Christabel

[jtoland]

I like this poem a lot. It is dark, creepy, and involves supernatural events, three elements that I love in my reading. I only wish that Coleridge had been able to finish the poem, but that which was written was excellent.

[sybilline]

I agree with you, it is a lovely narrative poem. May be its fragmentation contributes to its strangeness. Any way, Coleridge tried to finish the poem, but he never could. According to Gillman, Christabel's fiancé was to come back and chase Geraldine who had taken his place. It was rather complicated indeed, and as far as I am concerned, Coleridge was right to leave it unfinished.

[ennison]

Not sure if it was a deliberate choice to leave it unfinished. Seems like he would have finished it if he could. His difficult personal life impacted on his creativity. His alcohol consumption, his family problems, his feelings of failure all contributed to his legacy being less than it should have been. Quite a few poems lack the rigorous creativity that he would have employed upon them had he been fit mentally and physically.

[FirecrackerX]

I'd wish he'd have finished it, too. It's one of my favorite poems.
He actually left it unfinished because he recieved a lot of negative critics because the poem was obscene (remember there's a very obvious lesbian attraction between Christabel and Geraldine, and they even sleep together naked the night Geraldine casts the spell). Some folk did write a parody, and all, the same year 'Christabel' was published (you see, it was quite a success after all, if you must judge by the popularity). It's so damn funny, if you read it right after reading 'Christabel' xDDDD.
The parody, by the way, if someone is interested, it's called 'Christabess: A Right Woeful Poem' by a so-called S.T. Colebritche, lol.