Samuel Coleridge is considered one of the most important poets of the Romantic period. Part of this distinction rests on Coleridge's beautiful nature-themed poetry, but it also rests on his ability to infuse fantastical and haunting elements into his poems. His talent for blending the natural and the supernatural is particularly evident in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. This poem is so heavily infused with supernatural elements that Coleridge relies on allegory to convey the theme of the poem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Written in an archaic style, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is filled with fantastical and often ambiguous images and events. Like Dante's allegorical Inferno, The Time of the Old Sailor details a man's moral journey, or in this case, the moral journey at sea. This journey is divided into seven sections, each falling into the categories of sin, repentance or redemption. The first section begins the story of the ancient sailor. Mysteriously present at a wedding, the sailor takes a guest aside and begins to recite his story. The Mariner recounts a time when he and the crew of a ship left Scotland. A storm pushed the ship south, where freezing seas trapped it. At that moment, an Albatross appeared next to the ship. It stayed with the sailors for nine days and they, considering the bird as a symbol of good luck, were comforted. The former sailor sadly tells the guest that, for no apparent reason, he shot and killed the albatross. The sailor's mysterious tale takes on a clearer light when viewed allegorically. The beginning of the sea voyage corresponds to the beginning of a person's life. The ice that traps the ship represents certain difficulties in life. The albatross plays a very important role, because it represents nature. The comfort that sailors derive from the bird is comparable to that which romantics believe they can find in appreciating nature. Finally, the ancient boatman's thoughtless killing of the albatross comes to represent what the romantics considered a great sin: a cruel and thoughtless act committed by someone who does not appreciate nature. The second section of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner details the events following the death of the albatross. Initially exasperated by the killing of the bird they believed to be the source of the ocean breezes, the crew forgets their anger when the fog clears, even supporting the former sailor for killing "the bird that brought the fog and mist. Soon, however, the ship ventures into a “silent sea,” completely devoid of wind. Stranded in a salty sea, the sailors have no drinking water, and the sailor even highlights the irony of the situation by saying: “Water, water, everywhere / And all the planks have shrunk ;/ Water, water, everywhere/And not one lets go to drink." Convinced once again that the shooting of the albatross is the cause of its misfortune, the crew hangs the dead albatross around the former sailor's neck as punishment Obviously, the extreme suffering of the sailor and crew represents both the consequences of sin and the price paid for failing to respect nature. fantastic in the story. The sailor says he sees a ship in the distance. In a draculaic gesture, the sailor bites his arm, sucks the blood and shouts to the crew that there is a ship. prospect of certain rescue, the sailors smile happily However, as the ship approaches, the sinister truth becomes clear The ship's hull is ghostly and torn, and the only one.The crew consists of a man and a woman, whom the sailor calls Death and Nightmare Life in Death respectively. The man and woman roll dice and while Death gains the crew's lives, Night-mare Life-in-Death claims control of the ancient sailor. Immediately, the entire crew dies. Lonely and frightened, only the sailor remains alive, knowing that his sin is the cause of the death of his shipmates. The allegorical references in this section are quite clear. The ominous names of the man (Death) and woman (Night-mare Life-in-Death) immediately reveal their terrible roles in the poem. Additionally, Coleridge says that the woman has “skin as white as leprosy.” Not only do these images induce thoughts of illness and death, but they also allude to the outcast state of a leper, in this case the sailor. The fourth section introduces the aspect of redemption into the poem. Alone and afraid, the sailor said he tried to pray, but his heart “as dry as dust” would not allow him. Days passed and one night the sailor noticed the beautiful water snakes swimming in the sea in the moonlight. Grateful for their beauty, the sailor blessed the snakes. As soon as he does, he finds himself able to pray. While praying, the albatross falls from the sailor's neck. This moment clearly marks the sailor's redemption, as he has learned to appreciate the beauty of God's creatures. As soon as the sailor learns this, he is allowed to pray and can thus lighten some of his burden. By praying, he relieves himself of his mark of shame, the albatross, thus signifying the redemption of the sailor. In the fifth section, the sailor tells the guest that after praying he fell asleep. While he slept, it rained on him. Upon waking up, the sailor saw spirits inhabiting the sailors' bodies, and they began to pilot the ship and take him home. The sailor heard two voices. A voice asked if it was he who had killed the albatross. The other, in a softer voice, said that the sailor had done penance for his sin, and would do even more penance. The fifth section continues the use of supernatural spirits to introduce aspects of redemption and repentance. The rain symbolizes a respite from the intense thirst from which the sailor suffered; a reprieve perhaps from his punishment. The two voices seem to represent two divergent opinions: one that the sailor had committed an unforgivable crime by killing the albatross, and the other pleading for kindness by saying that the sailor had paid and would continue to pay for his sin. The sixth section continues the conversation of the two voices. It is said that the moon overturned the sea and freed the ship from the grip of the sea. The sailor wakes up to find that a strong wind is taking him back to his homeland. He also sees that the dead crew are standing silently and watching him, and states that he could not avoid their gaze or pray while they watched him. As the sailor begins to recognize the Scottish coast, he hears beautiful music. Music flows from the men's bodies as the seraphim leave them and fly into the sky. He then sees a small boat coming towards him, and thinks he needs to find a priest to hear his confession. The sailor said: “He [the hermit] will weep for my soul, he will wash away the blood of the Albatross. » This section, despite its ghosts and strange voices, presents the first peaceful moments that the sailor has experienced since his terrible sin against the albatross. As the sailor continues to repent, his punishment temporarily ceases and he can return home. However, his simplistic belief that a priest will relieve him of his guilt reflects the fact that the former marine has not yet learned the seriousness of his crime. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get.