Colerdige's Kubla Khan

             "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Coleridge is a poem about the magnificent power of the creative mind. Using vivid images and mystery, Coleridge is able to show how an inspired poet has the ability to create new worlds with his imagination. The only problem that Coleridge encounters as he progresses through this poem, is the fact that everything that is created in ones mind risks destruction when introduced into the "real" world.
             In the first stanza of this poem a "pleasure dome" is described. In this first stanza there is no mention of the turmoil or wrenching work that could be associated with creating such a place. This comes later. In this first stanza Coleridge is mainly concerned with the existence of the dome itself.
             Through caverns measureless to man
             This pleasure dome exists in Xanadu which gives the reader a sense that it is not in a real place. It is necessary to understand the rest of the poem in order to fully grasp these lines. In understanding the rest of the poem it becomes evident that these lines suggests that this paradise was born from a vision, or poetic inspiration. The word "decree" in the second line helps to back up this point. Colerdige, like the historical figure Kubla Khan decreed that something be created. Coleridge himself, with the omnipotent power of his own mind made this place exist, and therefore it became a reality for him.
             So twice five miles of fertile ground,
             With walls and towers were girdled round,
             And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
             Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree,
             And here were forests ancient as the hills
             Although there are many tangible elements incorporated in this stanza (such as the river, ground and towers) it is hard to paint an exact picture of this pleasure dome. This gives the dome a sense of surreal power and unearthly potential. It is dream-like and full of vitality. It is also...

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Colerdige's Kubla Khan. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 14:52, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/74122.html