allegory

1. ‘The Rime of The Ancient Mariner’ as an allegory
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" poem is written by the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This poem is
an allegory that symbolizes the inherent struggle of humans facing the ideas of sin and redemption. In
writing this poem, Coleridge is supposing that supernatural situations are real. This purpose is seen
clearly in poem, which demonstrates salvation, and the power of sympathetic imagination. The story of
the ancient mariner takes place on a sea voyage around the horn of Africa and through the Pacific Ocean
to England, which Coleridge uses to symbolize the pass into the spirit world of guilt, retribution, and
rebirth.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner details one man’s moral journey, or in this case,moral sea voyage. This
voyage is divided into seven sections, each of which fall into the categories of sin, repentance,or
redemption. The mariner’s mysterious tale takes on a clearer light when viewed allegorically. The
beginning of the sea voyage parallels the beginning of a person’s life. The ice that entraps the ship
represent the certain hardships that occur in life. The albatross takes on a very important role, for it
represents nature. The comfort that the sailors get from the bird parallels the comfort Romantics believe
may be found in appreciating nature. Finally, the ancient mariner’s thoughtless murder of the albatross
comes to represent what Romantics viewed as a great sin, a cruel and thoughtless act committed by one
who does not appreciate nature.
The poem as containing explicit Christian allegory. Further, the killing of the Albatross, a great sin and
crime can be seen as an allegorical representation of one or more Christian stories.
In discussing the symbolism of guilt in poem, it is important to understand that in the eyes of the
romantics God was one with Nature. Because of this belief a sin against Nature was seen as a sin against
God. In the poem, the Mariner simply says, "I shot the Albatross." There is no explanation why he did it .
The Albatross was shot without reason or motive very much like the sin of humans. Here the poem begins
to take on its allegorical purpose in which the Albatross symbolizes not only sin, but possibly Jesus as
well. In Christianity, Jesus died upon the cross for the sins of humanity.
The Mariner is on a journey of self-discovery which he must live and relive as he meets people who need
the lesson he learns. The lesson is learned after he kills the albatross, it is hung around his neck to show
what he does not know about nature. Here Coleridge uses nature to show the superstitious, supernatural
parts of his writing. Until he blesses the water snakes,he cannot get rid of the burden the killing of the
albatross has created. And until that happens, he cannot continue his journey. His ship is, of course, what
carries him onto his final goal, his home port. His ship sinks in the harbor, he goes ashore after being
saved by the Pilot and the Pilot's boy, and he confesses to the Hermit of the Wood. From then on, he lives
a calmer, although often troubled life when he has to retell his allegorical story. The intention of retelling
it is, in all likelihood, a way of helping someone work through the same journey through life.

2. It is a convoluted allegory telling the reader that life is precious and all of God's creatures are beautiful in
their own way. However,not only it is a poem talking about the adventure of an old mariner who is
cursed for life because he kills an albatross. Deeper than that, it is also a religious allegory conveying
themes, pertaining to Christianity.
During the journey, the Ancient Mariner realizes how he must properly interact with Nature and
appreciate the beauty of the natural world. The albatross, when hung around his neck, indicates the weight
of his sin in killing the albatross, one of nature's most important creatures. If the Mariner is on a journey
of self-discovery, then the ship is that which carries him. Ultimately, he loses that ship as he does not
bring it back to the home port.
It being a religious allegory carrying a main religious theme that reflects Christian beliefs.
life is a trial by which we either pass and go to heaven, or fail and go to purgatory. Also, the human body
is a victim of the human thought and action, which is represented by the soul. Therefore, in the relation to
the poem, we can refer to the ship as the human body and the Mariner who steers the ship and leads it to
destruction as the human soul. This ship led by the Mariner goes through a trial of storm and winds, but
fails because of the Mariner. However,the Mariner becomes a captive of Life-in-Death and remains
perpetually cursed for the mistake he has done. the mariner’s redemption but leaves the reader with the
knowledge that the mariner must still pay for his sin. Forgiveness for abusing God’s creatures,Coleridge
seems to say, comes at a great cost. The harrowing and haunting tale of the mariner serves as a valuable
lesson of this. Another symbolism conveyed through Coleridge's poem is the Albatross that symbolizes
Jesus Christ. When things start to fall apart in the ship, and the storm destroys all, the Albatross appears
as a good omen that saves the ship from the remnants of the storm.
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" allows the reader into a spiritual journey of guilt, retribution, and
rebirth as a symbol of the journey of Christianity. Expressing the inherent struggles of humanity for sin
and redemption. This poem also allows the reader to suppose that supernatural situations are real.
Coleridge uses supernatural events to bring to live the ideas he expresses in his work. This poem clearly
demonstrates the ideals of Christianity as salvation and the power of sympathetic imagination.