The Garden Of Boccaccio by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem, Summary, & Analysis)

 

The Garden Of Boccaccio

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

(Poem, Summary, & Analysis) 

The Garden Of Boccaccio

[exerpt]

Of late, in one of those most weary hours,

When life seems emptied of all genial powers,

A dready mood, which he who ne'er has known

May bless his happy lot, I sate alone ;

And, from the numbing spell to win relief,

Call'd on the Past for thought of glee or grief.

In vain ! bereft alike of grief and glee,

I sate and cow'r'd o'er my own vacancy !

And as I watch'd the dull continuous ache,

Which, all else slumb'ring, seem'd alone to wake ;

O Friend ! long wont to notice yet conceal,

And soothe by silence what words cannot heal,

I but half saw that quiet hand of thine

Place on my desk this exquisite design.

Boccaccio's Garden and its faery,

The love, the joyaunce, and the gallantry !

An Idyll, with Boccaccio's spirit warm,

Framed in the silent poesy of form.

 

Like flocks adown a newly-bathéd steep

Emerging from a mist : or like a stream

Of music soft that not dispels the sleep,

But casts in happier moulds the slumberer's dream,

Gazed by an idle eye with silent might

The picture stole upon my inward sight.

A tremulous warmth crept gradual o'er my chest,

As though an infant's finger touch'd my breast.

And one by one (I know not whence) were brought

All spirits of power that most had stirr'd my thought

In selfless boyhood, on a new world tost

Of wonder, and in its own fancies lost ;

Or charm'd my youth, that, kindled from above,

Loved ere it loved, and sought a form for love ;

Or lent a lustre to the earnest scan

Of manhood, musing what and whence is man !

…

And many a verse which to myself I sang,

That woke the tear, yet stole away the pang,

Of hopes, which in lamenting I renew'd :

…

 

Thanks, gentle artist ! now I can descry

Thy fair creation with a mastering eye,

And all awake ! And now in fix'd gaze stand,

Now wander through the Eden of thy hand ;

…

I see no longer ! I myself am there,

Sit on the ground-sward, and the banquet share.

'Tis I, that sweep that lute's love-echoing strings,

And gaze upon the maid who gazing sings :

Or pause and listen to the tinkling bells

From the high tower, and think that there she dwells.

With old Boccaccio's soul I stand possest,

And breathe an air like life, that swells my chest.

…

 

Still in thy garden let me watch their pranks,

…

With that sly satyr peeping through the leaves !

 

Summary

The poem opens with the speaker in a deeply melancholic state, during what he describes as one of the most "weary hours" of life. He feels emotionally drained, with all sources of warmth and energy seemingly vanished. This is a “dreary mood”—a numb and empty feeling that the speaker says only those who have never experienced it are truly fortunate. Alone and consumed by this emotional void, he attempts to escape by recalling memories from the past, whether joyful or sorrowful. But even this effort proves futile—he is unable to feel either grief or joy and simply sits in a daze, brooding over his own inner emptiness.

While he remains trapped in this state of despondency, a quiet and thoughtful friend—well-acquainted with the speaker’s emotional struggles and accustomed to comforting him without words—places something on his desk. It is a beautiful artistic depiction of Boccaccio’s Garden, a scene from the world of literature filled with fairy-tale charm, love, delight, and elegant behavior. The work of art is described as a kind of silent poetry made visible through form, full of the imaginative spirit of Boccaccio.

The speaker describes how the image begins to influence him subtly. Like sheep emerging from a misty slope or like soft music that doesn’t disturb sleep but sweetens dreams, the picture gently enters his consciousness. Though he initially gazes upon it idly, it slowly begins to work on his emotions. A delicate warmth spreads through his chest, reminiscent of an infant’s gentle touch.

This warmth stirs his memory, and gradually, the images and feelings from earlier stages of life come to him. He recalls the powerful impressions that shaped him during his childhood, filled with wonder and imagination; his youthful passions and the yearning for ideal love; and the thoughtful reflections of adulthood, in which he pondered the nature and origin of humanity.

Lines of verse he once composed return to his mind—some that brought tears, yet soothed his pain by giving shape to lost hopes. The revival of these memories is a source of healing.

Now fully awakened and inspired, the speaker looks at the picture with renewed clarity and deep appreciation. He becomes immersed in its beauty—not just as a viewer but as a participant. Mentally, he enters the scene. He imagines himself within Boccaccio’s Garden, sitting on the grass and sharing in the pleasures of the banquet. He envisions himself playing the lute, feeling the echo of love in its strings, and gazing at a singing maiden.

He listens to the sound of bells from a distant tower and imagines the maiden dwelling there. So fully absorbed is he in this fantasy that he feels spiritually united with Boccaccio himself, breathing in a life-giving air that fills his chest with vitality.

As the poem closes, the speaker expresses a wish to linger in this idyllic world. He desires to keep watching the delightful figures in the garden—perhaps even the mischievous satyr peeking through the leaves—enjoying the enchantment and playful spirit that the scene evokes.

 

Analysis in Detail

1. Tone and Mood

The poem begins in a tone of profound melancholy. Coleridge describes a “weary hour” where he feels emotionally and imaginatively numb—a psychological state of spiritual desolation. Words like “dreary,” “vacancy,” “numbing spell” reflect a sense of stagnation and emotional deadness.

However, this mood undergoes a transformation. With the introduction of the picture of Boccaccio’s Garden, the tone gradually shifts toward tenderness, warmth, and finally ecstatic immersion. The poem charts an emotional journey—from depression to renewal—showing how beauty and art can revive the imagination and spirit.

 

2. Imagery and Sensory Language

Coleridge’s use of imagery is central to the emotional impact of the poem. Consider these examples:

 

Visual: “Like flocks adown a newly-bathéd steep emerging from a mist” — This beautiful pastoral image represents clarity slowly emerging from emotional fog.

 

Auditory: “Like a stream of music soft” — Sound becomes a metaphor for the gentle healing power of art.

 

Tactile: “An infant’s finger touch’d my breast” — An image evoking a delicate, life-restoring touch.

 

These sensory details mirror the awakening of the speaker’s inner life. The image of Boccaccio’s garden is not described in physical terms at first, but rather through its emotional and symbolic impact. This allows the reader to feel its power rather than just see it.

 

3. Emotional Progression and Self-Discovery

The poem is a journey through the soul’s revival. Coleridge begins in emotional paralysis, tries to summon feelings from memory, and fails—until the gift of a friend breaks the emotional impasse.

This leads to a key Romantic theme: the restorative power of imagination. The poem shows how the inner world—fueled by art and memory—can triumph over external despair. It is also a tribute to companionship, as the speaker's friend offers healing not through advice but through silent empathy and beauty.

 

4. Boccaccio and the Garden as Symbol

Giovanni Boccaccio was a 14th-century Italian writer best known for The Decameron, a collection of stories filled with romance, wit, and lively human characters. Boccaccio’s garden represents a mythic space of pleasure, storytelling, and imagination—a retreat from suffering.

In Coleridge’s poem, this garden becomes symbolic of:

Artistic inspiration

Human joy and gallantry

Re-enchantment of the soul

The speaker doesn't just admire the garden—he enters it, becomes a character in it, and is spiritually possessed by Boccaccio's soul. This merging reflects Coleridge’s view that great art dissolves the boundaries between artist, subject, and audience.

 

5. Silence, Form, and Visual Art

The poem reveres non-verbal beauty—art that speaks through form rather than speech. Coleridge describes the image as “silent poesy of form,” showing that visual art, like poetry, has the power to evoke deep emotional and spiritual reactions.

It is worth noting the interplay between visual and verbal art here. A visual piece (the design of the garden) rekindles the speaker’s poetic imagination, resulting in a verbal response. This echoes the Romantic ideal of interconnected art forms, where each medium feeds the other.

 

6. Romantic Themes

Several hallmark Romantic themes surface strongly:

Imagination as redemptive: Imagination transforms desolation into vitality.

Memory and childhood: The poem recalls “selfless boyhood,” showing how early experiences shape the adult spirit.

Nature and simplicity: The idyllic garden is full of natural pleasures, music, and emotional authenticity.

The artist as visionary: Coleridge aligns himself with Boccaccio, suggesting that the creative spirit transcends time and culture.

 

7. Structure and Movement

The structure of the poem (written in rhymed couplets, with iambic pentameter) flows smoothly, mirroring the emotional evolution. The early lines are heavy and introspective, but as the speaker becomes immersed in the garden, the rhythm grows more fluid and musical. This shift reinforces the sense of emotional release and imaginative freedom.

 

8. Interpersonal Undercurrents

Though subtle, the poem is also about quiet friendship. The unnamed friend who places the drawing on the speaker’s desk is a figure of quiet understanding—a person who heals by doing, not by speaking. This relationship provides a human anchor, showing that connection and beauty often go hand in hand in restoring the soul.

 

Conclusion

The Garden of Boccaccio is Coleridge’s tribute to the healing power of art, memory, and imagination. Beginning in emotional emptiness, the speaker is revived by a silent act of kindness and a work of visual art that awakens deep personal memories. Through this process, Coleridge affirms a key Romantic belief: that beauty—whether in nature, literature, or art—has the power to lift the spirit from despair and connect us to something eternal and joyous.