Christabel is an unfinished long narrative poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge published in 1816. Coleridge wrote the poem in two parts and planned to complete it in five. The first part was written in 1797 and the second was completed in 1800. Coleridge wished to publish the first part in the first volume of the Lyrical Ballads, his poetic collection in collaboration with William Wordsworth. However, Wordsworth advised him not to publish the poem as it was incomplete. The poem clearly shows the stark difference between the writing styles of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Wordsworth's poetry is characterized by its simplicity, directness, and focus on the natural world. Coleridge's style is more complex and ornate. He favored a more elevated, almost mystical tone, often employing vivid imagery and elaborate metaphors. His poems frequently delve into supernatural themes, exploring the boundaries between the real and the unreal, dreams and reality. ‘Christabel’ is an uncompleted long narrative that tells the story of Christabel and Geraldine, featuring supernatural gothic elements. Though incomplete, it is Coleridge’s longest poem with almost 700 lines.
He completed the second part in 1800 and wrote a conclusion to it, but the poem was considered incomplete and wasn’t published in the second edition of Lyrical Ballads. It remained unpublished for several years and was first published in the collection of three poems Christabel, Kubla Khan: A Vision, and The Pains of Sleep by the John Murray Press on 25 May 1816.
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