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Drugs, Alcohol and Literature
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan are only a few of the many incredible works that Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote in his troubled lifetime. When he lost his father as a young boy and suffered from several health issues in his youth, the solution that was offered to him was opium. While the drug was initially administered to him in small doses, it slowly made its way into his life and to become a full-fledged addiction. Among other reasons, Coleridge began regularly using opium as an antidepressant and relaxant amongst other reasons. He even admitted to using laudanum, particularly during times of extreme stress and anxiety. Since…
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The Kids’ Section: Oliver Jeffers’ The Heart and the Bottle
Though I consider myself a geek when it comes to English literature or anything poetry, there will always inevitably come a time when I need some kind of a break. Watching my mother teach kids in kindergarten and seeing the adorable picture books she would bring back home was fascinating. I was surprised when I learned how much planning and intricacy was involved in creating the perfect picture book, and soon found myself taking interest in the field of children’s literature. Having been exposed to some great picture books as a child, I was keen to find out more about different, new authors and illustrators. One of my favourites is…
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Oh, for the Love of Keats!
One of our ESA contributors, Saakshi, reflects on the way a trip to Keats’ home affected her outlook on English, poetry, and the universality of pure human emotion. I was fortunate enough to have myself immersed in the magical world of John Keats for the first time in high school, two years ago. Ever since I read his work, no other poet’s words have managed to move or resonate with me more. Keats wrote with a passion unmatched, about emotions so heartbreakingly human that I couldn’t help but feel his pain, almost alongside him, and fall more in love with his poetry. It was a dream come true when…
