Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1795 portrait
Born	(1772-10-21)21 October 1772 Ottery St Mary, Devon, England
Died	25 July 1834(1834-07-25) (aged 61) Highgate, Middlesex, England
Occupation	Poet philosopher critic moralist theologian
Alma mater	Jesus College, Cambridge
Subject	Spiritual philosophy politics religion
Literary movement	Romanticism
Notable works	The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Kubla Khan Christabel conversation poems Biographia Literaria
Spouse	Sara Fricker ​ (m. 1795)​
Children	4, including Hartley, Sara and Derwent
Relatives	James Coleridge (brother)
Signature

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (/ˈkoʊlərɪdʒ/ KOH-lə-rij;^[1] 21 October 1772 – 25 July 1834) was an English poet, literary critic, philosopher, and theologian who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He also shared volumes and collaborated with Charles Lamb, Robert Southey, and Charles Lloyd.

He wrote the poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, as well as the major prose work Biographia Literaria. His critical work, especially on William Shakespeare, was highly influential, and he helped introduce German idealist philosophy to English-speaking cultures. Coleridge coined many familiar words and phrases, including "suspension of disbelief".^[2] He had a major influence on Ralph Waldo Emerson and American transcendentalism. Throughout his adult life, Coleridge had crippling bouts of anxiety and depression; it has been speculated that he had bipolar disorder, which had not been defined during his lifetime.^[3] He was physically unhealthy, which may have stemmed from a bout of rheumatic fever and other childhood illnesses. He was treated for these conditions with laudanum, which fostered a lifelong opium addiction.

Although experiencing a turbulent career and personal life with a variety of highs and lows, Coleridge's esteem grew after his death, and he became considered one of the most influential figures in English literature. For instance, a 2018 report by The Guardian labelled him "a genius" who had progressed into "one of the most renowned English poets." Organisations such as the Church of England celebrate his work during public events such as a "Coleridge Day" in June, with these activities including literary recitals.^[4]