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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Summary, Setting, Emotion and Literary…

- - - - Rime is the archaic spelling of the word rhyme. It is talking about the story being told since it is in the form of a sonnet that uses rhymes through in a generally ABAB format.
        
        Also means frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in cloud or fog. However, the poem is likely talking about the previous definition as it follows that, but it could also be a play on words with dual meaning.
        
        If it is a play on words could be considered a pun, but it is not used as puns as usually used (for humorous purposes), but rather just is there as both meanings add depth to the title and make sense.
        
        Furthermore, the mariner himself is described with similar words like "hoary" (Part IV, line 52), so this rime could be considered as the symbolic rime of the mariner on his beard and soul which only physically and metaphorically thaws when he learns to pity to sea creatures around him.
      - Ancient is the adjective describing the mariner which allows the reader to visualize his appearance
      - Mariner is an older word which just means sailor. It is important as the story or 'rime' of the person is related to his adventure out at sea.
    - - The poem follows the story of a man who is being stopped by a mariner and is told a story (which we hear for most of the poem).
  - - - This was inferred because Coleridge's (the poet) tutor was an astronomer (William Wales) who followed James Cook on his explorations.
    - - I couldn't find any comments from William Wordsworth on this poem that were not analyzing the poem itself and only found him analyzing the poems.
        
        There are books about Wordsworth and Coleridge talking about their poems, but they are not free to access, so I was unable to research further with reliable resources.
- - - - Summary
        
        Things quickly change and the conditions become bad and the wind stops blowing. They don't move at all and the sun is so hot and they have no more water. The mariner and he starts to see weird sea creatures and the sailors blame the mariner by hanging the dead albatross around his neck.
      - Devices
        
        Hyperbole and Simile
        
        "As idle as a painted Ship on a painted ocean." (Coleridge, 117)
        
        Creates imagery for the reader to imagine how slow they are moving. It would be impossible for the ocean to be as still as a painting, so it is a hyperbole, but it still feels like that for the sailors as the ocean is so vast. These devices here mainly allow for the reader to relate more to the poem.
        
        Irony, Rhythm and Repetition
        
        "Water, water, everywhere,
        And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink." (Coleridge, 119-122)
        
        This line switches from the regular iambic meter from throughout the rest of the poem to trochaic and disrupts the flow with the cacophony from words like water. Furthermore, the repetition pushes the idea of how terrible they feel as it is the only persistent thought they have. These devices show the extent of the mariner's punishment which pushes the theme of how we should do not wrong.
        
        This is also situational irony as there is water everywhere, but he cannot drink any of it because it is salt water.
    - - summary
        
        Everything was still going and is still okay for now. They believe the albatross brought good luck and that the mariner killing the bird will bring misfortune.
      - setting/emotion
        
        The story is still on the ocean, but we know they have traveled some distance. It previously said the sun rose on the left, but now it rose on the right which means they have passed the half of the Earth. The setting stays the same in the next section, except the weather is bad and the ocean is stagnant. This stays for part III, IV, V, and VI of the poem as well.
        
        "The Sun now rose upon the right:" (Coleridge, 83)
        
        Mariner
        
        "And I had done a hellish thing," (Coleridge, 91)
        
        The mariner felt guilty for killing the albatross.
        
        Other Sailors
        
        "And it would work 'em woe:
        For all averred, I had killed the bird" (Coleridge, 92-93)
        
        The sailors felt sad and woeful while putting the blame on the mariner.
      - devices
        
        Personification
        
        "The Sun... Still hid in mist" (Coleridge, 83-85)
        
        Allows the reader to relate to the sailors in how they feel the sun is since it always seems cloudy to them.
        
        "the bird... that made the breeze to blow." (Coleridge 93-94)
        
        This shows how the sailors viewed the bird and what they would feel when it is gone.
  - - - summary
        
        The ship is drifting around, when the mariner sees another ship. However, that ship is not normal and it is a ghost ship. He sees "Death" and "LIFE-IN-DEATH" and meet them.
      - devices
        
        Simile
        
        "Her locks were yellow as gold:
        Her skin was as white as leprosy," (Coleridge, 191-192)
        
        This mainly is for more imagery and description. It does not add to the poem outside of detail.
        
        Personification
        
        "her sails that glance in the Sun," (Coleridge, 183)
        
        This paints the image of hope as the ship comes with sails shining in the sun while they are parched by it. This hope will only later be broken later when they see the truth and this expands the mariner's punishment showing the theme of how you should not disturb nature.
    - - summary
        
        The mariner and Life in Death play a dice game and he loses. The ghost ship leaves and everyone around him dies except himself. All the sailors curse him with their glances and their souls shoot past him.
      - devices
        
        Simile
        
        "And every soul, it passed me by,
        Like the whizz of my cross-bow!" (Coleridge, 222-223)
        
        This contrasts the earlier shooting of albatross to the people on the ship. This shows they compare and mainly is implying that the same as the albatross is going to happen to the mariner.
        
        Personification
        
        "The Sun's rim dips; the stars rush out;" (Coleridge, 199)
        
        This signals that something bad is going to happen as all of nature is trying to escape.
        
        Personification
        
        "Each turned his face with a ghastly pang,
        And cursed me with his eye." (Coleridge, 214-215)
        
        This makes the image of the deaths of the other sailors more gruesome and impacting especially for the readers.
  - - - summary
        
        The wedding guest tries to stop the story, but can't. In the story, the mariner tries to make a prayer, but keeps getting evil whispers. He looks into the ocean and sees the sea creatures again which are snakes. He thinks they are beautiful and accidentally blesses them in his heart which lifts the curse from the other sailors. The albatross around his neck falls into the ocean and sinks allowing him to make prayers again.
      - devices
        
        Alliteration/Assonance
        
        "Alone, alone, all, all alone," (Coleridge, 232)
        
        This devices adds emphasis on this sentence with repetition as well. It makes it the idea of his isolation clear.
        
        "A wicked whisper came" (Coleridge, 246)
        
        This emphasizes on his inability to pray rather than his attempt to connect with a God.
        
        Symbol
        
        "The Albatross fell off, and sank" (Coleridge, 290)
        
        This ends the burden on the mariner and sets him free. This burden goes away along with the albatross and almost makes it seem like it was the source of burden itself physically, but it was only the cause of burden because of his previous actions and not simply because it is present.
        
        Simile
        
        "The albatross... sank... Like lead into the sea." (Coleridge, 290-291)
        
        Compares the dropping of the albatross to lead which is really heavy which is symbolic of how heavy the burden was mentally to the mariner.
  - - - summary
        
        Everything starts working out for the mariner, he can sleep, it rains water for him to drink, but the wind doesn't move the ship. However, according to him, the dead sailors bodies are possessed by angels and they move the ship towards land. Suddenly, a force stops the boat, then speeds it so fast, the mariner is knocked out. He hears 2 voices, the second asking for him to punish himself and the first asking if he killed the albatross.
      - devices
        
        Personification
        
        "the coming wind did roar more loud,
        And the sails did sigh like sedge," (Coleridge, 318-319)
        
        This gives more imagery and shows the feelings of how relieved he was.
        
        Simile
        
        "Then like a pawing horse let go" (Coleridge, 389)
        
        Shows the type of motion of the boat and how it is clumsy and fast like a horse allowing the reader to visualize it.
        
        Allusion
        
        "Slowly and smoothly went the ship," (Coleridge, 375)
        
        Likely an allusion to the fable the tortoise and the hare. This is like in that story where everything is going well for the tortoise who can be compared to the mariner.
  - - - Devices
        
        Repetition
        
        "The light-house top I see?
        Is this the hill? is this the kirk?" (Coleridge 466-467)
        
        Repeating of the location from part two and reminds the reader of how things were fine previously.
        
        Diction
        
        The way that both voices speak are very different and creates more trust in the first voice and less in the second who seems angry compared to the other.
        
        Simile
        
        "clear as glass," (Coleridge, 472)
        
        Showing how everything is starting to go the mariner's way and adds to the reader knowing how good the situation is.
      - Summary
        
        The two voices argue. The first wants to know why the ship is so fast and the second wants to go faster before the mariner wakes up. The mariner wakes up after and finds that he can sail again and sees the port he initially left from.\
    - - Devices
        
        symbol
        
        "he'll wash away
        The Albatross's blood." (Coleridge, 513)
        
        The blood of the albatross represents the last of the guilt leftover from after the albatross sunk from dropping off his neck.
        
        Simile
        
        "the silence sank
        like music on my heart." (Coleridge, 498-499)
        
        Compares the silence after the voices left to music showing how he finally feels relief. This allows the reader to comprehend the mariner's emotions better.
      - Summary
        
        The voices are not explained, but are the angels who moved the ship. The angels leave and he meets a "hermit" (a person who lives alone and is religious). The mariner wants him the hermit to allow him to confess his sins.
  - - - summary
        
        The mariner really wants the hermit to ask him questions so he can confess his sins, but nothing happens until they make it to the city. They reach the city after he rows them back himself when the hermit is reluctant. At the city, the hermit asked vague questions and the mariner confesses. The mariner now feels the need to confess when he has the chance. The wedding guest goes home "a wiser and sadder man" and skips the wedding.
      - Devices
        
        Simile
        
        "I pass, like night, from land to land" (Coleridge, 586)
        
        This shows how the wedding guest is not the first and last to hear the story and leaves the reader thinking about the others who heard it.
  - - - summary
        
        Three wedding guests are going to a wedding and one of them is stopped by a mysterious mariner. He sees the mariner's "glittering eye" and can't help but listen to his story.
      - devices
        
        Alliteration
        
        "He holds him with his skinny hand" (Coleridge, 9)
        
        Makes the poem flow better, but does not contribute much to the themes/message.
        
        Personification/ Enjambment
        
        "He holds him with his glittering eye--" (Coleridge, 13)
        
        Personification: Is more interesting than just saying he was interested in the eye and creates a stronger image of being stuck watching.
        
        Enjambment: creates a link to the next sentence showing how they relate and make the poem seem more in cohesion.
      - setting/emotion
        
        Somewhere on the way to a wedding, only the wedding (which is not attended is described).
        
        "The Bridegroom's doors are open" (Coleridge, 5) and "The feast is set" (Coleridge, 7)
        
        Where the story is being told is unknown and has little description.
        
        "The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone" (Coleridge, 17)
        
        Wedding Guest
        
        Felt creeped-out initially, but then curious out of control.
        
        "unhand me, grey-beard loon!'" (Coleridge, 11) become "listens like a three years' child" (Coleridge, 15)
    - - summary
        
        The mariner starts his story and everything is going well in his ship journey, they make a lot of progress. Suddenly, things start to change and the conditions become bad with the ocean being filled with icebergs. Meanwhile, the guests listens while wanting to leave (yet he feels he can't)
      - setting/emotion
        
        They are now on the ocean and talk about their progress.
        
        The wedding guests see the wedding starting and wants to leave, but is unable to.
        
        In the story, the mariner feels the feelings of adventure, curiosity and excitement. There is nothing about him in real life.
      - devices
        
        Anaphora (the repetition of the beginning of a sentence)
        
        Below the kirk, below the hill,
        Below the lighthouse top. (Coleridge, 23-24)
        
        This allows to show the progress they make and the distance they travel while creating imagery for the reader.
        
        "The ice was here, the ice was there,
        The ice was all around:" (Coleridge, 59-60)
        
        Emphasizes how much ice is around and how bad the situation is.
        
        Assonance
        
        "'The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,"(Coleridge, 21-22)
        
        The poem is being read smoothly just like how the journey is going currently, this will change later when this is not the case.
        
        Repetition
        
        "The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast," (Coleridge, 31/37)
        
        This is an expression meaning that he is sad. It repeats how the guy listening just wants to leave to attend the wedding.
        
        Simile
        
        "As green as emerald." (Coleridge, 54)
        
        Gives a better visual for the reader
        
        "Red as a rose" (Coleridge, 34)
        
        .
        
        Onomatopoeia
        
        "It cracked and growled, and roared and howled," (Coleridge, 61)
        
        Allows the reader to imagine what the situation sounds like
        
        Oxymoron
        
        "dismal sheen" (Coleridge, 56)
        
        Dismal is associated with sad or gloom which is dark while a sheen should be bright. This creates an eerie image as well as a curiosity in the reader.
    - - summary
        
        Everyone thinks they are going to die, but an albatross flies by and they feed it food. Soon, things get better. The ice clears and the wind blows the right way, but then the mariner shoots the albatross.
      - setting/emotion:
        
        The setting is the same, but the ice has cleared.
        
        All of the sailors were happy, but then in shock and in disbelief after the mariner shot the albatross.
      - devices
        
        Hyperbole
        
        "The ice did split with a thunder-fit;" (Coleridge, 69)
        
        This happened with the albatross's appearance and is used to exaggerate how well the things changed after the albatross came.
        
        Personification
        
        "It perched for vespers nine;" (Coleridge, 76)
        
        The albatross would not know what is vespers nine, and thus would be unable to perch for it, so it is given a human characteristic in this. It is related to God and a symbol. This further will show the theme of how he should not betray God and nature
        
        Symbol
        
        The Albatross did follow, (Coleridge, 72)
        
        This was mentioned after all of the good things happen, so the albatross is a symbol of the goodness and when he kills it, bad things happen. Furthermore, it is also a symbol of the innocent and when he kills it, he commits a sin that sentences him to the rest of the poem which may be considered a punishment until he redeems himself.
  - - - "The Sun came up upon the left,
        Out of the sea came he!" (Coleridge, 25-26)
        [ABCB]
      - This rhyme scheme makes it formal and consistent throughout and the meter is broken in the poem sometimes to emphasis and mimic the chaos or unease of the situations.
        
        "Water, water, every where,
        Nor any drop to drink." (Coleridge 121-122) shows the use of trochaic meter to break the flow when the mariner is distressed.
      - I will not mention imagery as a literary device unless it is important, because it is practically everywhere and will be just redundant to talk about.
      - Technically the narrator is the wedding guest, but since we hear the story of the mariner for most of the story (which is told through his perspective), the characters will be analyzed in relation to the mariner.
    - - The ship has trouble navigating is disturbed heavily when the winds change direction (after he shoots the albatross.)
    - - .
- - - - Use of Devices (The numbers will match):
        1) Rhythm: the rhythm until this point is all iambic, but it breaks with the line "I shot the albatross" (Coleridge, 82)
        2) Personification: "A spring of love gushed from my heart" (Coleridge, 284) adds to the scene showing the purity of the moment.
        3) Repetition: "All things both great and small;
        the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all" (Coleridge, 615-618) emphasizes how the mariner believes in his change and that we should pray/believe in God.
  - - - Use of Devices:
        1) The same can be said about rhythm here as in theme 1.
        2) Simile: "And every soul, it passed me by,
        Like the whizz of my cross-bow!" (Coleridge, 222-223): [repeated from part 4 analysis] This contrasts the earlier shooting of albatross to the people on the ship. This shows they compare and mainly is implying that the same as the albatross is going to happen to the mariner.
        3) Rhythm/Dissonance: "Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink." (Coleridge, 121-122) This is trochaic meter as he is being punished here to give a rougher feeling to the poem compared to the rest of the iambic poem.
  - - - Use of Devices:
        1) Hyperbole/Personification "With a woeful agony,
        Which forced me to begin my tale;" (Coleridge 579-580) Agony cannot physically force someone to speak, but it does here and shows the punishment the mariner still endures.
        The other two do not really have much literary devices specifically aiding this theme.