Coleridge's "Frost at Midnight" | Close Reading and Analysis | Greater Romantic Lyrics

[@sb5421]

“The thin blue flame / Lies on my low burnt fire, and quivers not; / Only that film, which fluttered on the grate, / Still flutters there, the sole unquiet thing.” Thank you for this presentation. I like your slow readings. You have a real appreciation of the beauty of the language which comes through in these videos. The beauty of the language is the thing that is lost all too frequently in classes. We must not give up the poem for the words. “We murder to dissect,” wrote Wordsworth. Analysis is useful, of course, but synthesis is better. Yes, you take things apart, but only to put them together again; you synthesize. (I like the connections you make between Coleridge and Wordsworth.) Synthesis, creation, in the end that is the best criticism. I repeat it! _Creation is the best criticism._

[@eeshusaxena449]

Wow

[@achilleus9918]

"or sister more beloved, / My play-mate when we both were clothed alike!" - presumably referring to how boys and girls were dressed pretty much the same for the first few years, until boys reached a certain age (not sure how old off the top of my head) when they started wearing shorts, and then trousers. so, in an obvious sense, just meaning "when we were both very young," but I wonder whether there's also a sense in which Coleridge is referring to a time in his life before gender? Or at least before gender roles, visible outwards signifiers of the social construct of gender. Anyway, love this video - I'm a PhD student studying Keats, and I find these videos interesting and helpful when I'm getting bogged down in more complicated stuff and want a reminder of a) the basics, in a way my tired brain can understand!, and b) why I love these poems in the first place. The way you talk about every poem you discuss really exudes enthusiasm and it motivates me a lot, so thank you.

[@robertgainer2783]

An excellent presentation. The way the poem resolves itself cyclically at the end was a revision and differs from the 1798 text. It is easy to see how Wordsworth and Coleridge responded to each other in their work. I’m also thinking of how they influenced (and were influenced by) other Romantic poets. Charlotte Turner Smith springs to mind. It has been pointed out that her oxymoronic title ‘Elegaic Sonnets’ may have influenced the equally oxymoronic ’Lyrical Ballads’, but these poems (Frost at Midnight and Lines Above Tintern Abbey) might have influenced her composition of Beachy Head in 1803. I have not considered this before, but I think I will revisit Beachy Head with this idea in mind. Good work, Adam - I look forward to the next one 👍

[@closereadingpoetry]

Oh fascinating! I hadn't made that connection between the titles before and hadn't thought about Smith's later poems as possibly responding to the younger poets' works. Certainly Charlotte Smith is so important to the new movement. It's unfortunate how often the 'Lyrical Ballads' eclipse other Romantic poets -- Smith, Joanna Baillie among them... Also interesting to think of these poets speaking to each other through their poems. I'll have to return to Beachy Head with that in mind as well... Thanks for the contribution!

[@karierickson7581]

Thanks both! I loved this video so much; I’m especially enjoying understanding how these poets influenced each other and created, as you say Adam, their own lexicon. So many themes here that I am working through myself with nature as a “book” to be read through the senses. But the question I came away with was about how many women participated in this conversation and contributed their own impressions and language. Robert you & Adam have given me a few names to check out-thank you! So fun!

[@isramethaq]

One of the very best lessons I've ever watched ❤️ You gave life to the poem as if it was composed just now 💕 you did a great job man 👏

[@eeshusaxena449]

Beautiful reading !!

[@georgelawrence2570]

Superlative.

[@nimadaryamadj7403]

Thank you! Would be interesting to see/hear your analysis of Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

[@closereadingpoetry]

Great suggestion!

[@zainulabidin5495]

Reading style is awesome

[@chrischong3478]

Great analysis. Thank you

[@sivanihowe]

This was brilliant. I really hope you can feel the appreciation that your viewers have for your time and effort. I truly believe that as the collective shifts in conciousness that the presicion and craft of poetry will again come to the forfront of the way we relate to the world, and each other.

[@iuridiblasio2094]

so useful for my final essay! Thanks

[@colinellesmere]

This was so informative. Eruditly presented. The synethetic last two lines bring the reader back to the present moment which resolves the poem and the poets musings throughout the poem. I struggled to understand this poem on two readings, even listening to Richard Burton's excellent recording. I so appreciate the way you break down the poem to display its richness. Grear work.

[@emm6724]

Wow this is so well done

[@markoneill7657]

Thanks again. Once I figured out that you hadn’t jumped to (Robert) Frost, I really enjoyed the reading of the poem. 😃😃

[@betel1345]

I appreciate what you bring to this poem