Romantic Elements In Coleridge's Kubla Khan

Even though acclaimed by latter generations, Coleridge’s poem “Kubla Khan” was first discussed controversially by critics and perceived as a work which lacked meaning and sense due to its fragmentary and chaotic character. (Bahti 1035). This might correspond with the fact that Coleridge consumed drugs before he commenced with the writing of the poem. The author derived the inspiration necessary for the poem from a vision he had while sleeping under the influence of these drugs. In fact, the poem had never been entirely completed and should be considered as a fragment of the writer’s vision (Bahti 1035). Despite its fragmentation and equivocal meaning, the poem still succeeds in featuring a certain form of unity through the usage of Romantic characteristics (Fogle 13). Fogle claims: “This concept of ‘Romantic magic’ has its sanction and is by no means to be discarded as pointless” (Fogle 13). So, what exactly are these Romantic aspects featured in the poem and how do they contribute to the overall impression of it? Especially nature, setting and fantastic imagery do serve as prime agents of the atmosphere of “Kubla Khan”. This paper aims to analyze the different Romantic traits of “Kubla Khan” and how they can be depicted as significant for the poem as a whole.
Particularly when analyzing the setting of the poem, it is quite noticeable that Coleridge uses it as a Romantic element. For example, featuring imagery of the Orient was a common way of creating a mystic atmosphere in