The Role of Nature in Romantic Poetry: A Comparative Study of Wordsworth and Coleridge

Abstract This paper explores the role of nature in Romantic poetry through a comparative analysis of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge—two of the most prominent figures of the Romantic era. While both poets shared a deep reverence for nature, their poetic representations and philosophical interpretations diverged in significant ways. Wordsworth celebrated nature as a spiritual and moral guide, often portraying it as a benevolent force integral to human development. In contrast, Coleridge engaged with nature through a more complex and sometimes mystical lens, reflecting themes of imagination, the supernatural, and inner psychological states. This paper analyzes selected poems from each poet to highlight these differences and demonstrate how their individual perspectives contributed to the broader Romantic movement. Keywords Romanticism, Nature, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Poetry, Imagination, Spirituality, The Sublime, Comparative Literature