Adefense of Geraldine
The role of Geraldine, in Coleridge's "Christabel", is often viewed as the wicked seductress who corrupts and shatters the life of a young innocent maiden. However, after close examination of the poem, we cannot regard this to be her sole purpose. The role of Geraldine is quite complex and can be better understood by examining the way in which Coleridge portrays her inconsistently throughout the poem. In addition, if we consider the approach Coleridge took when writing the poem, as set out in "Biographia Literaria", we gain great insight into the underlying purpose of Geraldine's role.When we look at the way in which Geraldine is portrayed in the poem, we see that Coleridge bestows qualities both, good and evil upon her, provoking both our sympathy and disgust, making it impossible for us to make a concrete decision about her nature. When Geraldine is first introduced in the poem she is described as exceedingly beautiful (l.68). We are sympathetic towards this "damsel bright"(l.58) when we learn that she has been seized by warriors and left to die. Not only do we feel sympathy for Geraldine, so does Christabel and accordingly comforts fair Geraldine and offers the "service of Sir Leoline"(ll.105-7). H
owever, before they reach Christabel's castle, Coleridge indicates through many clues that this lovely lady may not be what she appears to be. For example, at the castle gate the "lady sank, belike through pain"(l.129) so that Christabel must lift her over the threshold gate (l.132). When Christabel suggests they give praise to the Virgin all divine, Geraldine states: "I cannot speak for weariness"(l.142). And finally, the mastiff bitch who has never till now "uttered yell beneath the eye of Christabel"(ll.150-51) moans angrily in her sleep as they pass. These incidents show how superstitions hold that evil cannot enter a home unassisted, demons cannot offer prayer and that animals can sense danger. However, because Coleridge has placed the poem in a Gothic setting with a castle, full moon and thin grey clouds (11. 16-19) we are not sure if it is Geraldine or the setting causing our uneasy feelings. In Christabel's chamber, the description of Geraldine disrobing reveals to us that "her bosom and half her side" is deformed in some way suggesting that she is not human. However, the following stanza returns us to our initial feelings of sympathy where Geraldine appears "stricken"(l.256) with "sick assay"(l.258) and is then described as "doleful"(l.264) when she tells Christabel about her mark of shame and seal of sorrow (l.270). We now believe that Geraldine is under some sort of spell, "in the touch of this bosom there worketh a spell"(l.267) and so, cannot b
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Approximate Word count = 990
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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