Samuel Coleridge - The Rime of The Ancient Mariner
Interplay between philosophy and piety
In Coleridge’s “The Rime of The Ancient Mariner”
Samuel Coleridge was a very influential poet who left his mark upon the next generations of poets and writers. His work has been approved by many people like Wordsworth for instance. One of his most famous poems is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” In this poem Coleridge creates unique image in which the interplay between nature, religion and his own philosophy on the world, builds the very essence of this beautiful work.
The poem starts with an ancient mariner – the main character – whose fate is to tell one and same story to different people. All misadventures through which he passes further in the poem give him this fate, which is almost like an example for all people, a message, a word of God and Nature, that one should not step against his Lord and that all of God’s children should live in harmony. The mariner starts his tale with the sailing of their ship, the weather is kind and even at the very beginning there is a Christian symbol in the picture, a kirk is mentioned as a part of the scenery: “The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top.” (Coleridge, 21-24)
However, the mariners’ faith is quickly put on a test with the arising storm, which drives their ship south towards misfortune and mishap. Quickly the mariners find themselves lost in a maze of ice, but when the situation is dire one of the brightest symbols in the poem appears. This is the Albatross, a sacred bird for all sea-farers, a symbol of fortune and ocean wisdom. The Albatross in the poem bears much more symbolism though – it is like an embodiment of nature; and nature could easily be related to religion and therefore God as
In Coleridge’s “The Rime of The Ancient Mariner”
Samuel Coleridge was a very influential poet who left his mark upon the next generations of poets and writers. His work has been approved by many people like Wordsworth for instance. One of his most famous poems is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” In this poem Coleridge creates unique image in which the interplay between nature, religion and his own philosophy on the world, builds the very essence of this beautiful work.
The poem starts with an ancient mariner – the main character – whose fate is to tell one and same story to different people. All misadventures through which he passes further in the poem give him this fate, which is almost like an example for all people, a message, a word of God and Nature, that one should not step against his Lord and that all of God’s children should live in harmony. The mariner starts his tale with the sailing of their ship, the weather is kind and even at the very beginning there is a Christian symbol in the picture, a kirk is mentioned as a part of the scenery: “The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top.” (Coleridge, 21-24)
However, the mariners’ faith is quickly put on a test with the arising storm, which drives their ship south towards misfortune and mishap. Quickly the mariners find themselves lost in a maze of ice, but when the situation is dire one of the brightest symbols in the poem appears. This is the Albatross, a sacred bird for all sea-farers, a symbol of fortune and ocean wisdom. The Albatross in the poem bears much more symbolism though – it is like an embodiment of nature; and nature could easily be related to religion and therefore God as
Cited: 1. Coleridge, Samuel Taylor – “The Rime of The Ancient Mariner” -http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173253