Lime Tree Bower
Coleridge’s poem ‘This Lime Tree Bower My Prison’ is strongly centered on the power of nature and its ability to enable the physical and imaginative process. His physical confinement is apparent by the use of the term ‘prison’ in the title of the poem, expressing Coleridge’s annoyance with being stranded alone on a rock while his friends are out on a walk. Coleridge’s imagination is left to wander around nature, as he gradually learns to celebrate the beauty of the nature around him.
One effort of Coleridge’s imaginary journey is that it brings him to realise that he is only physically trapped, while mentally he can still travel with his friends. Coleridge has portrayed this in the poem through the change between referring to the lime tree bower as his ‘prison’ in the 1st stanza, and then referring to as ‘this little lime tree bower’, representing his changing views that even though he may be physically stranded on the lime tree bower, he can still travel alongside his friends on their journey simply by remembering. By realising this, Coleridge has allowed himself to again reconnect with all the beautiful aspects of nature on an even greater level than he has ever connected with it before. This realisation has shown that Coleridge is no longer afraid or apprehensive of this lime tree bower, but instead he feels …show more content…
soothed and comforted by its presence with him in the environment.
Coleridge further enforces his change in the realisation that not all journeys must be taken physically.
In the poem, Coleridge portrays this through the use of “Now, my friends emerge beneath the wide, wide heaven.” which indicates the imaginative journey that he is now mentally undertaking with them. He has shown an increase in his positivity towards this journey, and has allowed the nature to have a soothing effect on him. Further evidence of his change of mood from happy to sad is through the use of “heaven” as a metaphor for the sky, indicating that Coleridge is becoming more positive, and that he is now openly communicating his love of
nature.
The final line of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem reveals the significance of Coleridge to imaginative journeys. Through the use of the sentence “No sound is dissonant which tells of Life.” Coleridge comes to an understanding that no one can be alone in the world, as they will always be connected to nature, which is also seen in “Nature ne’er deserts the wise and pure”. This shows that life is full of beauty, and even in the darkest of days when nothing is going right; nature will always be there to accompany the traveller through those rough days.
In conclusion, Coleridge’s poem ‘This Lime Tree Bower My Prison’ has opened up the minds of the responder and traveller, and has helped them to understand that not all journeys need to be taken physically. Imaginative journeys have helped Coleridge with the understanding that nature is beautiful and that as long as there is nature in his life, he will never be alone.
One effort of Coleridge’s imaginary journey is that it brings him to realise that he is only physically trapped, while mentally he can still travel with his friends. Coleridge has portrayed this in the poem through the change between referring to the lime tree bower as his ‘prison’ in the 1st stanza, and then referring to as ‘this little lime tree bower’, representing his changing views that even though he may be physically stranded on the lime tree bower, he can still travel alongside his friends on their journey simply by remembering. By realising this, Coleridge has allowed himself to again reconnect with all the beautiful aspects of nature on an even greater level than he has ever connected with it before. This realisation has shown that Coleridge is no longer afraid or apprehensive of this lime tree bower, but instead he feels …show more content…
soothed and comforted by its presence with him in the environment.
Coleridge further enforces his change in the realisation that not all journeys must be taken physically.
In the poem, Coleridge portrays this through the use of “Now, my friends emerge beneath the wide, wide heaven.” which indicates the imaginative journey that he is now mentally undertaking with them. He has shown an increase in his positivity towards this journey, and has allowed the nature to have a soothing effect on him. Further evidence of his change of mood from happy to sad is through the use of “heaven” as a metaphor for the sky, indicating that Coleridge is becoming more positive, and that he is now openly communicating his love of
nature.
The final line of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem reveals the significance of Coleridge to imaginative journeys. Through the use of the sentence “No sound is dissonant which tells of Life.” Coleridge comes to an understanding that no one can be alone in the world, as they will always be connected to nature, which is also seen in “Nature ne’er deserts the wise and pure”. This shows that life is full of beauty, and even in the darkest of days when nothing is going right; nature will always be there to accompany the traveller through those rough days.
In conclusion, Coleridge’s poem ‘This Lime Tree Bower My Prison’ has opened up the minds of the responder and traveller, and has helped them to understand that not all journeys need to be taken physically. Imaginative journeys have helped Coleridge with the understanding that nature is beautiful and that as long as there is nature in his life, he will never be alone.