Christabel is a lengthy poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in two parts. The first part was written in 1797, and the second in 1800. Coleridge planned three additional parts, but these were never completed. The verse of Christabel features a novel metrical system, based on the count of only accents - even though the number of syllables in each verse can vary from four to twelve, the number of accents per line never deviates from four. The poem is notable for its influence on later vampire fiction.
The story of Christabel concerns a central female character of the same name and her encounter with a stranger called Geraldine, who claims to have been abducted from her home by a band of five rough men.
Christabel goes in the woods to pray to the large Oak tree, where she hears a strange noise. Upon looking behind the tree, she finds Geraldine, who says that she had been abducted from her home by men on horseback. Christabel pities her and takes her home with her.
Her father, Sir Leoline, becomes enchanted with Geraldine, ordering a grand procession to announce her rescue. The poem was never finished, and ends here. However,it was discovered that Coleridge himself may have left clues within the poem, "Christabel," regarding a possible ending. Originally discovered by Dr. William P. Thompson, over the next 56 years he worked to piece them together, using Coleridge's metric style, rhyme scheme,and language. The final ending was completed September, 2009 and can be seen by searching-- User:Drwpthompson. By selecting "edit this page," the ending can be read in poetic format. There was another possible ending purported to be Coleridge's that was mentioned by Dr. James Gillman. According to James Gillman, Coleridge planned to finish the poem in the following manner:[1]
"Over the mountains, the Bard, as directed by Sir Leoline, hastes with his disciple; but in consequence of one of those inundations supposed to be common to this country, the spot only where the castle once stood is discovered--the edifice itself being washed away. He determines to return. Geraldine, being acquainted with all that is passing, like the weird sisters in Macbeth, vanishes. Reappearing, however, she awaits the return of the Bard, exciting in the meantime, by her wily arts, all the anger she could rouse in the Baron's breast, as well as that jealousy of which he is described to have been susceptible. The old Bard and the youth at length arrive, and therefore she can no longer personate the character of Geraldine, the daughter of Lord Roland de Vaux, but changes her appearance to that of the accepted, though absent, lover of Christabel. Now ensues a courtship most distressing to Christabel, who feels--she knows not why--great disgust for her once favored knight.
This coldness is very painful to the Baron, who has no more conception than herself of the supernatural transformation. She at last yields to her father's entreaties, and consents to approach the altar with the hated suitor. The real lover, returning, enters at this moment, and produces the ring which she had once given him in sign of her betrothment. Thus defeated, the supernatural being Geraldine disappears. As predicted, the castle bell tolls, the mother's voice is heard, and, to the exceeding great joy of the parties, the rightful marriage takes place, after which follows a reconciliation and explanation between father and daughter."
(from Gillman's The Life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1838)
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It is unclear when Coleridge began writing the poem which would become Christabel. Presumably, he prepared it beginning in 1795.[1] During this time, had been working on several poems for Lyrical Ballads, a book on which he collaborated with William Wordsworth. Christabel was not complete in time for the book's 1798 publication, though it did include The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.[2] The first part of the poem was likely completed that year, however.[1] He continued to work on Part II of the poem for the next three years. A year later, he added a "Conclusion".[3] The poem is, nevertheless, considered unfinished.[4][5] He later noted that he was distracted by too many possible endings. He wrote, "I should have more nearly realized my ideal [had they been finished], than I would have done in my first attempt."[6] The poem remained unpublished for several years. On his birthday in 1803, he wrote in his notebook that he intended "to finish Christabel" before the end of the year, though he would not meet his goal to love her.[7] The poem was first published in Christabel; Kubla Khan: A Vision; The Pains of Sleep in 1816[8]
Thematically the poem is one of Coleridge's most cohesive constructs, with the narrative plot more explicit than previous works such as the fragmented Kubla Khan which tend to transcend traditional composure. Indeed in many respects the conformacy of the poem, most apparent from the structural formality and rhymic rigidity (four beats to every line), when regarded alongside the unyielding mysticism of the account creates the greatest juxtaposition of the poem. Parenthetically, Coleridge described such mysticism and vagueness in his notes to The Rime of The Ancient Mariner as "mesmeric" in an attempt to justify his unconventional ideas as being profound in their stark originality.
While some modern critics focus upon lesbian and feminist
readings of the poem, another interesting interpretation is the one
that explores the demonic presence that underscores much of the
action. Geraldine, who initially appears to be an almost mirror
image of Christabel, is later revealed as being far more complex,
both sexually and morally:
Like one that shuddered, she unbound
The cincture from beneath her breast:
Her silken robe, and inner vest,
Dropt to her feet, and in full view,
Behold! her bosom - and her side...[9]
Christabel was an influence on Edgar Allan Poe, particularly his poem The Sleeper" (1831).[10] It has been argued that Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 novel Carmilla is a homage or adaptation of Christabel.[11] Le Fanu's antagonist Carmilla has certain similarities with Christabel's Geraldine; for instance, she cannot cross the threshold of a house, and seems to be stronger at night. Likewise, the heroines of the two works are similar, both Christabel and Laura are the children of deceased mothers currently in the charge of their widowed fathers. Geraldine's presence gives Christabel similar symptoms as Carmilla's does to Laura, both heroines experience troubled sleep and weakness in the morning after spending the night with their guest.
Texas singer / songwriter Robert Earl Keen has recorded a song entitled "Christabel" that appears to be at least partly inspired by Coleridge's poem. Marked by strong Gothic elements, it concerns an encounter with a hitchhiker (the title character) who turns out to be not what she seems.
In 2002, U.S. experimental filmmaker James Fotopoulos released a feature-length avant-garde cinematic adaptation of Christabel.[12]
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