A Completed Gothic Horror Ballad
Free Christabel!
Beset by snake-demoness Geraldine, abandoned to her fate 200 years ago by that confused and cruel Mr Coleridge in some opium-dazed nightmare - is she doomed to languish forever in a ghastly limbo, howling for her demon lover? What did bard Bracy's dream of an emerald-green snake betoken? Why did Christabel's sire, Sir Leoline of Langdale Hall, and his bosom companion, Sir Roland de Vaux of Tryermaine Castle - that castle nigh on Hadrian's Wall which 'stands and threatens Scotland's wastes' - why did they fall out? Tryermaine Castle, now Triermain Castle, still stands today, oh yes it does. I've been there, seen it, done it, got the stone to show it. Find out What Happened Next! It's called 'CHRISTABEL RELEASED'.
"Brighter then, and brighter as it seemed
Shone the spectre, as Geraldine screamed
‘Mercy, have mercy upon me, mother mild
‘Twas not my wish to besiege thy child!’ ...
NEXT PERFORMANCE OF WHOLE WORK AUG 15
HALSWAY MANOR
JOIN ME FOR GUIDED ROMANTIC POETRY WEEK
HALSWAY MANOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
1797/1800
PART I
In which Christabel, innocent daughter of Sir Leoline of Langdale Hall, discovers a gentle maid all forlorn alone in the midnight wood and succours her
PART II
In which Christabel smuggles Geraldine into the castle and is demonically seduced
PART III
In which Christabel is wildered and that snake in the bosom, Geraldine – ‘sword-bearer’ from the Germanic – wiles her way into Sir Leoline’s affections
PART IV
In which the ensorcelled Christabel is spurned by her sire, Bracy the bard has a dream and is entrusted with a Mission
Ralph Hoyte
2008/2012
PART V
In which Bracy the bard spurs northwards to Sir Roland de Vaux’s redoubt of Tryermaine Castle, nigh on Hadrian’s Wall, and is met with a Surprise
Part VI
In which Christabel’s mind is mazed, Bracy is incarcerated and Sir Leoline is up to something
Part VII
In which bard Bracy’s fate is decided
PART VIII
In which Christabel has a dream
PART IX
In which Sir Roland de Vaux makes a decision
PART X
In which Sir Leoline and Geraldine promenade
PART XI
In which Christabel seems about ‘to do an Ophelia’ and her mother reappears from the Dead
PART XII
In which something (nasty) happens to the mastiff bitch and Geraldine is forced to show her hand (or scales)
PART XIII
In which Bracy returns
Part XIV
In which we find out whether or not Geraldine is really his daughter (perhaps), and things take Quite A Turn at the banquet
Part XV
In which Christabel takes to the Midnight Wood and discovers something about herself
Part XVI
In which the hunt rides
Part XVII
In which Christabel lies dying (perhaps) and we find out who Geraldine really is
Part XVIII
In which All May Be Dead and All May Be Lost
Part XIX
In which bard Bracy petitions the gods
Part XX
The Conclusion to Christabel
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