47 pages • 1 hour read
Biographia Literaria
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
Biographia Literaria
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1817752
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
1810s
1817
Adult
18+ years
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
594 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
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 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.
594 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
David Hartley
David Hartley
A philosopher known for his theory of association, which Coleridge addresses and critiques in specific chapters of his writing.
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
A German philosopher whose theory of transcendental idealism significantly impacts Coleridge’s philosophical musings, specifically mentioned in Chapter 7.
Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock
Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock
A German poet whose conversations with Coleridge during his time in Germany reflect the broader literary and philosophical environment Coleridge engaged with.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
A literary critic and dramatist whom Coleridge admired, with an indirect mention in connection to Klopstock, and whom Coleridge considered writing about.
John Locke
John Locke
A philosopher known for his theories of empiricism, which Coleridge affirms in his conclusions, highlighting Locke's influence on the work.
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
Coleridge’s collaborator and a foundational figure in Romantic poetry, whose ideas and work are a central point of discussion and analysis in Coleridge's writings.
752
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
1810s
1817
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.