Kubla Khan

Kubla Khan is a complex poem that was written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was under the influence of opium when he wrote it. Coleridge had a dream, woke up, felt inspired and started writing the poem. He then got interrupted by a messenger after the first two stanzas, and wrote the last stanza afterwards.  The poem describes Xanadu, the place of Kubla Khan. The speaker starts by describing the setting of the palace. He mentions a river that run across the land, through underground caves and finally into the sea.  In addition, he describes the surrounding areas of the palace, saying that beautiful forests and fertile land can be found.

The poem was written under the influence of the opium drug and therefore has no one specific theme, or message that the writer wanted to convey. “Kubla Khan” is meant for the reader to feel like he is in an alternate reality. Images and descriptions such as “Through caverns measureless to man, Down to a sunless sea”( line 4 and 5)  are sporadic, and feel like illusions. The reader is transported to an ideal world that seems perfect and fascinating in comparison the England of Coleridge in the 17th century. The author wanted to escape his daily routine of English life and achieved this by means of a lucid unconscious dream. That is why he pictures himself in a picturesque place where he imagines himself being in a position of power.  In the last stanza, “In a vision once I saw” (line 38), the phrase allows the reader to understand that Coleridge is back to reality. In this moment, all collapses and appears to fall apart.  He describes a creature that ruined a perfect scenario “And all should cry, Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair!”.

  Another major theme of this poem is the interaction between man and nature. Throughout the entire poem, nature is a recurring motif and the way men interact with it is an essential keynote.  For instance, “Through caverns measureless to man” is a good example symbolizing how human interplay with the caverns.” (line 4) Throughout the entire poem the comparison between good and evil comes into play. The palace seems to be a sunny, happy and safe place: “a stately pleasure dome decree”(line 2). The speaker seems to be drawn back to the river throughout the poem “ Where Alph the sacred river, ran through caverns measureless to man down to a sunless sea” (line 2). Here the river is introduced, then it re appears stronger than ever “ It flung up momently the sacred river. Five miles meandering with a mazy motion through wood and dale the sacred river ran” (line 26).  The caverns appear to be huge, cold and scary. The speaker talks about them as if the river was fighting them “ Through caverns measureless to man” (line 3). In addition the speaker mentions a charming monster in the last stanza “ His flashing eyes, his floating hair! Weave a circle round him thrice” (line 50).  All of these elements seem to contrast each other. They seem to have been put together to make the reader understand that this charming place is not so perfect, and not everything is what it seems.