Within “Frost at Midnight,” Samuel Coleridge validates the importance of self-reflection through solitude. Coleridge creates a scenic image of the world around the speaker during the time of his solitude. During his time alone, the speaker reflects about his childhood and the aspiration he has for the infant child sleeping in the cottage. The importance of solitude demonstrated in “Frost at Midnight” by the feelings the speaker has, the time intervals from present to past, and the speaker’s self-reflection during his time alone. All these specific purposes are to show how the speaker moves from being uncomfortable with solitude to being hopeful and optimistic about the opportunity he has being alone during reflection.
The feelings associated …show more content…
For instance, Coleridge develops the image of the speaker being in “The inmates of [his] cottage, all at rest” (line 4), which lives him to his time alone. It is recognized that the speaker is alone during the night since everyone is at rest and it is close to around the time of winter since lines 12-13 state, “Or if the secret ministry of frost/Shall hang them up in silent icicles.” Furthermore, “Frost at midnight” also suggest a movement through space. For instance, the speaker begins his time in solitude with the child, which states in line 7, “My cradled infant slumbers peacefully.” Then time moves backwards into the past where the speaker reflects on his childhood. This is known by the line 24, “How oft, at school, with most believing mind.” After the speaker reflects on the past, he beings his mind back to the present where he begins to contemplate the life his child will grow up in. For example, the speaker considers his own time as a child, “In the great city, pent ‘mid cloisters dim” (line 52), and then considers the life he aspires for the infant in line 54, “But thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breeze.” The speaker continues further expressing his ambition for the
The feelings associated …show more content…
For instance, Coleridge develops the image of the speaker being in “The inmates of [his] cottage, all at rest” (line 4), which lives him to his time alone. It is recognized that the speaker is alone during the night since everyone is at rest and it is close to around the time of winter since lines 12-13 state, “Or if the secret ministry of frost/Shall hang them up in silent icicles.” Furthermore, “Frost at midnight” also suggest a movement through space. For instance, the speaker begins his time in solitude with the child, which states in line 7, “My cradled infant slumbers peacefully.” Then time moves backwards into the past where the speaker reflects on his childhood. This is known by the line 24, “How oft, at school, with most believing mind.” After the speaker reflects on the past, he beings his mind back to the present where he begins to contemplate the life his child will grow up in. For example, the speaker considers his own time as a child, “In the great city, pent ‘mid cloisters dim” (line 52), and then considers the life he aspires for the infant in line 54, “But thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breeze.” The speaker continues further expressing his ambition for the