The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a classic poem that tells a haunting and terrifying story of a mariner who faces the consequences of killing an albatross. The poem delves into themes of thoughtlessness, doom, despoiling the earth, and the sanctity of life, all presented in a refined and eloquent writing style. Coleridge weaves a tale of horror and power unleashed when a single mistake is made against the spirit world, creating images as scary as any modern movie and leaving the reader with a chilling and thought-provoking experience.

Characters:

Characters include the guilt-ridden mariner, a curious wedding guest, and nature itself, which serves as an authoritative force throughout the tale.

Writing/Prose:

The work employs a rhythmic ballad meter with vivid imagery and occasionally archaic language to enhance its poetic nature.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on a mariner's misdeed of killing an albatross, resulting in his curse and exploration of nature's moral consequences.

Setting:

The setting primarily unfolds at sea, interwoven with supernatural elements, creating a contrasting dynamic between nature and humanity.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, oscillating between moments of tension and introspective reflection, which may challenge some readers.

I Ye Clouds! that far above me float and pause, Whose pathless march no mortal may controul! Ye Ocean-Waves! that, wheresoe’er ye roll, Yield homage only to eternal laws! Ye Woods! that listen to the ...

Notes:

The poem was first published in 1798 and is a foundational work of Romantic literature.

Coleridge's work incorporates supernatural elements in a way that influences future writers like Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe.

The phrase 'albatross hanging about one's neck' originates from this poem and has entered common language.

The poem is often interpreted as addressing themes of guilt, retribution, and the connection between humanity and nature.

Illustrations by Gustave Doré are widely recognized and have significantly influenced how readers visualize the poem.

The poem's narrative structure involves the Mariner feeling compelled to tell his story, linking to the theme of storytelling itself.

There are many editions of the poem, some annotated by Coleridge himself after its initial publication.

The poem has been illustrated in various styles, including those of Mervyn Peake, which capture its macabre themes.

Coleridge's writing is noted for its haunting beauty, often leaving readers with deep emotional responses.

'Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink' is one of the poem's most famous lines, symbolizing desperation and despair.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The poem includes mentions of death, supernatural occurrences, and deep psychological turmoil, which may require medium content warnings.

From The Publisher:

In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, one of the best-known and best-loved poems in the English language, a grizzled old sailor stops a man on his way to a wedding and tells a terrifying story. He speaks of how he doomed the crew of his ship by shooting dead an albatross, awakened the wrath of ocean spirits, met Death himself, and must now walk the earth forever and share his tragic tale of sin, guilt and - ultimately - redemption.

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About the Author:

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was born in the English town of Ottery St Mary, where his father was a vicar, in 1772. The youngest of ten children, he attended school with Charles Lamb and spent two years at Jesus College, Cambridge where he was introduced to radical politics and theology by the poet Robert Southey. He first met William Wordsworth in 1795 and they published a joint poetry collection, Lyrical Ballads, in 1798; this highly praised volume, which started the English Romantic Movement, contained the first version of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Alongside finding success with his poetry, Coleridge's critical work, especially on Shakespeare, was highly influential. However much of his life was blighted by illness, opium addiction, financial problems and depression. He died of heart failure in London in 1834.

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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Samuel Taylor Coleridge