Introduction: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge first appeared in 1816 as part of a collection titled Christabel, Kubla Khan, and the Pains of Sleep. This iconic poem, subtitled “A Vision in a Dream. A Fragment,” is celebrated for its vivid imagery and mystical tone, encapsulating a blend of Romantic idealism and supernatural elements. Centered on the majestic pleasure-dome decreed by Kubla Khan in Xanadu, the poem juxtaposes themes of creative power, natural beauty, and spiritual longing. Its opening lines—”In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree”—have become some of the most quoted in English literature, illustrating its enduring popularity. The poem is frequently studied for its dreamlike quality, blending reality and imagination, and is often analyzed for its reflection on the creative process itself. With phrases like “caverns measureless to man” and “the milk of Paradise,” it remains a textbook example of Coleridge’s mastery of lyrical and evocative language, ensuring its place as a cornerstone of Romantic poetry.
Text: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Or, a vision in a dream. A Fragment.
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round;
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.
But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!
And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail:
And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean;
And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!
The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!
A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.
Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight ‘twould win me,
That with music loud and long,
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!
And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise.
Annotations: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
| Line | Annotation |
| In Xanadu did Kubla Khan | Introduces the legendary city of Xanadu, emphasizing grandeur and setting the tone of mystery and exoticism. |
| A stately pleasure-dome decree: | Highlights Kubla Khan’s authority and vision, blending political power with creative imagination. |
| Where Alph, the sacred river, ran | Introduces the river Alph, a fictional symbol of life, creativity, and the passage of time. |
| Through caverns measureless to man | Suggests the infinite and unknowable, evoking the sublime and mankind’s limitations. |
| Down to a sunless sea. | Conveys mystery and foreboding, as the river disappears into darkness, symbolizing death or the unknown. |
| So twice five miles of fertile ground | Depicts the ordered and cultivated aspects of Xanadu, showcasing its utopian ideal. |
| With walls and towers were girdled round; | Suggests protection and power, symbolizing human control over nature. |
| And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills, | Envisions beauty and abundance, with “sinuous rills” (winding streams) symbolizing life and fertility. |
| Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree; | Enhances sensory imagery, invoking exoticism and spiritual significance. |
| And here were forests ancient as the hills, | Suggests timelessness and natural majesty, reinforcing the Romantic ideal of nature’s grandeur. |
| Enfolding sunny spots of greenery. | Balances wildness with peace, symbolizing harmony within nature. |
| But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted | Shifts to a darker, more tumultuous tone, introducing the chasm as a symbol of chaos and the unknown. |
| Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! | Describes the chasm’s setting, blending beauty and mystery. |
| A savage place! as holy and enchanted | Contrasts wildness (“savage”) with spiritual significance (“holy and enchanted”), emphasizing duality. |
| As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted | Evokes a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere, linking the chasm to the supernatural. |
| By woman wailing for her demon-lover! | Suggests passion, despair, and otherworldliness, reinforcing the mystical tone. |
| And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, | Depicts constant motion and energy, symbolizing the creative and destructive forces of nature. |
| As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, | Personifies the earth, emphasizing vitality and the interconnectedness of nature. |
| A mighty fountain momently was forced: | Introduces a powerful image of creation and eruption, symbolizing inspiration or artistic birth. |
| Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst | Describes irregularity and unpredictability, reflecting the chaotic nature of creativity. |
| Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, | Depicts dramatic and violent movement, symbolizing the raw energy of creation. |
| Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail: | Compares the chaos to agricultural processes, suggesting transformation. |
| And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever | Describes perpetual motion, linking natural processes to eternal cycles. |
| It flung up momently the sacred river. | Reinforces the connection between the fountain and the river, symbolizing unity in creation. |
| Five miles meandering with a mazy motion | Suggests the river’s playful, intricate journey, emphasizing beauty and complexity. |
| Through wood and dale the sacred river ran, | Highlights the river’s harmonious integration with the natural landscape. |
| Then reached the caverns measureless to man, | Returns to the theme of the sublime, emphasizing mystery and human limitations. |
| And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean; | Represents a journey’s end in destruction or death, contrasting with the earlier vibrancy. |
| And ’mid this tumult Kubla heard from far | Shifts focus to Kubla’s prophetic vision, blending external chaos with internal insight. |
| Ancestral voices prophesying war! | Introduces a darker theme, linking the sublime to historical or cultural conflict. |
| The shadow of the dome of pleasure | Suggests impermanence and the interplay between reality and imagination. |
| Floated midway on the waves; | Conveys ethereality, reinforcing the dreamlike quality. |
| Where was heard the mingled measure | Suggests harmony between nature and art, reflecting Romantic ideals. |
| From the fountain and the caves. | Links human creation (the dome) to natural wonders (fountain and caves). |
| It was a miracle of rare device, | Emphasizes the uniqueness and beauty of the dome, likened to divine inspiration. |
| A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice! | Contrasts warmth and cold, symbolizing duality and wonder. |
| A damsel with a dulcimer | Introduces an Abyssinian maid as a symbol of artistic inspiration and exoticism. |
| In a vision once I saw: | Establishes the maid as part of the poet’s dream, reinforcing the theme of imagination. |
| It was an Abyssinian maid | Highlights the exotic and mysterious nature of the vision. |
| And on her dulcimer she played, | Symbolizes music and poetic inspiration. |
| Singing of Mount Abora. | Adds mythical resonance, suggesting a place of spiritual or creative power. |
| Could I revive within me | Reflects the poet’s longing to recapture the vision’s creative power. |
| Her symphony and song, | Represents the perfection and harmony of artistic inspiration. |
| To such a deep delight ’twould win me, | Expresses the transformative potential of artistic creation. |
| That with music loud and long, | Highlights the enduring power of creativity and expression. |
| I would build that dome in air, | Suggests creating something intangible yet magnificent, like the poem itself. |
| That sunny dome! those caves of ice! | Reiterates the duality of beauty and wonder, blending opposites. |
| And all who heard should see them there, | Implies the universal power of imagination and art. |
| And all should cry, Beware! Beware! | Suggests awe and fear, reinforcing the sublime and mystical aspects. |
| His flashing eyes, his floating hair! | Describes a visionary, almost prophetic figure, embodying divine inspiration. |
| Weave a circle round him thrice, | Evokes ritual and sacredness, emphasizing the power of the visionary. |
| And close your eyes with holy dread | Suggests reverence and fear of the unknown and transcendent. |
| For he on honey-dew hath fed, | Symbolizes divine nourishment or inspiration. |
| And drunk the milk of Paradise. | Concludes with a transcendent image of ultimate inspiration and creativity. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
| Device | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “Five miles meandering with a mazy motion” | The repetition of the “m” sound mimics the gentle, flowing movement of the river, creating a sense of rhythm and continuity. |
| Allusion | “Mount Abora” | Refers to a mythical or unknown place, drawing connections to imaginative and spiritual landscapes in literature or lore. |
| Anaphora | “And all who heard… / And all should cry…” | The repetition of “And all” at the start of successive lines emphasizes collective awe and a sense of universality. |
| Assonance | “Through caverns measureless to man” | The repeated “a” and “e” sounds elongate the line, mirroring the vast and endless quality of the caverns. |
| Caesura | “Down to a sunless sea.” | The pause in the middle of the line draws attention to the finality and mystery of the “sunless sea,” evoking contemplation. |
| Contrast | “A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!” | Highlights the paradoxical combination of warmth and cold, symbolizing the coexistence of opposites in nature and imagination. |
| Enjambment | “Where Alph, the sacred river, ran / Through caverns measureless to man” | Reflects the flowing and unbroken nature of the river, aligning form with content. |
| Hyperbole | “Caverns measureless to man” | Exaggerates the immensity and unknowability of the caverns, emphasizing the sublime and human limitation. |
| Imagery | “Gardens bright with sinuous rills” | The description appeals to sight, evoking a vivid image of lush, fertile gardens, and to touch, suggesting flowing water. |
| Internal Rhyme | “A damsel with a dulcimer” | The rhyme within the line creates a melodic quality, reinforcing the musical theme introduced by the Abyssinian maid. |
| Metaphor | “A mighty fountain momently was forced” | Likens the fountain to the eruption of creative inspiration, symbolizing sudden and powerful artistic output. |
| Onomatopoeia | “Ceaseless turmoil seething” | The words imitate the sound of restless, boiling motion, immersing the reader in the tumultuous scene. |
| Paradox | “Sunny dome with caves of ice” | Combines contradictory ideas to highlight the coexistence of beauty, danger, and wonder in the creative process. |
| Personification | “As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing” | Describes the earth as breathing, bringing it to life and emphasizing its connection to human emotion and vitality. |
| Refrain | “That sunny dome! those caves of ice!” | The repeated phrase reinforces the central image of the pleasure-dome, echoing its mystical and symbolic importance. |
| Rhyme Scheme | “In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree” | The consistent rhyme enhances musicality, creating an enchanting rhythm that mirrors the content’s dreamlike quality. |
| Simile | “Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail” | Compares the fragments to hail, vividly capturing their chaotic, violent movement, making the scene more dynamic and intense. |
| Symbolism | “Honey-dew” and “milk of Paradise” | Represents divine inspiration or transcendent experiences, suggesting the poet’s connection to otherworldly creativity. |
| Tone | “Beware! Beware! His flashing eyes, his floating hair!” | The tone is urgent, mystical, and slightly foreboding, evoking awe and reverence for the visionary figure described. |
| Visual Imagery | “A miracle of rare device, / A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!” | The detailed description creates a vivid, contrasting image of warmth and cold, emphasizing the dome’s unique splendor. |
Themes: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1. The Sublime and the Power of Nature: The theme of nature’s sublime power is central to “Kubla Khan”, where nature is portrayed as vast, untamed, and awe-inspiring. The poem describes “caverns measureless to man” and a “sunless sea,” evoking a sense of the infinite and unknowable, which reflects humanity’s insignificance in the face of nature’s grandeur. The sacred river Alph is both life-giving and chaotic, winding “with a mazy motion” through the landscape before disappearing into caverns, symbolizing the unpredictable and mysterious forces of nature. Coleridge emphasizes the balance between nature’s beauty and its capacity for destruction in the description of the “mighty fountain momently… forced,” whose violent eruption hurls “huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail.” These elements encapsulate the Romantic ideal of the sublime, where beauty and terror coexist to inspire awe and reverence.
2. Imagination and Creativity: Imagination, particularly its role in poetic creativity, is a key theme in the poem, as Coleridge explores the process of artistic inspiration. The poem’s subtitle, “A Vision in a Dream. A Fragment”, establishes the idea that the poem is the product of a spontaneous, dreamlike imagination. The vivid imagery of the “stately pleasure-dome” in Xanadu symbolizes the power of the mind to construct entire worlds through creativity. This theme is further emphasized in the final section, where Coleridge recalls a vision of “a damsel with a dulcimer” playing and singing of “Mount Abora.” The poet longs to recreate the vision and transform it into a tangible creation: “I would build that dome in air, / That sunny dome! those caves of ice!” This longing reflects the Romantic belief in the imagination’s transformative power and the challenges of capturing its fleeting brilliance.
3. The Intersection of Man and Nature: “Kubla Khan” explores the interaction between human ambition and the natural world, highlighting the tension between human attempts to impose order and the untamable forces of nature. The pleasure-dome, described as “girdled round” with “walls and towers,” symbolizes human efforts to control and shape the environment. However, this artificial construction exists amidst a dynamic, chaotic landscape dominated by the sacred river, forests “ancient as the hills,” and a “savage place” of “ceaseless turmoil seething.” The interplay between the ordered dome and the wild surroundings suggests that while humanity seeks to dominate nature, it remains subordinate to its vast and uncontrollable power. The poem captures this balance through imagery that juxtaposes cultivated gardens with “the deep romantic chasm,” emphasizing that human achievement is both inspired and limited by the natural world.
4. The Transcendence of Art and Vision: Coleridge celebrates the transcendent power of art and visionary experiences in “Kubla Khan.” The imagery of the “sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice” symbolizes artistic creation, combining opposites (light and darkness, warmth and cold) to represent the unity and complexity of art. The poet’s vision of the Abyssinian maid represents an idealized source of inspiration, connecting art to memory and imagination. Coleridge expresses the power of this inspiration when he declares, “Could I revive within me / Her symphony and song… / I would build that dome in air.” Art, for Coleridge, transcends physical limitations and enables creators to convey the ineffable. However, the fragmentary nature of the poem reflects the difficulty of sustaining such transcendent visions, highlighting both the potential and impermanence of artistic inspiration.
Literary Theories and “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
| Literary Theory | Application to “Kubla Khan” | References from the Poem |
| Romanticism | “Kubla Khan” epitomizes Romantic ideals, emphasizing imagination, nature’s sublimity, and artistic genius. | The depiction of the “sacred river Alph” and “caverns measureless to man” reflects the Romantic awe of the sublime. Coleridge’s imaginative construction of Xanadu highlights the Romantic belief in the transformative power of creativity. |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | The poem can be interpreted as a manifestation of Coleridge’s subconscious mind, with its dreamlike imagery representing unrestrained imagination. | The “deep romantic chasm” and the vision of the “Abyssinian maid” can be seen as projections of the poet’s inner desires and fears. The fragmented nature of the poem mirrors the fleeting, fragmented nature of dreams. |
| Postcolonial Theory | The exotic setting of Xanadu and the references to “Abyssinian maid” reflect Western perceptions of the East, highlighting themes of imperialism and cultural fascination. | The portrayal of Kubla Khan as a ruler in an exotic land, constructing a “stately pleasure-dome,” underscores Romanticized and Orientalist views of Eastern cultures as mysterious and opulent. |
| Eco-Criticism | The poem reflects the interconnectedness of human ambition and the natural world, exploring both harmony and conflict. | The imagery of “gardens bright with sinuous rills” contrasts with the “savage place” of “ceaseless turmoil seething,” suggesting the duality of human interaction with nature—both constructive and destructive. |
Critical Questions about “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1. How does Coleridge portray the relationship between human creativity and nature in the poem?
Coleridge explores the complex interplay between human creativity and nature, portraying it as both inspiring and uncontrollable. The “stately pleasure-dome” built by Kubla Khan symbolizes the power of human imagination and ambition to create beauty. However, this creation is situated within a landscape dominated by natural forces, such as the “sacred river Alph,” which runs “through caverns measureless to man.” This river, both a source of life and a force of mystery, suggests that while creativity is rooted in nature, it cannot fully tame or comprehend it. The “mighty fountain momently… forced” conveys the raw, eruptive energy of inspiration, likened to a natural phenomenon. Thus, the poem suggests that human creativity is simultaneously empowered and constrained by nature, reflecting the Romantic fascination with the sublime.
2. What role does the concept of the sublime play in “Kubla Khan”?
The sublime, a key concept in Romantic literature, is central to “Kubla Khan”, as Coleridge juxtaposes beauty and terror to evoke awe. The “caverns measureless to man” and the “sunless sea” represent vast, mysterious, and unknowable aspects of nature that inspire both wonder and fear. The “deep romantic chasm” is described as a “savage place” that is “holy and enchanted,” blending its threatening wildness with sacredness. This duality highlights the sublime as a combination of contrasting emotions—delight and dread. Furthermore, the poem’s fragmented structure mirrors the overwhelming, incomprehensible nature of the sublime, as the vision cannot be fully contained or explained. Coleridge’s imagery captures the power of the sublime to transcend human understanding, reflecting its central role in Romantic thought.
3. How does the poem reflect the Romantic preoccupation with imagination and the creative process?
Imagination and the creative process are central themes in “Kubla Khan”, reflecting the Romantic emphasis on individual genius and inspiration. The poem itself is described as “A Vision in a Dream. A Fragment,” highlighting its origins in a spontaneous and ephemeral act of imagination. The construction of the “pleasure-dome” is a metaphor for the act of artistic creation, blending imagination with physical reality. The vision of the “Abyssinian maid” singing of “Mount Abora” symbolizes the idealized source of poetic inspiration, a fleeting and transcendent experience. Coleridge’s longing to “revive within me / Her symphony and song” underscores the Romantic belief in imagination as a transformative, almost divine force. However, the fragmentary nature of the poem also suggests the challenges of capturing and sustaining such inspiration.
4. How does the exotic setting of Xanadu contribute to the poem’s themes?
The exotic setting of Xanadu enhances the themes of imagination, mystery, and the sublime, reflecting both Romantic and Orientalist tendencies. Xanadu, described as a land of “gardens bright with sinuous rills” and forests “ancient as the hills,” embodies an idyllic, otherworldly beauty. This imagined paradise, influenced by accounts of Kubla Khan’s historical empire, reflects the Romantic fascination with distant, unfamiliar landscapes as sources of inspiration and wonder. However, Xanadu is not merely a utopia; its “savage place” and “sunless sea” introduce elements of danger and the unknowable, emphasizing the tension between human ambition and nature. The exotic imagery also critiques imperialism subtly, as the ruler’s efforts to impose order on the landscape (“walls and towers were girdled round”) exist within an environment that ultimately resists full control. The setting thus underscores the Romantic exploration of imagination’s limitless possibilities and humanity’s limitations.
Literary Works Similar to “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats
Like “Kubla Khan”, this poem explores themes of imagination, transcendence, and the fleeting nature of artistic inspiration. - “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Sharing the same author, this poem similarly delves into themes of the sublime, the natural world, and spiritual mystery. - “The Tyger” by William Blake
This poem parallels “Kubla Khan” in its exploration of awe-inspiring creation and the duality of beauty and terror in nature. - “Adonais” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Shelley’s elegy for John Keats resonates with “Kubla Khan” in its visionary imagery and reflections on artistic immortality. - “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” (Canto III) by Lord Byron
Though part of a longer narrative poem, this canto shares “Kubla Khan”‘s Romantic fascination with exotic settings and the power of imagination.
Representative Quotations of “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree:” | Opens the poem, introducing the grandeur and ambition of Kubla Khan’s vision. | Romanticism: Highlights imagination and the sublime in constructing an idealized world. |
| “Where Alph, the sacred river, ran / Through caverns measureless to man / Down to a sunless sea.” | Describes the mystical and infinite qualities of the landscape, blending natural and supernatural elements. | Eco-Criticism: Reflects humanity’s awe of nature’s vastness and mystery. |
| “A savage place! as holy and enchanted / As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted / By woman wailing for her demon-lover!” | Describes the deep romantic chasm as a site of both danger and enchantment. | Psychoanalytic Theory: Suggests subconscious fears and desires, symbolized by the wailing woman. |
| “And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, / As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,” | Evokes a dynamic, living earth filled with chaotic energy. | Romanticism: Celebrates the vitality and interconnectedness of nature. |
| “It flung up momently the sacred river.” | Illustrates the power of the fountain, symbolizing the eruption of creativity and inspiration. | Imagination Theory: Metaphor for the sudden and uncontrollable bursts of artistic creation. |
| “Five miles meandering with a mazy motion / Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,” | Describes the river’s harmonious journey through the landscape. | Eco-Criticism: Emphasizes nature’s organic patterns and interconnectedness. |
| “The shadow of the dome of pleasure / Floated midway on the waves;” | Highlights the ethereal and transient beauty of the pleasure-dome. | Transcendentalism: Reflects the impermanence and spiritual nature of human creations. |
| “A damsel with a dulcimer / In a vision once I saw:” | Introduces the Abyssinian maid, a symbol of poetic and artistic inspiration. | Psychoanalytic Theory: Represents the idealized muse emerging from the subconscious. |
| “Could I revive within me / Her symphony and song, / To such a deep delight ’twould win me,” | Reflects the poet’s longing to recapture and recreate the vision of inspiration. | Romanticism: Explores the ephemeral and powerful nature of creative imagination. |
| “For he on honey-dew hath fed, / And drunk the milk of Paradise.” | Concludes with an image of transcendence and divine nourishment for the visionary creator. | Symbolism: Represents spiritual and creative fulfillment, elevating the poet to an almost divine status. |
Suggested Readings: “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- Bahti, Timothy. “Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan’ and the Fragment of Romanticism.” MLN, vol. 96, no. 5, 1981, pp. 1035–50. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2906232. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Griggs, Earl Leslie, and Seymour Teulon Porter. “Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Opium.” Huntington Library Quarterly, vol. 17, no. 4, 1954, pp. 357–78. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3816502. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Lipkowitz, Ina. “Inspiration and the Poetic Imagination: Samuel Taylor Coleridge.” Studies in Romanticism, vol. 30, no. 4, 1991, pp. 605–31. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/25600924. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Milne, Fred L. “Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan’: A Metaphor for the Creative Process.” South Atlantic Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 17–29. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3199754. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Pearce, Donald. “‘Kubla Khan’ in Context.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 21, no. 4, 1981, pp. 565–83. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/450227. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Raiger, Michael. “Fancy, Dreams, and Paradise: Miltonic and Baconian Garden Imagery in Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan.'” Studies in Philology, vol. 110, no. 3, 2013, pp. 637–65. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24392118. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Patterson, Charles I. “The Daemonic in Kubla Khan: Toward Interpretation.” PMLA, vol. 89, no. 5, 1974, pp. 1033–42. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/461375. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
- Ober, Warren U. “Southey, Coleridge, and ‘Kubla Khan.'” The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, vol. 58, no. 3, 1959, pp. 414–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27707313. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.