Ancient Mariner
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner a Spiritual Voyage
Samuel Taylor Coleridge journeys through all things that are between reality and fantasy in his epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Coleridge utilizes the concepts of symbols and supernatural elements to illustrate the rise and redemption of the ancient Mariner. This literary work is the tale of a sailor who embarks on a journey that would eventually change his life forever. The Mariner receives a spiritual awakening while facing several trials and tribulations along the way. Through these obstacles comes a new beginning as he discovers what is God’s love. Upon his new and phenomenal experience, the Mariner feels as though he should share this revelation …show more content…
The Mariner begins to see water snakes which he first views as ugly swimming in the moonlight, and miraculously after seeing their beautiful colors they become beautiful to him. According to traditional Christian doctrine, the Mariner must repent by means of prayer before he can be saved from sin. So far, no grace had been granted. Allowing him the appropriate frame of mind for prayer— “no saint took pity on [his] soul in agony” (Gibson 9). The Mariner finally finds grace when the water snakes transform from ugly to beautiful in the moonlight of the shadow of the ship. “O happy living things! No tongue their beauty might declare: 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 (Pedrini 9). Once he Mariner felt blessed by the water snakes, the Albatross fell from the Mariner’s neck. The self-same moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The Albatross sank like led into the sea. (Coleridge …show more content…
Though he is in a hurry, the Mariner “…holds him with his glittering eye…” (Coleridge I, 69- 71.13) as if he is frozen, forcing the Wedding Guest to listen to the Mariner’s redemption story. The “glitter” mentioned is a symbol of his conviction to share God’s love with everyone. The Mariner mentions this symbol at the end by saying “…at an uncertain hour, / The agony returns: And till my ghastly tale is told, / This heart within me burns” (Coleridge VII, 698 1.582-585). Once The Mariner begins to feel conviction, he cannot rest until he shares his testimony. In the book of Mark, Chapter Sixteen and verse Fifteen says: “…And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature…” (Expositor’s Study Bible). The mariner is just following the command of God by sharing his story with the Wedding Guest. “It is part of our human obligation that we are condemned to both hear out our fellow human beings in their extremity and to recognize in their stories, potential stories of ourselves” (Cuddy-Keane
Samuel Taylor Coleridge journeys through all things that are between reality and fantasy in his epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Coleridge utilizes the concepts of symbols and supernatural elements to illustrate the rise and redemption of the ancient Mariner. This literary work is the tale of a sailor who embarks on a journey that would eventually change his life forever. The Mariner receives a spiritual awakening while facing several trials and tribulations along the way. Through these obstacles comes a new beginning as he discovers what is God’s love. Upon his new and phenomenal experience, the Mariner feels as though he should share this revelation …show more content…
The Mariner begins to see water snakes which he first views as ugly swimming in the moonlight, and miraculously after seeing their beautiful colors they become beautiful to him. According to traditional Christian doctrine, the Mariner must repent by means of prayer before he can be saved from sin. So far, no grace had been granted. Allowing him the appropriate frame of mind for prayer— “no saint took pity on [his] soul in agony” (Gibson 9). The Mariner finally finds grace when the water snakes transform from ugly to beautiful in the moonlight of the shadow of the ship. “O happy living things! No tongue their beauty might declare: 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 (Pedrini 9). Once he Mariner felt blessed by the water snakes, the Albatross fell from the Mariner’s neck. The self-same moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The Albatross sank like led into the sea. (Coleridge …show more content…
Though he is in a hurry, the Mariner “…holds him with his glittering eye…” (Coleridge I, 69- 71.13) as if he is frozen, forcing the Wedding Guest to listen to the Mariner’s redemption story. The “glitter” mentioned is a symbol of his conviction to share God’s love with everyone. The Mariner mentions this symbol at the end by saying “…at an uncertain hour, / The agony returns: And till my ghastly tale is told, / This heart within me burns” (Coleridge VII, 698 1.582-585). Once The Mariner begins to feel conviction, he cannot rest until he shares his testimony. In the book of Mark, Chapter Sixteen and verse Fifteen says: “…And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature…” (Expositor’s Study Bible). The mariner is just following the command of God by sharing his story with the Wedding Guest. “It is part of our human obligation that we are condemned to both hear out our fellow human beings in their extremity and to recognize in their stories, potential stories of ourselves” (Cuddy-Keane