William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge and Percy Shelley works espoused a conscious fascination of nature, divinity and the marvels of the bewildering sceneries. They all were romantic poets whose works thematically explored nature, the supernatural forces behind nature and how humanity related with these forces. In their poems; 'Tintern Abby', 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Mount Blanc', the three poets renege to a luminal space which orients and informs the decisive narration of their poetry. Indeed, the thematic composition of their poetry is enhanced via memories, imagination and informed by their reasoning and appreciation of nature. The luminal spaces, reminiscent of the point of diversion from the dictates of humane reasoning, can be explored as places on the edge of a realm or between two realms, whether forest or field, all tangled in the dictates of reasoning and imagination.
The major themes in all their works zero-in on the reminiscences on the marvels of the nature. This implies a connection between the three and a relatively analogous perception of nature. However, although Wordsworth connectively alludes to nature in everyday life and underlines the serene aspects of nature, Coleridge looks at the tragic and controlling aspects of nature whilst Shelley appreciates its imposing nature. Wordsworth draws refuge in the comforting and sympathizing form of nature which he perceives as the perfect companion in love and suffering. Thus, the persona draws refuge in the comfort of the shades of the trees and reminisces his days as a child thus portraying the landscape as an interior presence rather than an external scene. Ultimately, his reflections on emotions and imagination are transferred to the tranquility of nature. His plain passive views on nature are contrasted by Coleridge and Shelley.
Introducing the theme of the supernatural, Coleridge and Shelley asserts that nature is not a passive entity but is a force controlled by the supernatural. This contrast Wordsworth views on nature. Coleridge explores the powers that govern nature and illustrates how they have infinite abilities. To expound on this, The Ancient Mariner narrates the voyage of the ship, the storm that drove the ship southward into a frigid land of mist, snow and ice. He also elaborates the wrath of the supernatural on his shooting of the Albatross, his subjection to 'dead-life' and his emancipation effected by his recognition of the essence of all realms of nature and how important its creatures are. On his part, Shelley relies on the symbolic Mount Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps to represent the eternal power of nature.
This is an allusion to the supernatural, as explained that Mont Blanc has existed forever and will last forever. It is from the mountain that the persona draws inspiration, but just like all divine forces, it is cold, terrifying and inaccessible. He wonders, just like humanity question divinity, on whether the powers possessed by the mountain are meaningless or just an invention of humanity. This postulates the human perception of divinity and the questions that linger on the unlimited powers of divine spheres. The insight of Coleridge and Shelley is a juxtaposition of the views of Wordsworth towards nature and implores active perceptions versus passive perceptions.
The endowments between the supernatural and humanity advance the theme of religion. Though religion is explicitly addressed in Coleridge's work, Shelley and Wordsworth all allude to a certain connection between nature, humanity and the supernatural forces behind it. In the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Coleridge alludes to prayer as a connecting thread between humanity and the supernatural, hastening to add that when the Mariner was able to pray, he was set free from his tribulations. The fact that his redemption was facilitated by the power of prayer implies that there is a bond between spirituality, humanity and nature, with the former having autonomous control over the former. Shelley on her part exalts and marvels at the wonders of Mont Blanc and by extension this can be understood as a quest to understand divinity. The above is avid evidence on the strong belief in the supernatural and the relationships that exist with it and humanity.
Morality and sound judgment is an elaborate theme in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. This theme is echoed across all the poems as they carry a moral lesson, though not profusely expressed in thee other two poems. When the Mariner shoots the Albatross, he could have been motivated by inquisitiveness. Eventually, he ends up like a prophet, cautioning the audience who include the Wedding guest and the reader. So influential is he that he transforms the life of the Wedding guest, who awakes the following day a changed man. The moral lesson from the other two could be the profound connection of humanity and nature. They seek to draw the audience to the influence of belonging and inform them of their obligation towards nature lest the supernatural charts the way forward for their life, in an avenging way. This is a common view held not only by the trio (Coleridge, Wordsworth and Shelley) but also by Romanticists.
To conclude, it is imperative to point out the similarity or differences in the works of the trio could have been to some extent influenced by Wordsworth. Though his works lacked insight and depth and has been times and again accused of 'passiveness" Wordsworth was the older of the writers. Therefore, by adding a dime of insight and perfected plot, Coleridge and Shelley could have succeeded in producing better works, but failed in eliminating all potential points of similarity. Even then, they shouldn't have done so lest the works would no longer fall in the Romanticist category.
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