I Fain Would Tell Thee What I Am; But Dare Not!': Metadrama and Political Identity in Coleridge's Remorse

This thesis examines Coleridge's political identity through his most popular staged play, Remorse. I argue that Coleridge employs metadrama in the form of Spain, Napoleon, the Gothic, the Incantation scene, and the main character's multitude of disguises in order to reveal the indeterminate nature of political identity. By having his play demonstrate the fluidity of political identity, Coleridge also presents a defense against the charge of 'political apostasy.'