Thursday 6 August 2015

Coleridge explores a fascination with exotic places and things. Write an essay analyzing his view and portrayal of Xanadu as an exotic place. Why...

Though I can't write the essay for you, I can give you ideas about what you should focus on. First of all, you should note that, while Coleridge is writing a poem about an exotic location, he's also writing a poem about dreams. Coleridge famously declared that "Kubla Kahn" came to him in a dream and, whether or not this account is actually true, it's important in terms of understanding the poem. Coleridge is certainly...

Though I can't write the essay for you, I can give you ideas about what you should focus on. First of all, you should note that, while Coleridge is writing a poem about an exotic location, he's also writing a poem about dreams. Coleridge famously declared that "Kubla Kahn" came to him in a dream and, whether or not this account is actually true, it's important in terms of understanding the poem. Coleridge is certainly writing about the subconscious, as the world of Xanadu is meant, at least in part, to represent a dreamscape of fantastical proportions, a vision that came to the narrator during sleep. As such, Coleridge is using the idea of "the exotic" as an extension of the fantastical nature of the human subconscious. The exotic world of Xanadu becomes the setting that allows Coleridge to explore the haunting, beautiful, strange world of dreams, subconsciousness, and the convoluted human imagination. Coleridge is therefore attracted to the exotic because it becomes a place free from the confines of society, a place in which the artistic imagination can construct an idyllic world responding to the deepest human desires. In short, the exotic in "Kubla Kahn" is closely tied to the human subconscious and imagination, and so this topic would certainly be a good focus for an essay.

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