CC9S

emes
terI
V

Br
it
is
hRoma
nti
cLi
ter
atur
e

S
tanz
aWi
seAna
lys
isofCol
eri
dge'
s"Kubl
aKha
n"

Coler
idgec omposedhispoem,Kubl aKha nisas t
a t
eofs e
mi-consc
ioust r
ancee i
therinthea utumnof
1797ors pringof1798andpubli
shedi n1816.Thewhol epoemi sperva
de dbya na t
mos phereofdream
andr ema i
nsintheformofav i
sion.Thev is
ionembodi edinKublaKhanwa sins
piredbyt heper us
alof
thetravelbook,PurchasHisPi
lg
r i
ma ge.Coleri
dgeha dtakenadoz eofopi um asana nodyne ,andhis
eyesclosedupont heli
neinthebook ,“AtZa na
duKubl aKhanbuil
tapl easurepalac
e .
”Butthisopened
hiscreat
ivev i
si
on,andthepoe m ofa bout200l i
neswa scomposedint hisstat
eofwa ki
ngdr eam.On
beingfull
ya wake,hewr ot
ethepoem down.T hethemeoft hepoe mi sunimportant
.Itdes c
ribesthe
palac
ebui l
tbyKublaKhan,thegrandsonofCheng isKhan,t
heg r
eatrul
eofc entralAsi
a.

Thi
spoe mi st hefines texampl eofpur epoet ryr emove dfroma nyintell
ectua l
c ontent.Beingesse nt i
all
y
ofthena t
ureofadr ea m,itenc ha ntsbyt hel ovel i
nessofitscolour,art
ist
icbe aut y
, andswee tha rmony .
I
tsv i
si
oni swr oug htoutoft hemos tvariouss ources–orientedroma ncea ndt ravelbooks.Itsr emot e
set
tingandi tsde l
icatei mag i
na tiv
er eali
smr ende r
sitespec i
al
lyroma nti
c.T hes upe r
naturalatmos phere
i
sev okedchi efl
yt hroug hs ugg estiona nda s
s ociati
on.T hemus i
caleff
ectoft hepoem i suns urpa sse
d.
Thema inappea loft hepoe ml iesinitssounde ff
ect
s.T herhythma ndeve nthel eng t
hoft hel i
nesa re
var
iedt opr oduc es ubt l
eef fec tsofha r
mony .T hewhol epoe mi sboundt og etherbyanet wor kof
al
li
terati
on,theus eofl iquidc ons onants,a ndonoma topoeia.Thejudici
ousus eofha r
dc onsona nt shas
gi
venoc cas
iona ll
yt hee ffectoff orcea ndha rshne s
s.

Kubl
aKha
n

Or
,av
isi
oni
nadr
eam.
AFr
agment
.

I
nXa
nadudi
dKubl
aKha
n

As
tat
elypl
eas
ure
-domedec
ree
:

Wher
eAl
ph,
thes
acr
edr
iver
,ra
n

T
hroug
hca
ver
nsme
asur
ele
sst
oma
n

Downt
oas
unl
esss
ea.

S
otwi
cef
iv
emi
l
esoff
ert
il
egr
ound
Wi
thwa
ll
sandt
owe
rswer
egi
rdl
edr
ound;

Andt
her
ewe
reg
ardensbr
ightwi
ths
inuousr
il
ls
,

Wher
ebl
oss
ome
dma
nya
ninc
ens
e-be
ari
ngt
ree
;

Andher
ewe
ref
ores
tsa
nci
enta
sthehi
l
ls,

E
nfol
di
ngs
unnys
pot
sofg
ree
ner
y.

I
nt heseli
nesfrom thepoem Kubl
aKha n,thepoetSamuelTay
lerColeri
dgenar
rateshowKublaKha n
orderedasta
telyple
a sur
ehousetobebuiltandwhatwa ss
ubs
eque ntl
ydonetogetitbui
lt
.KublaKhan
orderedtheerect
ionofama gni
fi
centpleasur
epa l
aceonthebank softhesac
redr i
ver‘Al
ph’which
fl
owedunder gr
oundf oralongdis
tancethroughunfat
homabl
ec a
ve si
ntoaseawher etheraysofthe
suncouldnopenetrate.

Accordi
ngly,forthispur
pose,apl otofferti
l
el andcover
ingt enmi leswasenc los
edwi thwall
sand
towersallaround.Onones i
deoft hisl
and,therewerega r
densf ullofaroma t
ictreeswheresweet-
smelli
ngflowersbloomed.Therewe reme a
nderingst
rea
msf lowi ngthroug
ht hesegardensmaki
ngthe
placeexc
e edi
nglybe a
uti
ful
.Ont heothersi
deoft hel
andwer et hic
kpr i
mevalforest
sa sol
dasthehil
l
s
withi
nwhi chtherewereplot
sofg r
assyla
ndwa rmedbyther a
y softhes un.

T
hus,Col
eri
dgecreat
esav aguel
ybutsugges
tiv
er omanti
cpa l
ace.“
Inr
eadi
ngit“,S
winbur
neobs
erves
a
boutthes
ea r
ti
sti
ctouches,“wearewrappedintotha
tpa r
adis
ewheremusi
ca ndcol
oura
ndper
fume
a
reone;whereyouhearthehuesandseetheha r
moniesofheaven.
”

Butoh!t
hatdee
proma
nti
ccha
smwhi
chs
lant
ed

Downt
heg
ree
nhi
l
lat
hwa
rtac
eda
rnc
ove
r!

As
ava
gepl
ace
!ashol
yande
ncha
nted

Ase’
erbenea
thawa
ningmoonwa
sha
unt
ed

Bywoma
nwa
il
ingf
orhe
rde
mon-
lov
er!

Andf
romt
hisc
has
m,wi
thc
eas
eles
stur
moi
lse
ethi
ng,

Asi
fthi
sea
rthi
nfa
stt
hic
kpa
ntswer
ebr
eat
hing
,

Ami
ght
yfount
ainmome
ntl
ywa
sfor
ced:

Ami
dwhos
eswi
ftha
lf-
int
ermi
tt
edbur
st
Hug
efr
agment
sva
ult
edl
i
ker
eboundi
ngha
il
,

Orc
haf
fyg
rai
nbe
nea
tht
het
hres
her
’sf
lai
l
:

Andmi
dthe
seda
nci
ngr
ock
satonc
eandev
er

I
tfl
ungupmoment
lyt
hes
acr
edr
iver
.

F
ivemi
l
esmea
nder
ingwi
thama
zymot
ion

T
hroug
hwooda
ndda
let
hes
acr
edr
iverr
an,

T
henr
eac
hedt
hec
ave
rnsmea
sur
eles
stoma
n,

Ands
anki
ntumul
ttoal
i
fel
essoc
ean;

And’
midt
hist
umul
tKubl
ahe
ardf
romf
ar

Anc
est
ral
voi
cespr
ophe
syi
ngwa
r!

Thesearethemos tfamouslinesofColeri
dge’spoemKubl aKhana ndha vebeenhi g
hl yappreci
atedfor
theeffort
lessa daptat
ionoft hes ounda ndr hythm tothev ari
ouspa r
tsoft hedes cri
pti
ons.While
descr
ibi
ngt hebe aut
if
ulg r
ounds ,thepoe tse emst ohavebe ena t
trac
tedbyt hemos trema r
kable
mysteri
ousc has m whichs tre
tcheda cr
os sthehi llcov
eredwi thc edartrees.Its implyde f
ieda l
l
descr
ipti
ons.Itwa sahighl
yroma nti
cplaceandwor eamyster
iousaspect.
Itseeme da nenc ha
ntedplace
hauntedbyde monsa ndf a
iri
ersandf r
eque nt
e dbyadi s
appointedlady-
lovewe epingf orherdemon-
l
overunde rthelightofthefadi
ngmoon.

Thev a guenessandmy s t
eryoft hispla
ces ugg
estedwi t
chcraf
ta ndit
spr a
cti
cea st
heyar
ea ssoci
ated
wi t
hs uchs urr
oundings.From thischasm afounta
ing ushedfortheverymome ntsovi
ol
entl
yt hatthe
tremblingea rt
hrounda bouta ppea r
edlik
eama nbreathinghardwhil
edy i
ng.Itmoment
ari
lythrewup
hug efragme nt
sofrockwhi chtossedupa ndthenfell
tot hegroundinalldi
rec
ti
onsli
kehai
lst
one sfr
om
thes k
yorl ikechaf
ffly
inga boutwhe ncrushedwit
haf l
a i
l.

Fromt hischa s
ma ls
os pra ngupt hesacredriver,Alphwhi chflowedwi t
haz i
g-zagcourseforfi
vemile
s
throughf orestandv al
leya ndt henf el
lintothec al
ma ndt r
a nqui
loceant hrought heunfathomabl
e
caverns.Asi tf
elli
ntotheoc e an,itcr
eatedag re a
tr oari
ngs ound.Inthemi dstofthisuproari
ousnois
e
KublaKha nhea r
dt hev oic esofhi sances t
orspr ophesyingtha tthetimewa snea rwhe nhes houl
d
i
ndul geina mbiti
ouswa rs.Int hepleasur
e-hous eKubl aKha nbec a
mea ddic
tedt oluxurysohisances
tor
s
urgedhimt oshakeoffhisl et
ha rgi
candlux uri
ouslifeandber ea dytol
if
eofa dve nt
uresandwa rs.

T
hes
hadowoft
hedomeofpl
eas
ure
F
loa
tedmi
dwa
yont
hewa
ves
;

Wher
ewa
shea
rdt
hemi
ngl
edme
asur
e

F
romt
hef
ount
aina
ndt
hec
ave
s.

I
twa
sami
rac
leofr
aredev
ice
,

As
unnypl
eas
ure
-domewi
thc
avesofi
ce!

Ada
msel
wit
hadul
ci
mer

I
nav
isi
ononc
eIs
aw:

I
twa
sanAby
ssi
ni
anma
id

Andonhe
rdul
ci
mers
hepl
aye
d,

S
ing
ingofMountAbor
a.

Theseli
nesf urtherdescr
ibethechar
msofdi spl
ayedbyt heple
asurepa l
aceoft heemperora tZanadu.
Thepleas ure-
houseofKubl aKhanwa sav eryromanticand beauti
fulpala
ce.T hepoethe resaysthat
theref
lec ti
onofthepl e
asure-
domefe l
lbetwee nthefountai
nsmingli
ngwi t
ht heechoi
ngs oundc oming
outoft hec avesc r
eatedfortheonlookera nill
usi
onofar eal
lyrhythmic
a lmus i
c.Thepa la
cewa sa
const
ructionofar aredesignandawonder fultr
iumphofa rc
hit
ectureasitcombi nedi
nits
el fasumme r
andawi nt erpala
ce.Thet opofthebuil
dingwa swa r
mbec a
useitwa sopent os unwhil
et helow-l
ying
chambe rswerek eptcoolbyic
ewhichne v
e rme l
ted.

I
nt henextl i
nesColeridgeintr
oducesabea uti
fulgi
r lbroughtfrom adi
stantcountry,tocompletet he
pic
tureofther omantica t
mosphere.Hesaysthatonc einhisdrea mhesawag i
rlwhowa sbroughtfrom
Abyss
inia
.S hewa ssingingofhe rna
tivel
andAby s
siniaa ndMountAbor a.Thepoetmea nstos uggest
thathers ongs howedhome si
cknes
s.Sheha dbe enbr oughtfrom hercountrytoadi st
antlandChi na
andwa nt
edt or et
urnhomea ndtoplayfr
eelyandha ppil
yonc emor ewit
hot hergir
lsofhercountry
.

Coul
dIr
evi
vewi
thi
nme

Hers
ymphonya
nds
ong
,

T
osuc
hadee
pde
li
ght’
twoul
dwi
nme,

T
hatwi
thmus
icl
ouda
ndl
ong
,

I
woul
dbui
l
dtha
tdomei
nai
r,
T
hats
unnydome
!thos
eca
vesofi
ce!

Anda
llwhohea
rds
houl
dse
ethe
mther
e,

Anda
lls
houl
dcr
y,Be
war
e!Be
war
e!

Hi
sfl
ashi
nge
yes
,hi
sfl
oat
ingha
ir!

We
aveac
irc
ler
oundhi
mthr
ic
e,

Andc
los
eyourey
eswi
thhol
ydr
ead

F
orheonhone
y-de
wha
thf
ed,

Anddr
unkt
hemi
l
kofPa
radi
se.

Theseli
nesconcl
udetheunfi
nis
hedpoe m.Whe nt
hepoe tsawanAby ss
ini
ang i
rls
ing
ingame l
odious
songandpr oduci
ngexqui
sitemelodyonherdul ci
meri nthepleasurepalac
eofKubl aKhan,his
i
ma gi
nati
onwa ssei
zedbythe gre
a tpowerofmusic
.Intheseli
nes
,hes a
ysthati
fhecouldrecal
lor
l
e ar
ntherav
ishi
ngmus i
coftheAbyssi
ni
angir
l,hewouldbui
ldthebeauti
fulpa
lac
eofKublaKhaninair
.
Hewouldbef i
ll
edwit
hhisswell
i
ngnotes.

Helpedbyhisquic
kenedimagi
nat
ionhewouldbea bletorec
onst
ructthewhol
esce
ne.
Thelongpra
cti
ce
ofthi
sdivi
nelyins
piredmus
icwil
lenabl
ehimt oreproducethewholepal
acei
ntheai
rasbeaut
if
uland
ether
ealast
hepa lac
eofKubl
aKha nt
ogetherwi
thitssunnydomeandc av
esofi
ce.

Hisi
nspir
edi
ma gina
tionwouldcre
ate“awi
ll
i
ngsus
pensi
onofdi
sbel
i
ef”andt
hereaderswoul
dfee
ltha
t
theenti
rebeaut
yoft hepala
cehasbeenca
ptur
edfort
hem.Theywouldbes
truc
kwi t
ha wecr
eat
edby
hisf
las
hinge
ye s
,steaminghai
randli
ps.

Hi
sfrenzi
edcondi
tionwouldf
ri
ghte
nt hems omuchthatthe
ywouldguar
dthe
msel
vesf
romcomingi
nto
cl
osecontactwit
hhi m.Inor
dertos avethemsel
vesfrom bei
ngi
nfec
tedbyhi
sma g
ica
lcha
rm,they
woul
dc onf
inehi
mwi t
hinamagi
calc
ircl
ethreet
imes.

T
hepoe thasta
stedthemannaandnect
arofdi
vi
nepoeti
cins
pir
ati
onandhasdevel
opedaca
tching
i
nfl
uenceofmusi
cinhisl
ook
s.I
norde
rtosav
ethemse
lve
sfromtheef
fec
tofhi
schar
mt he
ywoul
ds hut
t
heirey
es.