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47 pages 1 hour read

Biographia Literaria

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1817

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Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Biographia Literaria

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1817
Book Details
Pages

752

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

1810s

Publication Year

1817

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Biographia Literaria, published in 1817, is a semiautobiographical work that explores his literary career, philosophical ideas, and critiques of contemporary thinkers, particularly addressing his close friend William Wordsworth’s theories on poetry and language. Coleridge recounts his education, debates on aesthetic matters, and develops his own theory of Imagination, contrasting it with Wordsworth’s emphasis on "rustic language." The work also covers Coleridge's travels in Germany and provides a critique of foreign drama before summarizing his theories on poetry and the arts.

Contemplative

Informative

Mysterious

Inspirational

Reviews & Readership

4.0

594 ratings

69%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Biographia Literaria by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is praised for its profound philosophical insights and its contribution to literary criticism. However, some find its dense prose and digressions challenging. It remains a seminal work for understanding Romanticism and Coleridge’s literary theories, but requires patience and careful reading.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Biographia Literaria?

Readers with a passion for Romantic literature and literary criticism would enjoy Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Biographia Literaria. It appeals to those interested in the intersection of poetry and philosophy, much like enthusiasts of William Hazlitt’s The Spirit of the Age or John Stuart Mill’s A System of Logic.

4.0

594 ratings

69%

Loved it

21%

Mixed feelings

10%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

752

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

1810s

Publication Year

1817

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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