Samuel
Taylor Coleridge poem written June 1797 “This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison”
Poet
begins in despair, which is over-dramatized “Friends, whom I never more may meet
again”, at not being able to join his friends on their hike. The poet’s
perspective of the bower as a prison changes after the poet recognizes that his
friend is feeling what he had and would have felt “So my friend Struck with
deep joy may stand, as I have stood” (lines 38-39). Though unable to be
physically present with his companions the poet feels a shared connection of
enjoying beauty of nature. The connection the poet feels is a vicarious
experience of enjoying nature, yet in doing so poet able to appreciate beauty
around him despite current physical limitations.Something
else of note there is, possibly, a subtle criticism of industrialized society
Coleridge mentions when speaking of how glad he is Charles is able to wander
about the hills “In the great City pent, winning thy way With sad yet patient
soul, through evil and pain And strange calamity!” (426).
I too found his shift from lamenting his inability to join his friends to a peaceful connection to them through nature very interesting. He seems to find solace with nature acting as a bridge though which he seems to be able to connect emotionally, almost spiritually, to his friends. Also the subtle criticism of industrialized society that you picked up on is an intriguing point. Is it a damnation of the changing city landscape or more a way in which the poet is better able to appreciate nature and his personal situation (being injured and unable to move) surrounded by the beauty of nature?
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