Sure, it sounds bad, but isolation isn't really a bad thing in "Frost at Midnight." A better term might be "solitude." By being alone at night (except for his sleeping baby) Coleridge is able to attain deep insights, while reflecting on his past, his relationship with Nature, and his baby's future. He wishes for his son to experience solitude in Nature, but that won't really be solitude, since his son will be able to sense God in Nature, to feel a sense of companionship when he seems to be isolated.
Questions About Isolation
- Is there a difference between "isolation" and "solitude"? If so, what might that be?
- Is Coleridge's aloneness mainly beneficial? What about the isolation he felt in school as a child?
- Do you enjoy spending time alone (whether in Nature or not)? Why or why not? How do your reactions compare with Coleridge's?
Chew on This
Coleridge is not truly alone in this poem, and he doesn't truly feel that isolation is anything worth pursuing.
Coleridge's love of Nature is really just a way for him to escape his fellow man, drop out of society, and be totally alone in the world.