The traditional interpretation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s ‘Christabel’, first published in 1816, presents a gothic narrative steeped in moral allegory. Within the tale, Christabel, the innocent maiden, encounters Geraldine, a mysterious and captivating woman, often perceived as an embodiment of corruptive and evil sexuality. It’s a narrative that builds on the long-standing literary tradition of dichotomizing women into saints and seductresses, pure maidens and dangerous femme fatales. This well-worn interpretation certainly offers a compelling reading and aligns neatly with the restrictive, patriarchal norms of the era that Coleridge was writing in.
Feminist Poetry
Rooted in centuries of negotiation between public silence and creative defiance, feminist poetry resists any singular definition, instead mapping shifting boundaries of gender, art, and power. This tradition absorbs contrasting movements and lived experiences, marking a relentless search for expressive agency, equity, and connection between the personal and social. Within its evolving corpus, feminist poetry … Read more