Characterization In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'Christabel'

Within the poem ‘Christabel’ Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s character, Geraldine, stirs many questions. As the poem was never finished it is clear readers will never have a definite answer. There is much debate on who she is and what she wants. I plan to draw my own conclusions based on the text and the theories of others. To answer who Geraldine is I am pulling from the text deliberate characterisation in Coleridge’s writing. It is clear Geraldine is not human but just what she is was never addressed. As well as her unassuming identity readers also wonder what exactly Geraldine’s motives were through deceiving Christabel which results to her gaining access to the castle and Christabel’s father. The best way to identify Geraldine’s motivation is to analyse the action and see how these actions would change the circumstances. There is use of foreshadowing to indicate where Coleridge was leading towards. These techniques aid in the analysis of the poem and can give us a clearer view of how the poem may have ended. Though it is my belief that Coleridge never intended to allow Geraldine, a representation of evil, to succeed by answering these questions we may be able to see how the poem may have unfolded.

In reading Coleridge’s ‘Christabel’ you are left with many unanswered questions, most of which surround the character of Geraldine. It is never addressed however what exactly Geraldine is however there are many hints throughout the narrative . It is clear Geraldine uses female