Poem Kubla Khan (S. T. Coleridge) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation

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Poem:

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round;
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!

And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail:

And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean;
And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!

The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.

Could I revive within me?
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight ’twould win me,
That with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!

And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

Introduction

This is a very extra-ordinary poem written by the poet when he was only 25 and his poetical faculties were at the top. He once fell sick and under the influence of drug (opium), he saw a vision or dream while asleep. Before going to sleep, he was reading in a book named Purchas's Pilgrims that Kubla Khan had commanded a palace to be built with an attached stately garden. Under the influence of the drug, he saw a detail of that palace etc., and composed a poem - this great masterpiece.

Summary

Once Kubla Khan, the King of China, ordered for building a great palace in the city called Xanadu. The order was at once obeyed. The palace was encircled by a wall. The total area thus encircled was 10 miles. There were beautiful hills and dense forests in the area. There was also a deep chasm out of which came out a river forcefully in the form of a fountain. The river was sacred and its name was the Alph. The Alph ran for miles in a zigzag way and, at last, fell into a dark sea where sun never threw its rays.

The dome of that grand palace was very beautiful and bright. It was sunlit. Its shadows fell on the sacred river Alph. The fountain gushed forth with a great noise and among that noise Kubla Khan heard loud voices of his forefathers foretelling that a great war would be fought in the coming future.

The vision of the poet was disturbed here as some fellow called on him. When the poet sat to complete his poem, he wrote the second piece.

Once the poet saw an Abyssinian maiden in his dream. She was playing on a musical instrument called dulcimer and singing a song of the Mount Abora. Her song was very inspiring and delightful. It was so exciting that if the poet could remember the song of the lady, he would be able to rebuild the pleasure-dome of Kubla Khan's palace in his imagination. Then the people would be able to see for themselves the sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice and they would beware of him because he would have flashing eyes and floating hair. They would take him for a saint who had eaten honey-dew and the milk of paradise, i.e., Divine food.

Important Questions

Questions No 1. Discuss the imagery of "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge. Or

"Coleridge succeeds in creating deep audio, visual and tactile impressions on the readers of his poem Kubla Khan" - Do you agree?

Ans. S. T. Coleridge's Kubla Khan is a very extra-ordinary poem in many ways. One of the ways is the deep audio, visual and tactile images given in the poem. The poet has succeeded marvelously in creating an audio, visual and tactile imagery in the poem that leaves lasting impressions on the readers.

Actually, "Kubla Khan" is a poem written under the influence of opium which Coleridge had taken to relieve his neuralgia as there were no medicines discovered for that during his times. After taking the "drug", he went to sleep. During this forced sleep, he saw a vision/dream. The first long stanza (lines 1-36) tells us about his dream and the second, comparatively smaller stanza (lines 37-54) tells us about the poet's grief on (the point of) the loss of that vision. Both of the stanzas are full of audio, visual and tactile images.

The first image that we came across (though a little indirectly) in the poem is that of Kubla Khan, the Chinese Mongol ruler of the 13th century. We find him in the beginning of the poem as ordering that a palace should be built for him in Xanadu. The palace should be a "stately pleasure dome". In the later part, we find him hearing "Ancestral voices prophesying war!" from a distant noisy sea.

Another image we get in the poem is that of the "Twice five miles of fertile ground" where we find a lot of sensual beauty lying naked under the sky for man. There are "caves" so deep that these are "measureless to man". There are "green" "hills" and "cedarn covers" at the sides of the hills. There is the "sacred" river, Alph, going in a "meandering motion" through the "hills", "valleys" and "caves". Then there are the "dancing rocks" through which the "fountain" gushes forth with full force. There is the "deep chasm" which is also "romantic". The "damsel" with a "dulcimer" is again a very forceful image.

An alluring image we find in lines 14-16:

"A savage place! as holy and enchanted

As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted

By woman wailing for her demon-lover!"

Then there are many audio effects. The noisy upcoming of the geyser or spring is one such image. The "tumult" of the fountain is another in which Kubla heard "Ancestral voices prophesying war" [which is, again, a very great audio-image]. "Wailing" woman is, again, a sweet impression for the ears. "Half intermitted burst" is still another audio-image. "Beware! Beware!" - the words are actually heard by us!

"Rebounding hail", "chaffy grain" and "shadow of the dome of pleasure" that "floated .... on the waves" are such images that seem to be tactile or "touchy". "Weave a circle around him thrice" makes us touch the earth for weaving circles (in our imagination, of course).

The image of the poet himself in second stanza (lines 49-54) has all the three images: audio, visual and tactile:

................. Beware! Beware!

His flashing eyes, his floating hair!

Weave a circle round him thrice

And close your eyes with holy dread,

For he on honey-dew hath fed,

And drunk the milk of Paradise.

So we are right in pointing out that "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge creates fine audio, visual and tactile impressions on us. It is really a wonderful poem and leaves an everlasting impression on us.

Question No 2. Bring out the qualities of Kubla Khan by S. T. Coleridge. Or Write Critical Appreciation of the Poem.

Ans. This is a very famous poem in English literature. The is an example of Coleridge's conception of the fantastic and super-natural. The poet has brought all the elements of imagination and fantasy at work here. As a result, there moves around the poem an air of magic and dream. Actually the poet had seen a dream under the influence of a drink of opium, and he has tried to capture the dream in this poem. That is the reason of the presence of a trance-like atmosphere in the poem which makes it distinguished. The writer wishes to show his dream, or a part of his dream, to the readers.

The poem is actually a fantasy. The poet tells us about the accomplishment of an order of Kubla Khan, the Emperor of China, during thirteenth century. The Khan had ordered for building a palace and a very big and beautiful palace was built in Xanadu. Ten miles fertile land was encircled with towers and walls. The sacred river, Alph, also ran there. There was a large number of green sweet-smelling trees there. There was also a deep chasm out of which came a fountain. The palace had a sunlit dome of pleasure. Its shadows fell on the sacred river Alph. The hilly fountain threw water continuously with force and it created a great noise. In the middle of that noise Kubla Khan heard ancestral voices prophesying war.

Once the poet had seen a negro maiden singing and playing music in his dream. Her song was very delightful and pleasing. If he would be able to remember the song of the negro lady, he would be able to build the dome of Kubla Khan's palace in his imagination and then show it to the people who would be surprised to see the sunny dome and caves of ice at one and the same place. People would then be afraid of him and take him for some super-natural being.

We meet such type of super-natural atmosphere in some of the other poems of Coleridge, too, as Christabel and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The Eve of St. Angnes and Lamia of Keats also have such an atmosphere. Here in Kubla Khan we have the "willing suspension of disbelief" which according to Coleridge is the essential quality of a super-natural piece of poetry/literature.

The poet has used apt imagery for creating such a desirable effect. Words and statements used by him are evocative and full of sentiments. Coleridge has used the words and images with ingenuity and cleverness. He proves himself to be the master of audio-visual imagery. Words like "Stately pleasure dome", "cedarn covers", "dancing rocks". "deep chasm", "sunless sea", and specially:

"A savage place! as holy and enchanted

As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted

By women wailing for her demon lover!

(lines 14-16)

create exact images before our very eyes. Then there is a very wonderful and pretty, magical, image:

"A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!" (line 36)

The poet's image of himself in lines 50 to 54 (last line) of the poem is remarkable and memorable!

The poem is a good mixture of fancy, romance and imagination. It does not have a set meter. Anyhow, two parts of the poems have two distinctly separate meters. The first part (lines 1-36) very between 6 to 11 syllables whereas the second part (lines 37-54) vary between 6 to 9 syllables. The second part seems to have iambic tetrameter as the basic meter with a little variation in lines 18, 42, 46 and 51. The first part does not seem to have any set meter, yet it starts with iambic tetrameter and moves on to more number of feet. Still the lines are often melodiously rhymed among them. There is a lot of alliteration in the poem. Here are some of them that are conspicuous:

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan (line 1)

A stately pleasure-dome of decree (line 2)

With walls and towers were girdled round (line 7)

By woman wailing for demon lover (line 16)

Five miles meandering with a mazy motion (line 25)

Where was heard the mingled measure (line 33)

For he on honey dew hath fed (line 53)

The vocabulary of the poem is the very forceful and high-sounding and it fulfills the purpose of the poet very successfully. The tone is intimate, the diction and rhythm, appropriate for creating the desired effect. The poem stands divided into two gigantic stanzas, each having its own magically colored audio-visual picture! It is a masterpiece of English literature.

Question No 3. Pick out all the alliterations in the poem.

Ans. Here are all the alliterations as we find them in the poem:

1. In Xanadu did Kubla Khan (n d, k).

2. A stately pleasure dome decree (l, d, r)

3. Where Alph the sacred river ran (r)

4. Through caverns and measureless to man (r, m)

5. Down to a sunless sea (s)

6. With walls and towers were girdled round (w, d)

7. And there were gardens with bright sinuous fills (r)

8. Enfolding sunny spots of greenery (n, s)

9. Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover (n, r)

10. As e'er beneath a waning was haunted (n)

11. By woman wailing for her demon lover (w, n)

12. And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething (s, m)

13. A mighty fountain momently was forced (m, n, f)

14. Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail (th)

15. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion (m. n)

16. Through wood and dale the sacred river an (d, r)

17. Ancestral voices prophesying war (s)

18. Where was heard the mingled measure (w, m)

19. It was a miracle of rare device (r)

20. A sunny pleasure dome with caves of ice (s)

21. A damsel with a dulcimer (d, s, m)

22. Her symphony and song (s)

23. To such a deep delight 't would win me (d, w)

24. And all who heard should see them there (h, th)

25. For he on honey-dew hath fed (h, d)

Question No 4. What purpose do these serve in the poem?

Ans. These number less alliterations in the poem serve three following purposes:

1. These give us pleasure, specially to our ears.

2. These make lines memorable very easy.

3. These give a strange air to the poem that helps in creating a super-natural tone.

Question No 5. Write a paragraph comparing Tartary and Xanadu.

Ans. Tartary and Xanadu are both imaginary and unreal places, one invented by Walter de la Mare, the other, by S. T. Coleridge. Both are very beautifully drawn. Both are very green. Both have enough of flowers and greenery. Both have valleys, hills, dales, streams. But then, Tartary is a land of peace and quietness - a natural beautiful place, whereas Xanadu has some noise and seems to be a place rather supernatural. Otherwise both the lands are rich, fertile and alluring.

Reference, Context and Explanation:

Lines 1-5: In Xanadu ... sunless sea.

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

The poet tells us is this poem how once Kubla Khan, the Emperor of China, ordered a palace to be built. The order was obeyed and a pleasure palace was constructed with sunny domes and caves of ice. The poet wishes to recreate the same with the magical power of his poetry.

Explanation:

The poet tells us in these lines that Kubla Khan ordered that a royal palace with a large dome should be built for him in Xanadu where the sacred river Alph ran through caves which were so deep that no man could measure their depth. The river, later on, fell into a dark ocean.

Lines 6-11: So twice five ... greenery.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round;
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us that at the order of Kubla Khan, ten miles of fertile ground was encircles with walls and towers. There were sweet and beautiful gardens with zigzagging rivulets and streams. Many a sweet-smelling tree blossomed there in the garden. There were dense forests all around the hills and in the middle of these forests there were many sunlit places.

Lines 12-16: But oh! ... demon-lover.

But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us that there was a deep and romantic cave in that side of the hill which was overgrown with cedar trees. It seemed to be a very strange and wild place. It seemed as holy and enchanted a place as ever found beneath a dull, yellow, decreasing moon where a sad and sorrowful woman was found weeping and crying in separation of her ghost-lover.

Lines 17-22: And from this ... thresher's flail.

And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail:

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us something about the fountain that came out of the cave in the side of the cedar-covered hill. The fountain came out with a great force as if the very earth was breathing. It was so forceful that many pieces of stones flew with its force as grain and chaff flow out of a thresher's work.

Lines 23-30: And 'mind these ... prophesying war.

And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean;
And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us here that the fountain described in the earlier lines later turned into river. It flowed for five miles in a zigzag way. It flowed through many forests, valleys and caves. At last it fell into a dark, sunless sea. When Kubla Khan reached that place, he heard strange loud noise. Out of that loud noise he heard the voices of his forefathers (like Genghis Khan's) that foretold him about a war.

Lines 31-36: The shadows of ... caves of ice.

The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us in these lines about the pleasure dome of Kubla Khan that he had ordered to be built in Xanadu and that was built accordingly. The shadow of that pleasure-dome floated on the waves of the water at the place where a great noise was coming from the fountain and the caves. It was a strange type of scene because the pleasure dome was sun-lit whereas the caves had too much snow that it had become hard and turned into ice. It was a strange combination of sun and snow at one and the same place.

Lines 37-41: A damsel with ... Mount Abora.

A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

In these lines the poet tells us that once upon a time he saw an Abyssinian maiden playing music on her dulcimer. She was singing a pleasant and inspiring folk song of Mount Abora area/locality.

Lines 42-47: Could I revive ... caves of ice!

Could I revive within me?
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight ’twould win me,
That with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The poet tells us in these lines that if he could remember the sweet and enchanting song of the Abyssinian maiden referred to in the earlier lines, he would be able to build the pleasure-dome of Kubla Khan with all its beautiful and magnificent details like sunlit dome and icy caves.

Lines 48-54: And all who ... Paradise.

And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem "Kubla Khan" by S. T. Coleridge.

Context:

Explanation:

The pot tells us in these lines that if he would be able to build the pleasure dome of Kubla Khan with all its sunlit dome and caves of ice under the inspiration of Abyssinian maiden's song, the people standing around him would cry with surprise and wonder. They would tell one another to beware of the poet, to weave a circle thrice round him and to close their eyes due to a holy fear of the poet. He would seem to be a saint, having drunk such heavenly things as honey-dew and milk of Paradise.

Poem Kubla Khan (S. T. Coleridge) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation