Q: How far would you agree that Kubla Khan presents Coleridge’s concept of the fantastic and the supernatural?
Ans:I totally agree with the statement that the poet has created a fantastic and the supernatural concept in the poem. In this poem 'Kubla Khan, the emperor of China ordered a Pleasure-Dome to be ouilt for him.
It was to be built in Xanadu. It was a place where the sacred river Alpha ran through the underground caves measureless to man, down to a sunless sea. There were streams, gardens and forests as ancient as the hills. There was also a deep chasm out of which a spring bursts out. The sacred river Alpha flowed through this spring and there was a great noise.
Kubla Khan heard the voice of his ancestors predicting that the war was inevitable.
The poet saw an Abyssinian maid in a dream who was playing upon a dulcimer and singing a song about Mount Abora - an imaginary mountain. He said that if .he could recall that song he would have been able to rebuild a pleasure dome.
In the air with caves of ice. All by-standards would have terrified to see his flashing eyes and floating hair, like that of great magician. They would have, therefore, taken him for a saint who had eaten honey dew and drunk milk of Paradise, the Divine food.
Thus this poem is purely the creation of the poet’s imagination. It is indeed a rare type of fantasy. It has a magical and dream like quality. It is really a good example of his concept of fantastic and the supernatural.
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