'The Pains Of Sleep' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Ere on my bed my limbs I lay,
It hath not been my use to pray
With moving lips or bended knees;
But silently, by slow degrees,
My spirit I to Love compose,
In humble trust mine eyelids close,
With reverential resignation,
No wish conceived, no thought expressed,
Only a sense of supplication;
A sense o'er all my soul impressed
That I am weak, yet not unblessed,
Since in me, round me, every where
Eternal strength and wisdom are.
But yester-night I prayed aloud
In anguish and in agony,
Up-starting from the fiendish crowd
Of shapes and thoughts that tortured me:
A lurid light, a trampling throng,
Sense of intolerable wrong,
And whom I scorned, those only strong!
Thirst of revenge, the powerless will
Still baffled, and yet burning still!
Desire with loathing strangely mixed
On wild or hateful objects fixed.
Fantastic passions! maddening brawl!
And shame and terror over all!
Deeds to be hid which were not hid,
Which all confused I could not know
Whether I suffered, or I did:
For all seemed guilt, remorse or woe,
My own or others still the same
Life-stifling fear, soul-stifling shame.
So two nights passed: the night's dismay
Saddened and stunned the coming day.
Sleep, the wide blessing, seemed to me
Distemper's worst calamity.
The third night, when my own loud scream
Had waked me from the fiendish dream,
O'ercome with sufferings strange and wild,
I wept as I had been a child;
And having thus by tears subdued
My anguish to a milder mood,
Such punishments, I said, were due
To natures deepliest stained with sin,—
For aye entempesting anew
The unfathomable hell within
The horror of their deeds to view,
To know and loathe, yet wish and do!
Such griefs with such men well agree,
But wherefore, wherefore fall on me?
To be beloved is all I need,
And whom I love, I love indeed.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Pains Of Sleep: A Deep Dive Into the Mind of Samuel Taylor Coleridge
As I read and re-read Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, The Pains Of Sleep, I am struck by his ability to take the reader on an emotional journey through the depths of his psyche. Coleridge was a master of poetry, and this piece is a perfect example of his skill. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into the themes, structure, and imagery of The Pains Of Sleep, attempting to uncover the meaning behind Coleridge's words.
Background
The Pains Of Sleep was written in 1803, during a time when Coleridge was struggling with opium addiction. This drug had a significant impact on his life and work, and many of his poems reflect his experiences with it. The Pains Of Sleep is no exception. The poem is written in the first person, and it is clear that the speaker is going through a difficult time. The language is rich and evocative, and the imagery is haunting and surreal.
Themes
The Pains Of Sleep is a poem that deals with themes of isolation, despair, and hopelessness. The speaker feels trapped in his own mind and unable to escape the darkness that consumes him. He is haunted by his own thoughts and memories, and he longs for release from his pain. The theme of addiction is also present in the poem, as the speaker alludes to his struggle with opium.
At its core, this poem is about the human experience of suffering. Coleridge's speaker is in pain, and he is acutely aware of it. He is searching for a way out, but he cannot find one. This sense of hopelessness is something that many people can relate to, and it is a central part of what makes The Pains Of Sleep such a powerful poem.
Structure
The Pains Of Sleep is written in eight stanzas, each with six lines. The rhyme scheme is ABABCC, which gives the poem a musical quality. The structure of the poem is important because it mirrors the speaker's internal struggles. The short lines and tight rhyme scheme create a feeling of constriction and claustrophobia, which reflects the speaker's sense of being trapped.
The repetition of certain phrases throughout the poem also contributes to its structure. For example, the phrase "Oh! yet," is repeated throughout the poem, highlighting the speaker's desperation for a solution to his pain. The repetition creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the speaker's feelings of despair.
Imagery
The imagery in The Pains Of Sleep is striking and surreal. Coleridge uses vivid descriptions to create a dreamlike atmosphere that mirrors the speaker's state of mind. The imagery is often dark and unsettling, with images of death and decay.
One of the most powerful images in the poem is the "fiery snake" that torments the speaker. This image is both terrifying and mesmerizing, and it serves as a metaphor for the speaker's internal struggle. The snake represents the speaker's addiction, which is both alluring and deadly.
Another powerful image is the "blackly fear." This image captures the speaker's sense of dread and his fear of the unknown. The darkness that surrounds him is a physical representation of his mental state, and it serves to reinforce the theme of isolation and despair.
Interpretation
The Pains Of Sleep is a deeply personal poem that reveals a great deal about Coleridge's struggles with addiction and mental illness. The speaker's sense of despair and hopelessness is palpable, and it is clear that he is in a dark place. However, there is also a sense of longing in the poem, a desire for release from the pain that consumes the speaker.
At its core, The Pains Of Sleep is about the human experience of suffering. Coleridge's speaker is in pain, and he is searching for a way out. The imagery in the poem is haunting and surreal, reflecting the speaker's internal struggles. The structure of the poem is also important, as it mirrors the speaker's sense of constriction and claustrophobia.
In conclusion, The Pains Of Sleep is a powerful poem that explores themes of isolation, despair, and hopelessness. Coleridge's use of language, imagery, and structure creates a vivid portrait of the speaker's internal struggles. This poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience, even in its darkest moments.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Pains of Sleep: A Poem of Torment and Despair
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of the most celebrated poets of the Romantic era, is known for his vivid imagination and his ability to capture the essence of human emotions in his works. Among his many poems, "The Pains of Sleep" stands out as a haunting and deeply personal exploration of the agony of insomnia and the torment of the mind.
Written in 1803, "The Pains of Sleep" is a confessional poem that reveals the innermost thoughts and feelings of the poet as he struggles with the affliction of sleeplessness. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which describes a different aspect of the poet's experience of insomnia.
The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, as the poet describes the physical and mental anguish that he feels as he lies awake in bed, unable to find rest. The opening lines, "Ere on my bed my limbs I lay, / It hath not been my use to pray" suggest that the poet has tried everything to overcome his insomnia, but to no avail. He is resigned to his fate and accepts that he must endure the pain of sleeplessness.
The second stanza delves deeper into the poet's psyche, as he describes the vivid and disturbing images that haunt him in his waking dreams. The lines, "A grief without a pang, void, dark, and drear, / A stifled, drowsy, unimpassioned grief, / Which finds no natural outlet, no relief" convey the sense of despair and hopelessness that the poet feels as he struggles to make sense of his own emotions.
The third and final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the poet confronts the demons that torment him in his sleepless state. The lines, "And I must think, do all I can, / That there was pleasure there" suggest that the poet is haunted by memories of past pleasures and joys, but that these memories are now tainted by the pain of his insomnia. He is trapped in a cycle of despair and longing, unable to escape the torment of his own mind.
Overall, "The Pains of Sleep" is a deeply personal and introspective poem that explores the themes of insomnia, despair, and the human psyche. Coleridge's use of vivid imagery and powerful language creates a haunting and unforgettable portrait of a mind in torment. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of human experience, and to provide solace and comfort to those who suffer from the same afflictions as the poet.
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