Summary An in depth analysis of Samuel Coleridge's poem 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'
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Course
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Institution
AQA
An in depth analysis of Samuel Coleridge's poem 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner' with highly annotated notes regarding the plots characters, themes and quotation. Ideal for students studying the poem at alevels.
Context
- Critics suggest that the poem is inspired by James Cook's second voyage of exploration (1772 - 1775) of the
South Sea and Atlantic. Coleridge’s tutor, William Wales, worked on Cook’s ship and had an effective
relationship with the explorer. However, according to Coleridge, the poem was inspired by a walk between
him, Wordsworth and his sister whilst exploring Somerset and discussing their recent reads. Coleridge had
recently read a novel that told the story of a 1719 voyage where a sailor named Simon Hatley, shot a black
albatross.
- Coleridge’s father was a clergyman whose passion for religion resulted in Biblical works. Coleridge however
had a more dysfunctional relationship with Church, referring to himself as being an “evangelical mystic” as
he left and reconnected with religion several times throughout his life. During the poem’s creation, Coleridge
served as a ‘Unitarian preacher’ (believing only in God and not Jesus.)
- Although the poem is not established during a specific time period, it nevertheless captures the voice of the
romantic era by embracing voyages, the power of nature as well as naval battles.
- Many believe that the tale however is inspired by the mythical legend of the ‘wandering Jew’ who was
forced to walk the Earth until judgement day following his taunting of Jesus during his crucifixion.It is ironic
however if the poem is based upon the wandering tale because although a Christian, Coleridge does discuss
the Mariner as somebody who the reader can sympathise with, however, this may be because in his personal
rules. Coleridge did not actually believe that Jesus was the son of God, therefore suggesting that although the
Mariner and the Jews behaviour was bad, their treatment was much more intense.
Natural and the spiritual
- The romantic movement was a response to the period of enlightenment which as a philosophy declared that
reason was superior to every other universal experience. Contrary, the Romantics valued emotion over
reason, and glorified and appreciated nature - an idea which is evident in Rime of the Ancient Mariner, as it
is only when the Mariner is incapable of valuing nature that his suffering is intensified. When he is capable
of respecting nature, although his crime is still evident, it is characterised by Coleridge as being more of a
spiritual experience than a punishable one.
- In the poem, nature and spirituality are intertwined by Coleridge to create the ‘ultimate force’ However, this
is biblically accurate as according to religion, nature is a creation of God which he constructed within six
days. When the Mariner kills the Albatross, he is not only just tainting nature but also offending God by
destroying one of his creations. Coleridge presents this act as not being a mortal failing but instead being an
act of sin. The punishment which the Mariner endures from the sin is a product of both the intensity of nature
but also the punishment of God’s abandonment… an idea which although individually could be seen as
justifiable and ‘convenient’, but combined, almost creates a supernatural element.
- Coleridge presents nature as being heavenly yet more powerful, inspiring and unsuspecting than man can
comprehend. It is presented that any rebellion against nature is sinful in itself, let alone tainting and killing a
creature of something so powerful. In the poem, it is the sailor’s lack of water which enables their death by
dehydration and the loss of wind which introduces ideas of isolation and personal misplacement. It is not fate
that the Mariner is punished in such a way, it is presented by Coleridge as being a guaranteed and deserving
punishment. It is the Mariner’s lack of reason in killing the Albatross which both enables his pain but also
his spiritual awakening.
- The idea of supernatural punishment is presented through the use of the personification of Death and ‘the
woman’ who harvest the souls of the Mariner’s crewmates in a game of life. Although the use of the
Romantic movement suggests that the audience is supposed to feel connected to nature with the poem’s
conclusion, there is still a sense that although nature should be valued it nevertheless is cruel and arguable
too powerful as the reader understands how vulnerable nature can make human life - whether it be through
dehydration or intense climate conditions. Similarly, the death of the crewmate only emphasises the
knowledge that human life is fragile… an idea which is presented as being threatening.
- “God save thee, ancient Mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! Why look'st thou so?'-With my
crossbow I shot the Albatross.” The Wedding Guest and the Mariner
- “He prayeth best, who loveth best all things both great and small; for the dear God who loveth us.” The
Mariner
The mundane and sublime
- Traditionally, the sublime is an essential aspect of the Romantic movement often being used to refer to
nature as being beautiful or breathtaking, however, in Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Coleridge uses the
, device as not being something necessarily beautiful but instead being something fascinating as a result of its
power. Within the narrative, nature is presented as being both a beautiful and ugly feature - evident in the
storm which is cruel and horrendous but nevertheless powerful and majestic. Similarly, the ice, snow and
glaciers that the Mariner encounters are beautiful, eerie but nevertheless dangerous.
- Through the characterisation of the “slimy things with legs' ', Coleridge introduces the idea that although
upon first reaction nature may appear as being uglt and intimidating, upon a closer and more insightful
examination, it can also be beautiful when appreciated as intended. The idea of this is evident with the
Albatross. When its presence is appreciated and taken with awe, the Albatross guides the sailors, however
when such beauty is destroyed by an act of selfishness, beauty evolves into ugliness. Again, it is similar with
the Mariner himself, who although appears as unsettling and imitating upon introduction, in actuality is a
man with meaning attempting to save the sinful from their own potential downfalls. Although something
may appear a certain way, from another perspective, that appearance can parral the primary reaction.
- “A spring of love gushed from my heart, and I blessed them unaware:sure my kind saint took pity on me,
- And I blessed them unaware, the selfsame moment I could pray; and from my neck so free the Albatross fell
off, and sank like lead into the sea.” The Mariner
- “O happy living things! no tongue their beauty might declare” The Mariner
The Sun
- Coleridge believed that by only using symbolic language could express “deep religious truths” and employ
the Sun as being a symbol of God. Within the narrative, Coleridge compares the sun as being “God’s own
head” and later uses the sun as an instrument of the first stage of the Mariner’s punishment because as a
result of the warmth, he grows dehydrated enabling the deaths of the crew.
- In total, the poem has eleven references to the sun with a majority of them having Biblical connotations and
representing the vengeance of God. Most of the poem’s bad events occur during the day time whilst the
moon juxtaposing presents a sense of escape and security to the Mariner. It is ironic because the Bible states
that the sun will not hurt mankind, however in the narrative, the sun is characterised by Coleridge as being a
weapon of cruelty and immense violence.
- The sun is used by Coleridge to represent the terrors of the natural world, which when abused, can create
human vulnerability. The cruelty of the sun is used ironically as although its symbol traditionally represents
hope, within the poem, it represents the contrast. It represents the isolation that the Mariner endures on a
lonely sea with no sense of belonging whilst the sun mockingly taunts him from above. The sun is used as a
reminder to the Mariner to allow him to remain aware that nature is always superior, and like God, nature is
always watching and judging.
- “Nor dim nor red, like God's own head, The glorious sun uprist”
- “All in a hot and copper sky, the bloody sun, at noon.”
- “And straight the sun was flecked with bars (Heaven's Mother send us grace!) As if through a dungeon-grate
he peered with broad and burning face.”
The Moon
- The moon is referenced by Coleridge fourteen times and generally within the poem’s narrative, it is during
this setting where the more favourable events occur, for example, the Mariner’s curse is lifted and he returns
home by moonlight. Coleridge uses the moon as a setting for the supernatural elements of the poem and it is
the moon's control of the waves which enables the Mariner’s arrival home. When the Mariner’s penance
begins, the moon has risen and the poem’s language becomes soothing
- If the Sun shows what is obvious, the Moon shows what is hidden. The Sun and the Moon are opposing
forces, but they must coexist. They rise and fall in a daily cycle, in unity if not necessarily in harmony. The
Mariner's cycle of sin and penance mirror this cycle as well.
- Similarly to the sun, the moon also symbolises the power of God however with much more motherly and
positive connotations as it acts as company to the Mariner rather than the sun who taunts him. Although the
moon is by no means innocent, it nevertheless represents the ‘good’ side of God who is kind and welcoming.
The moon is traditionally seen as being more feminime than the sun and Colebridge presents her as being an
almost motherly figure who the Mariner can find a sense of assurance in the company of her presence.
- “All fixed on me their stony eyes that in the moon did glitter.”
- “His great bright eye most silently up to the moon is cast - if he may know which way to go; for she guides
him smooth or grim see, brother, see! how graciously she looketh down on him.”
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