Christabel

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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Genres: Poetry, Classics, Horror, Gothic, Vampires, Fantasy, Fiction

214 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1816

About the author

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English poet, critic, and philosopher who was, along with his friend William Wordsworth, one of the founders of the Romantic Movement in England and one of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, as well as his major prose work Biographia Literaria.

Reviews

[Olivia-Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

For what there was of this, it was actually quite nice. I like old, rhyming poetry it seems. He has a good sense of meter and rhythm, and the story is just starting to get interesting and exciting when it gets abruptly cut off. I was kind of digging it, and if there was more I suspect we would have gotten on quite while. Alas, that was all there was to this!

[sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay so bbc merlin but make it slightly sapphic and very evil

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I read The Gabriel Hounds last week, I saw quotes from this poem at the beginnings of various chapters. And the heroine of that book was named Christabel, so of course i became curious about this poem.

I've read Coleridge's Rime Of The Ancient Mariner many years ago, but I hadn't managed anything else of his until this unfinished poem. The poet planned for five parts, but only two were completed.

Why? What happened to keep Coleridge from completing this work? That became my point of wonder while I read this spooky poem of Christabel being taken over body and soul by the wicked Geraldine, who is obviously up to no good not only towards Christabel but against her father as well.

So, why didn't Coleridge finish? This liner note from the preface of the edition I read at Gutenberg helps explain:
"Since the latter date, my poetic powers have been, till very lately, in a state of suspended animation. But as, in my very first conception of the tale, I had the whole present to my mind, with the wholeness, no less than the liveliness of a vision; I trust that I shall be able to embody in verse the three parts yet to come, in the course of the present year."

The latter date he mentions is 1800, which was when the second and final section of the poem was finished; but he never could get himself together to add more parts to this piece.At first I thought maybe he died before he could do that, but when I went to wiki for more information I learned of Coleridge's poor physical health, possible bipolar condition, and addiction to opium.

I think it is a wonder he was able to write even as much of this poem as he did! Why is it that so many creative people had (and have) such severe issues? Such a shame, isn't it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is so good. I love the evil vs good/ sexuality vs purity themes. It is really a great work. It is such a pity that it isn't finished. I really want to know how Samuel Taylor Coleridge would have ended it.

[Rixt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gothic literature and this was no exception. This is a highly interesting poem.

The first time I read this, I wasn't very impressed by it. I liked it, but I didn't really look further at what the poem could potentially be trying to say. The second time, however, I reread it for my essay, in which I focus on how the Gothic genre illustrates the significance of pursuing knowledge. Now it became interesting. Deception, sexual temptation, use of power, sublimity: this poem has it all. If it weren't for the fact that I'm also including 'Frankenstein', I would've dissected every single line, looked for meaning in every tiny detail.

I don't know where to start to be honest, I might actually enjoy writing this essay.

[Ezgi Neşe · Rating 5 out of 5]

lesbian vampires

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donde Christabel encuentra en el bosque después de medianoche a una extraña mujer, y no encuentra nada mejor que invitarla a su lecho.

And Christabel awoke and spied
The same who lay down by her side—
O rather say, the same whom she
Raised up beneath the old oak tree!
Nay, fairer yet! and yet more fair!
For she belike hath drunken deep
Of all the blessedness of sleep!

Con conatos de vampirismo lésbico o meramente de un espiritu maléfico y donde se entrecruzan elementos de cuento de hada y cuento admonitorio buscando redimir la virtud , el final es especulativo porque el Sr. Coleridge nunca llegó a concluirlo. Hay menciones de espiritus en pena, de traspaso de un umbral de hierro (¿contra las hadas?) aunque puede concluirse como eso de que los vampiros no pueden entrar solos a un hogar. Un amor perdido, y una mujer/espiritu/demonio seductor. Cosas compelidas a no decirse y ojos de serpiente.

Interesante.
Y anterior a Carmilla pues fue escrito en 1797.

(Me recuerda un poco a lo que hace Gaiman en Nieve, cristal y manzanas.)

[Suvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because Christabel is unfinished, and especially because there were supposed to be at least three more parts, reading it feels like getting sucked into a story only to find out that all the pages after the prologue and the first chapter are missing. We never know what happens to Christabel and who or what Geraldine really is, but leaving the poem unrated just because the story ends abruptly would be a bit unfair. I mean, something can still be said about the language, the atmosphere etc.

I absolutely adore The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798), but although Christabel is a more conventional horror/gothic poem with a linear narrative, it doesn't mean it's bad. Just that it's entertaining but not particularly remarkable. The second part is much less interesting as it's a sort of an interlude that leads to the following events (whatever they may be), whereas the strongly gothic first part is remarkably similar to Carmilla (1872) with its heaving bosoms, supernatural elements, and two ladies having a very close encounter.

Although I picked Christabel up because I've heard about Geraldine in the context of vampires, I hesitate to call it a full-blown vampire story. That's just because the poem is unfinished, so we can't really be 100 percent sure about what's going on despite the relatively strong hints. Who knows what surprises Coleridge had in store (and I hear he had too much of them, because he couldn't decide how to end the story).

[charlieteuthis · Rating 5 out of 5]

(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:

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.

[Miles Madonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75? literally every character in this was gay. go coleridge!

[Shriya Uday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carmilla is that you?

[Lynda B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would let that woman do despicable things to me.

[Iza Brekilien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfinished poem by Samuel Coleridge, which is a shame because I was hooked ! A vampire tale, rather saphic, with a bit of horror thrown in, tension increasing.

[Hattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

saucy gothic

[vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

hay que llamar a coleridge con una ouija para que se siente a terminar este poema CÓMO TE VAS A VOLVER ADICTO AL OPIO ANTES DE TERMINARLO????

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[raphael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leute ihr checkt nicht wie traurig ich bin, das Coleridge das nie beendet hat. So interessante Anfänge mit krassen oppositionellen Äquivalenzen, blurring von identities, und triangulations of desire…

[Joanne van der Vlies · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the touch of this bosom there worketh a spell,
Which is lord of thy utterance, Christabel!
Thou knowest to-night, and wilt know to-morrow,
This mark of my shame, this seal of my sorrow;
But vainly thou warrest,
For this is alone in
Thy power to declare,
That in the dim forest
Thou heard'st a low moaning,
And found'st a bright lady, surpassingly fair;
And didst bring her home with thee in love and in charity,
To shield her and shelter her from the damp air."

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

creepy

[fin ⏾⋆.˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

wait omg why was this so good??? i need a longer retelling of this nowwww this is SO cool

[sajad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps 'tis tender too and pretty
At each wild word to feel within
A sweet recoil of love and pity.
And what, if in a world of sin
(O sorrow and shame should this be true!)
Such giddiness of heart and brain
Comes seldom save from rage and pain,
So talks as it 's most used to do.

[Juana Viviane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hat beim lesen zwar mein lispeln richtig getriggered aber sonst very nice

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preferred this to 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'! Was not expecting it to be as spooky as it is.

[Cait]

what if we were the protagonist and villain of a never-completed sensual gothic poem (and we were both girls)

alternately: when you meet a wickedhot girl only she's SPOOKY but that's SEXY and turns out your dad and her dad were also gay back in the day before having a sexy gay falling-out and she's like 'babe let's get naked and hold each other close' and you're like '👀--wait fuck I mean uhhhh I PRETEND I DO NOT SEE IT!'

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read it twice to fully understand everything. I didn’t know what I was going into by thinking I can comprehend XVIII century english. Nonetheless, I adore „Christabel”, the story is unique and I feel like it for sure had an influence on Le Fanu’s ,,Carmilla”. From the white attire to hypnosis and many more.

[SB · Rating 5 out of 5]

when i read this, at first in 2014, it was like being stunned by the sheer awesomeness of coleridge's poems and the darkness inside the poem's narrative. fuck! i can still remember what kind of an evil book it was! goodness!

[Sean Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christabel is among Coleridge's unfinished poems because of the author's melancholy and indolence. However, this one lacks the lyrical perfection of Kubla Khan, although the tale is intriguing enough to make me wonder what might have been.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable poem about possible otherwordly terrors. I would have rated it higher except that it was never finished, and that just makes me a sadpanda because it was just getting really interesting.

[teo ! (frankenstein's boyfriend) · Rating 4 out of 5]

geraldine, queer vampire icon

[kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

coleridge was literally writing about sexy gay vampires before le fanu and stoker were even born... his power.