The Pains of Withdrawal: An Analysis and Explanation of S.T. Coleridge's "The Pains of Sleep"

The Pains of Withdrawal: An Analysis and Explication of S.T. Coleridge's "The Pains of Sleep" In this poem, Coleridge reveals his reluctance to sleep and the reasons behind the reluctance. What he doesn't happen upon in his lyrical exploration of his guilt ridden dreams, is that the, what we would refer to as the depression he is experiencing, is most likely caused by his withdrawal from Opiates. Also exacerbating the symptoms is the fact …

…it. Coleridge was an addict before there was such a thing, and it almost drove him insane. His ignorance throughout "The Pains of Sleep" is evident, as too is his unbreakable addiction. The reader can't help but be sorry for him, but it is an important piece nonetheless because of the honesty he tells the story with. And besides, throughout it all, Coleridge was ever the Romantic, because, all he needed was, "To be beloved".