A Discussion On Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) occupies an important and unique position in English poetry history. As a first-class poet, Coleridge composed some of the world renowned poems such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Christabel and Kubla Khan. As a prominent poetry theorist and critics, Coleridge although did not get much recognition in Britain in the 19th century, became rapidly well acknowledged and outstanding in English poetry world in the 20th centuryThis thesis makes a summary of the current situation about Coleridge's poetic research at home and abroad in the introduction part, and finds that, those past researches on Coleridge's poetic although have sufficiently proved the value of it, have also exposed a serious shortcoming of it, that is "lack of systematicness". This shortcoming brings adverse impact on Coleridge's poetic researches, especially on overview research, resulting Coleridge'poetic was very difficult to comprehend from a whole view in a long period. Just insight into such conditions, this thesis comprehensively adopts research methods including special poetic, generalized poetic and comparative poetic to make a thorough analysis for the "Organic Unity View" of Coleridge's poetic, tries to clarify the composition of its general concept, and so forth continue to make brief comments of the status and influence among romantic theories in the 19th century as well as in western literary theory history.The research significance of this subject are as follows:firstly, this thesis makes the first overall research on Coleridge's poetic domestically, and expounds the overall concept of it as "Organic Unity View". Secondly, this thesis puts many argument points of Coleridge's poetic into macroscopical vision for new study, it can be help for us enriching understanding upon them. Thirdly, this thesis puts Coleridge's poetic into backgrounds both romanticism in 19th century and western literary theory history to make throughout research, through the synchronic and diachronic comparison researches, reveals the unique value of Coleridge's poetic among those romantic literary theories in the 19th century and its status and influence in the history of western literary theory.The introduction part of this thesis not only investigates the current situation about Coleridge's poetic at home and abroad, expounds the research significance of this subject and the research methods, it also sort out meticulously the heritage and development of the "Organic Unity" view in western literary theory history, and then makes a brief exposition on the general constitution of Coleridge's "Organic Unity Poetic View" along with its status in western literary theory history. There are three chapters in this thesis. Chapter one discusses the Organic View of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View. Section one in this chapter analyzes two ideological sources of Coleridge's Organic View. The two sources are the influence of early German romantic thoughts and the facilitation and promotion of evolution and development of British literature itself. Section two makes an analogical interpretation of Coleridge's Organic View by borrowing his plant research, and gets conclusion in three words, namely "seed basis", "growth property" and "assimilation process". Section three analyzes the basic contents of Coleridge's Organic View, i.e. "organic creation concept", "organic intuitive-feeling method", "organic form and content". This thesis believes that, Organic View is the basic part of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View.Chapter two discusses the Unity View of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View Section one analyzes the four basic contents of Coleridge's Unity View:theme, form, content and inner dominant power. Section two analyzes the two aesthetic standards within Coleridge's Unity View:elegance and wisdom. Section three analyzes three relations related whole and part elucidated in Coleridge's poetic, they are whole prior to part, parts support and explain each other, and within each part, its internal elements get along harmony and support mutually.This thesis believes that, Unity View is the main part of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View.Chapter three discusses the "imagination" theory of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View. Section one analyzes the definition of Coleridge's "imagination", including Coleridge's definition of "imagination" reveals the dual character of it, the difference between "imagination" and "fantasy" that expounded by Coleridge. Section two analyzes these concrete effects that Coleridge's "imagination" taking in poem composing, they are forming the diversity of content elements and enhancing the unity of the overall effect. Section three analyzes two macroscopic aspects that Coleridge's "imagination" impacting on poem composing, they are helping the poem becoming an organic unity and making the poem can provide direct fun. This thesis believes that, "imagination" theory is the core part of Coleridge's Organic Unity Poetic View.The epilogue of this thesis makes a comprehensive summary of Coleridge's literary achievements from three aspects, his poetry creating, poetry theory and poetry criticism. Simultaneously, expounds deeply the effects that Coleridge's poetry theory and poetry criticism had on later western poetic and even literature.