Reviews

Christabel by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

charlieteuthis's review

5.0

(I reread this and changed my review from a 4 to a 5.)

My analysis of the poem, if you've already read it and are curious:

Spoiler

To me, the poem is about people struggling to come to terms with their sexuality. A lot of the poem talks about how Christabel feels when she’s around Geraldine. These strange feelings aren’t the result of a spell, but are of love. But Christabel doesn’t understand that. She is deeply religious, and is therefore terrified of what she feels towards Geraldine. She thinks that Geraldine’s supernatural abilities are what’s causing the feelings, because she associates both the supernatural and homosexuality with sin.

Sir Leoline also faces coming to terms with his feelings. He discovers Geraldine is the daughter of Lord Roland, who I think is Leoline’s former lover. The anger that caused the two men to part ways was caused by Leoline’s denial of his sexuality and feelings towards Roland. Leoline regrets what he did when he sees Geraldine, and has word sent to Roland that he has his daughter and wishes to reconcile.

Geraldine is the herald of understanding one’s sexuality, though she is met with varying degrees of welcomeness.

dnietoperafan's review

4.0

I actually really enjoyed this poem. The rhymes kept me smiling, the story kept me hooked. I wish the ending was a bit more fleshed out, but the cliffhanger kind of serves the poem well. I will definitely read more from Coleridge.

midnightcomets's review

dark inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I wish there was more lore for this but alas. Such an interesting story though, and I can definitely see why people think Carmilla was an homage to it. 

annemanderijn's review

fast-paced

4.0

pixie_d's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I read this because it was mentioned in a biography of Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. The part that Charlotte Gordon mentions, which didn't make it into the poem (that Coleridge originally gave the "witch" eyes on her breasts, but was persuaded that was too much), would have gone a long way to explain just what traumatized Christabel. The poem (which Coleridge introduced by saying it was written in two parts, many years apart -- and btw you can really see how much his writing improved -- could have benefited by prose descriptions in the margins, as there are (stage directions?) in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, at least imo. There's a lot unspoken or alluded to (I almost wrote "eluded," not the right word, but I guess I was finding the poem a smidge elusive), without rising to the level of the super-gorgeous language and evocative imagery of Kubla Khan and Mariner. The many elisions in the text, not all due to its fragmented state, reminded me of how well so many 19th century texts lend themselves to psychoanalytic criticism. Does anyone still do that these days?

will_cherico's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I’m a huge fan of Coleridge’s word choice, as anyone who’s talked to me about The Rime of the Ancient Mariner would know. It’s so capital r Romantic as we see in conversation about Leoline and Roland’s relationship, or Geraldine’s slow corruption of Christabel. It’s a fascinating proto-vampire story that explores sexuality in a way I haven’t really seen from a work this old, and I really wish he had written the last 3/5s of the book. 

jenmkin's review

3.0

I prefer the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (partly because it's actually complete), but Christabel is a WILD ride.

situationnormal's review

4.0

Too bad Coleridge never finished writing "Christabel", although, the unfinished version does leave it very open for interpretation.

maenad_wordsmith's review

reread for work

bookfever's review

3.0

I read this because I got offered a book (Christabel by Suzanne Sullivan) that's based on this poem. I liked it very much so I can't wait to see how the book is going to turn out!