In "Kubla Khan", a poem written of a dream, Coleridge attempts to portray, not only one, but many visions of Xanadu. By using imagery related to beauty and nature especially, he attempts to enhance his visions of beauty, power, mystery and paradise in the minds of the reader.

The first eleven lines of the poem are dedicated to expressing the beauty that Coleridge sees in this enchanted place. "Fertile ground", "gardens bright", "blossomed" and "sunny spots" all help to create an imagery of life and vitality. The overall picture created by these small descriptions can even be compiled to form one of the Garden of Eden, supposedly a place of astonishing beauty and total paradise. By implying Xanadu to be similar to this, the reader must rightly assume that it is a place of almost indescribable refinement.

The tone of the poem then changes after the first section...