19th century. This Norton Critical Edition is an excellent overview of Coleridge's poetry and prose, and the critical essays and contextual information are superb. Headnotes prepare the reader for each major poem or collection of poems by providing backgound information necessary for their appreciation. If you're interested in Coleridge, this is a great edition to begin reading and enjoying his work.

I got this for a class. I am most impressed with the fast shipping and it came in the shape I expected it to come in.

The condition of the book, which I purchased secondhand, wasn't excellent, but the book itself was. I strongly recommend it to anyone seeking to familiarize themselves with fine and impacting poetry.

Great edition

I enjoy Norton critical editions because they give so much attention to the critical tradition and to the textual scholarship. Great book!

Very well informed discussion by very well informed academics.

This edition contains, as well as the poetry, Coleridge's critical essays. For those who often find themselves wondering "is that a good poem?" he provides welcome and sensible guidelines on which to base judgement.

really nice content and helpful to a graduate level student

I have several editions of Coleridge's works. This Norton critical edition is the most stunning and satisfying of all. The notes provided and the critical material and comments included deeply enrich our knowledge, further our interest and lead to better appreciation of Coleridge as a poet and and also as writer and thinker. There is something in these Norton editions which lets you learn so much more about literature and even life and philosophy in general. Going through this is a richly rewarding experience for one interested in literature, but not a formal student in any university( thank God- we can learn so much more so freely, at our own pace!) After going through this Norton edition, time spent reading others seems a waste. Thanks to Amazon, the book was affordable and I got it so fast.

A good selection of Coleridge's work - and critical opinions on his work. However, it is a selection and it didn't include most of the poems I wanted to read, so I had to buy another book of Coleridge's work - I would recommend 'The Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge' published by 'The Wordsworth Poetry Library' edited by Martin Corner.