The poet, described in ideal perfection, brings the whole soul of man into activity, with the subordination of its faculties to each other according to their relative worth and dignity. He diffuses a tone and spirit of unity, that blends, and (as it were) fuses, each into each, by that synthetic and magical power, to which I would exclusively appropriate the name of Imagination.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The ideal poet uses imagination to unify all parts of the human soul and create a cohesive spirit.
- In plain terms
- A great poet blends all human faculties into one using imagination.
- What can you take from it?
- Unify your creative faculties.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you unify your creative ideas?
- What makes a poet great?
Another view
Not every poet achieves this level of unity.
More from Samuel Taylor Coleridge
That willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith.
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