"The Suspension of Disbelief" (essay by Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

"The Suspension of Disbelief" is an essay by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that describes the willingness of readers or viewers to accept fictional elements of a story as real while engaging with it. This temporary suspension allows audiences to immerse themselves in a work of imagination, feeling captivated rather than questioning its plausibility. Coleridge believed that this mental compromise is essential for enjoying stories, particularly in poetry and drama, enabling us to experience emotions and worlds beyond everyday reality without losing our critical thinking entirely.