"The Role of the Supernatural in the Works of William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge"

Authors

  • Ibrahim Mohamed Othman

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70135/seejph.vi.2951

Abstract

This paper explores the role of the supernatural in the works of two prominent Romantic poets, William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In their literary productions, both poets employ supernatural elements as vehicles for exploring profound moral, psychological, and spiritual questions. While Blake’s supernaturalism is deeply rooted in visionary mysticism and his critique of institutionalized religion, Coleridge’s engagement with the supernatural often reflects a more psychological and philosophical approach, highlighting the complexities of human consciousness and moral transgression. The study begins with an exploration of the broader Romantic fascination with the supernatural, which diverged from Enlightenment rationalism and emphasized imagination, intuition, and metaphysical experiences. Blake’s use of supernatural archetypes in Songs of Innocence and Experience and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell emphasizes a mythological worldview aimed at spiritual liberation, while Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan utilize supernatural elements to explore themes of guilt, redemption, and the creative imagination. Through a comparative analysis, the paper demonstrates that while both poets employ the supernatural to challenge contemporary societal and religious frameworks, Blake’s work leans more toward an optimistic visionary mysticism, whereas Coleridge’s poetry reflects an inner psychological struggle tied to moral and spiritual conflict. This paper argues that the supernatural in both poets’ works serves as a critique of rationalism, materialism, and institutional authority, while also contributing to the Romantic redefinition of the boundaries between the seen and unseen, the real and the imagined.

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Published

2024-12-21

How to Cite

Othman, I. M. (2024). "The Role of the Supernatural in the Works of William Blake and Samuel Taylor Coleridge". South Eastern European Journal of Public Health, 115–124. https://doi.org/10.70135/seejph.vi.2951

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Articles