Frost at Midnight
by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
The Frost performs its secret ministry,
Unhelped by any wind, the owlet’s cry
came loud—and hark again, loud as before.
The inhabitants of my cottage, all at rest,
have left me to that solitude, which suits
abstruse musings; save that at my side
my cradled infant slumbers peacefully.
‘Tis calm indeed, so calm that it disturbs
and vexes meditation with its strange
and extreme silence. Sea, hill, and wood,
this populous village: sea, hill, and wood,
with all the innumerable goings on of life,
inaudible as dreams; the thin blue flame
lies on my low-burnt fire, and quivers not;
only that film, which fluttered on the grate,Still flutters there, the sole unquiet thing.
Methinks its motion in this hush of nature
gives it dim sympathies with me who live,
making it a companionable form,
whose puny flaps and freaks the idling spirit
by its own moods interprets, everywhere
echo or mirror seeking of itself,
and makes a toy of thought.But O! how oft, how oft, at school, with most believing mind,
presageful, have I gazed upon the bars,
to watch that fluttering stranger! and as oft
with unclosed lids, already had I dreamt
of my sweet birthplace, and the old church-tower,
whose bells, the poor man’s only music, rang
from morn to evening, all the hot Fair‑day,
so sweetly, that they stirred and haunted me
with a wild pleasure, falling on mine ear
most like articulate sounds of things to come!
So gazed I, till the soothing things, I dreamt,
lulled me to sleep, and sleep prolonged my dreams!
And so I brooded all the following morn,
awed by the stern preceptor’s face, mine eye
fixed with mock study on my swimming book:
save if the door half opened, and I snatched
a hasty glance, and still my heart leaped up,
for still I hoped to see the stranger’s face,
townsman, or aunt, or sister more beloved,
my play‑mate when we both were clothed alike!Dear Babe, that sleepest cradled by my side,
whose gentle breathings, heard in this deep calm,
fill up the interspersed vacancies
and momentary pauses of the thought!
my babe so beautiful! it thrills my heart
with tender gladness, thus to look at thee,
and think that thou shalt learn far other lore,
and in far other scenes! For I was reared
in the great city, pent mid cloisters dim,
and saw nought lovely but the sky and stars.
but thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breeze
by lakes and sandy shores, beneath the crags
of ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds,
which image in their bulk both lakes and shores
and mountain crags: so shalt thou see and hear
the lovely shapes and sounds intelligible
of that eternal language, which thy God
utters, who from eternity doth teach
himself in all, and all things in himself.
great universal teacher! he shall mould
thy spirit, and by giving make it ask.therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
whether the summer clothe the general earth
with greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing
betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
of mossy apple‑tree, while the night‑thatch
smokes in the sun‑thaw; whether the eave‑drops fall
heard only in the trances of the blast,
or if the secret ministry of frost
shall hang them up in silent icicles,
quietly shining to the quiet moon.
Summary of Frost at Midnight
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem Frost at Midnight depicts the poet reflecting on his own childhood while the world around him appears both tranquil and unsettling. In the poem, the poet describes the quiet of the night, his surroundings, and his sleeping child. The poem’s setting is a simple, tranquil one where a child’s life and the poet’s thoughts are interwoven.
The central idea revolves around the contrast between the speaker’s restricted and unhappy upbringing in a city school and his yearning for his son to experience a childhood immersed in the beauty and freedom of nature. He believes that through nature, Hartley will gain a deeper understanding of the world and connect with the divine. The poem is not a narrative but a stream of consciousness that blends present observation with past memories and future aspirations. Coleridge beautifully illustrates nature’s power to shape the human spirit and the loving wishes of a father for his child’s happiness and spiritual growth.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Frost at Midnight”
Coleridge masterfully employs a range of literary devices to enrich the meaning and aesthetic appeal of “Frost at Midnight.” These techniques contribute to the poem’s dreamlike quality and enhance the emotional impact on the reader.
Imagery
Coleridge makes extensive use of imagery to evoke a vivid sensory experience. The poem contains visual descriptions such as “thin blue flame” and “silent icicles,” and auditory details such as “owlet’s cry” and “bells rang.”
Symbolism
The frost itself represents the transformative power of nature, while the “stranger” from the speaker’s childhood symbolizes longing and unfulfilled connection. The church bells represent the spiritual world, providing solace and inspiration. Consider this line:
Whose bells, the poor man’s only music, rang.
Here the bells serve as a reminder of faith and hope amid hardship.
Personification
Coleridge personifies elements of the natural world, attributing human qualities to the night’s silence and the gentle flutter of a film on the grate.
Alliteration and Assonance
Notice the repetition of sounds in phrases such as “secret ministry” (alliteration) and “dream prolonged” (assonance).
Enjambment
The poem frequently uses enjambment, extending a sentence over several lines to create a fluid rhythm and build anticipation. An example is the stanza beginning, “The inhabitants of my cottage, all at rest, have left me to that solitude, which suits.”
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Frost at Midnight”
Conversation Poem
“Frost at Midnight” is a quintessential example of a conversation poem, a form pioneered by Coleridge. The poem’s tone is personal, engaging the reader in an intimate dialogue with the poet’s thoughts.
Free Verse Elements
While not strictly free verse, the poem eschews a rigid rhyme scheme and meter, allowing the narrative to flow naturally.
Direct Address
The poem largely addresses the speaker’s infant son, Hartley, creating a sense of intimacy and immediacy. The use of “thou” and “thee” further enhances the feeling of personal connection and heartfelt emotion.
Notable Quotes and Their Significance
“Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee.” This line encapsulates the speaker’s ultimate wish for his son—that he will find joy and beauty in all aspects of life, regardless of circumstance.
“For I was reared in the great city, pent mid cloisters dim, and saw nought lovely but the sky and stars.” This quote reflects the poet’s memories of his childhood, contrasting the natural world with the city’s artificial lights.
“Great universal Teacher! He shall mould thy spirit and by giving make it ask.” This passage illustrates the poet’s belief that nature will guide his son toward a deeper understanding of the world.
“And all things in himself.” The concluding lines emphasize the poet’s belief that the natural world holds all answers and that he, too, has become one with it.