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About this quote

What does it mean?
A wealthy baron possesses an old and toothless dog.
In plain terms
A rich man has a weak, old dog.
What can you take from it?
Possessions do not always reflect their owner's strength.

Where it applies

  • observing characters
  • judging status
  • pet care

Putting it to work

  • character study
  • story setup
  • observation

Questions to consider

  • What does a pet say about its owner?
  • How do we judge wealth?

Another view

The line is very literal and lacks deeper metaphorical weight.

More from Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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  2. There is not wind enough to twirl The one red leaf, the last of its clan, That dances as often as dance it can, Hanging so light, and hanging so high, On the t…

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  3. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

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