Contributions to Western Thought
Samuel Taylor Coleridge is believed to be one of the most influential and controversial figures of the Romantic Period. He presented supernatural themes and exotic images in his works which can be seen as a direct response and rejection to the ideas of the Age of Reason. He emphasized emotion over reason, and feelings over intellect. He brought imagination back into writing.
His poems such as "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan" influenced other romantic writers. The elements he used in his writing inspired the upsurge of Gothic Romance. For example, Mary Shelley looked up to Coleridge's style and even quoted his poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", twice in her novel, Frankenstein.
His poems such as "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan" influenced other romantic writers. The elements he used in his writing inspired the upsurge of Gothic Romance. For example, Mary Shelley looked up to Coleridge's style and even quoted his poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", twice in her novel, Frankenstein.
Although he was best known for his poems, his philosophical and prose works inspired and initiated the Transcendental Movement in America. His pieces, such as The Friend and Aids to Reflection, inspired famous transcendentalists such as William Ellery Channing and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Transcendentalists adopted Coleridge's philosophy that men and nature are naturally good, not evils like previous philosophers had stated.
Coleridge also made contributions to the religious community. The political upheaval initiated by the French Revolution at the time intrigued him. As a result, most of his religious teachings were flavored with his political opinion. He had a more radical train of thought which he was not afraid to express. In fact, he often wore a blue coat and white waistcoat instead of the black uniform most preachers were expected to wear. He embedded his thoughts and opinions about the nature and the natural world into Unitarian philosophy.
Coleridge also made contributions to the religious community. The political upheaval initiated by the French Revolution at the time intrigued him. As a result, most of his religious teachings were flavored with his political opinion. He had a more radical train of thought which he was not afraid to express. In fact, he often wore a blue coat and white waistcoat instead of the black uniform most preachers were expected to wear. He embedded his thoughts and opinions about the nature and the natural world into Unitarian philosophy.