Romanticism And Religion Essay

Regulars and Rebels in Religion

During the Romanticism Period religion was often a critical part of everyone’s life. Many authors from the Romanticism period were firm believers of God and followers of Christianity. While many authors believed in a God, some were atheists or had differing opinions about religion. Samuel Coleridge was a follower of Christianity and believed in God, his christian views were set in place by his father. William Blake was a very spiritual man, but he did not believe in organized religion. His spirituality and dislike for organized religion is made apparent in his poems The Lamb and The Garden of Love. Percy Shelley was an atheist; he did not believe in any God or any afterlife. He was so passionate about atheism that he even helped write a pamphlet called “The Necessity of Atheism.”

Samuel Coleridge’s beliefs came from a strong Christian background. Coleridge’s father always dreamt that his youngest son would become a clergy. After Coleridge’s father passed away, his mother sent him to Christ’s Hospital in London. While Coleridge was at Christ’s Hospital he received an outstanding education. In 1791 Samuel Coleridge attended Jesus College, University of Cambridge. He wanted to work in the Church of England after he graduated (Poets, n.d.). After many financial problem Coleridge began writing poetry.

Coleridge’s religious beliefs are often expressed in his poetry. His 1798 poem Fears In Solitude, features a grand amount of religious references. Coleridge begins the poem talking about his love for nature. He then says “Religious meanings in the form of nature” (CITE), he finds God in all of the things around him. “The sweet words of Christian promise” (CITE), Coleridge believes that any and everything can be solved through