Christabel (poem) - Composition and Publication History

Composition and Publication History

It is unclear when Coleridge began writing the poem which would become Christabel. Presumably, he prepared it beginning in 1795. During this time, he had been working on several poems for Lyrical Ballads, a book on which he collaborated with William Wordsworth. Christabel was not complete in time for the book's 1798 publication, though it did include The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The first part of the poem was likely completed that year, however. He continued to work on Part II of the poem for the next three years. A year later, he added a "Conclusion". The poem is, nevertheless, considered unfinished. He later noted that he was distracted by too many possible endings. He wrote, "I should have more nearly realized my ideal, than I would have done in my first attempt."

The poem remained unpublished for several years. On his birthday in 1803, he wrote in his notebook that he intended "to finish Christabel" before the end of the year, though he would not meet his goal. The poem was first published in Christabel; Kubla Khan: A Vision; The Pains of Sleep in 1816.