Explanation:
A Romantic Critique on Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner portrays mans intense strive for salvation through the sins he has committed during his journey. Guilt, metaphysics, nature, and supernatural events are the dominant tones that communicate the Romanticist paradigm. Guilt occurs in Parts Four and Six; metaphysics is dealt with in Parts One, and Five; nature is described in Part Two; the supernatural can be found in Parts Three and Seven. These Romantic descriptions help the reader grasp the theme of salvation and the dominant tones of the Rime.
Part the First communicates metaphysics through the character of the Albatross. Coleridge relates the Albatross to Christianity, stating “As if it had been a Christian soul / We hailed it in God’s name.” These lines connect a direct parallel between Christianity, a metaphysical aspect of the world, to the Albatross. The use of the Albatross as a sign of hope from religion develops the Romantic tone of the Rime because it engages normal objects as symbolic representations of other ideas. The Albatross was just a bird, but to the crew it was a very spiritual, very mysterious and deep symbol, thus signifying Coleridge’s implementation of Romanticism. Eventually the Albatross will be the significant character that leads the Mariner to his road of salvation, the theme of the Rime.
The Second Part consists mostly of nature as the agent of Romanticism. Coleridge speaks natural objects like the sun, fog, mist, breeze, root, and “slimy things with legs.” This Part is very short, and describes the situation once the Mariner has killed the Albatross. Coleridge’s repetitive descriptions of celestial objects and the sea are overwhelming to the reader, communicating a very vivid idea of the situation. The precise descriptions reflect Romanticism because they describe the Mariner’s awe in the natural world after he has slain the bird, suggesting an overload of emotion with the wonders of the universe. This is the Mariner’s first step before he strives on his path towards salvation, and the consequences of the dead bird allow him to realize his fault.
The events that occur within Part the Third utilize the supernatural as the medium for Romanticism. The mysterious, morbid ship that confronts the Mariner’s crew is spoken in diction that reflects a mortal versus an immortal confrontation; “The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she / Who thicks mans blood with cold.” This conflict embraces Romanticism in the idea of the spirit, for the avengement of the Mariner’s sins occur with the reaping of his crew through the coming of Death’s ship. Death’s ship shows the Mariner the result of his fault, and the Mariner feels the pain that will lead him to his salvation.
