Comment on the supernatural elements
in Christabel.
Supernaturalism is an
outstanding romantic quality. It gives certain poems an eerie atmosphere by
virtue of which the romantic poetry is often called the “renaissance of
wonder”. Coleridge (1772-1834) is one of the greatest of romantic
poets who touched lightly on all the keys of poetic expression, but he
remains unequalled in one sphere of poetry – that is supernatural. Before Coleridge supernatural element had applied in English literature (apart from drama) in
the works of Horace Walpole, Mrs. Ann Radcliff and Monk Lewis. While planning a
new volume of poems to be jointly written by Wordsworth and Coleridge,
Coleridge undertook to deal with the supernatural. As he himself tells us in
“Biographia Literaria” (1817): “It was agreed that my endeavours should be
directed to persons and characters supernatural or at least romantic, yet so as
to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth
sufficient to procure for these shadow of imagination that willing suspension
of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith”. Coleridge in his
masterpieces like ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, ‘Kubla Khan’ and ‘Christabel’
has shown his unrivalled mastery in his treatment of supernaturalism. He has
created the atmosphere with his ruthless exclusion of crudity and sole reliance
on subtle suggestive means. The remark that “the thing attempted in Christabel
is the most delightful in the whole field of romance: Wicker by daylight” –
indicates the peculiar quality of the supernatural element in the poem. Now let
us see how far Coleridge’s ‘Christabel’ is imbued with supernatural
element.
‘Christabel’ is a graceful recreation of the medieval world of fantasy, magic
and marvel. Here Coleridge does not attach to the supernatural to anything
concrete and definite rather by hinting invites the supernatural with the air
of suggestion and indefiniteness which not only strikes the readers for its
failure, but it suggests eeriness of a remote horror. Above all, the trick of
carry on the narrative through question and answer is very much apt to this
purpose.
