낭만주의 시대의 반노예제 운동 - 코울리지의 「그리스 송가」와 「노예 무역에 관한 강연」을 중심으로

Anti-Slavery Movement in the Romantic Period: Focusing on Coleridge's “Greek Ode” and “Lecture on the Slave- Trade”

Sanghoon Kim. 2024. Anti-Slavery Movement in the Romantic Period: Focusing on Coleridge's “Greek Ode” and “Lecture on the Slave- Trade”. Studies in British and American Language and Literature. This paper examines Coleridge's two early works, “Greek Ode” and “Lecture on the Slave- Trade” regarding the anti-slavery movement in Romantic period. Not only is “Greek Ode” a cornerstone of Coleridge's anti-slavery thought but also his first public effort against slave trade. In this poem, he exhibits his wrath and revenge to slave traders, and sympathizes with African black slaves in the West indies. He anticipates Wilberforce's role in ending slavery. In “Lecture on the Slave-Trade”, Coleridge tells the audience in Bristol why the slave trade has not disappeared so far, wishing English people to stop using slave product, and shows how the black slaves undergo many kinds of ordeals from slave traders. Both works express Coleridge's strong insistence on the abolition of slavery in that he strongly disagrees with the slave trade, blames the slave traders for the incredibly harsh treatment of the slaves and takes pity on the enslaved. His anti-slavery thoughts shows his respect for human dignity and sympathy for African black slaves. What Coleridge perceives is that the spirit of Romantic humanity is being denied, so he is willing to participate in the anti-slavery movement and advocate for the emancipation of Black slaves as one of the leading Romantics.