Concetti Chiave
- The Mariner's survival is eerie; he resembles a skeleton, but assures the Wedding Guest he is still alive despite being the only survivor.
- In cursed solitude, the Mariner struggles to pray, feeling cursed by the staring, uncorrupted dead men with open eyes.
- The transformation begins when the Mariner appreciates the beauty of the snakes, allowing him to pray again and breaking the spell.
- Supernatural elements include slimy creatures and spirits like Death and Life-in-Death, who spare the Mariner to impart a lesson on loving Nature.
- Coleridge's view portrays Nature as sacred, a reflection of God, necessitating love and respect for all living things to truly connect with divinity.
What is the mariner's eerie survival?
The Wedding Guest fears that he is talking to a Spirit, because the Mariner is the only one who has survived. What is more, the Mariner really resembles a skeleton for his deteriorated physical structures. But the seaman immediately assures the Wedding Guest that he is still living and thus, there is no need to worry. Then he resumes his story, telling how everyone but him was dead on the ship and that the only living creatures left were slimy snakes crawling at the surface of the water.
Cursed solitude and redemption
In such solitude he tried to pray but the only thing he could do was whispering wicked and evil words. He uttered a curse. Though he had his eyes closed, he could still see the sea and the sky and he could hear the beating of his heart.
The dead men were starting at him and cursing him. Their corps were not corrupted and didn’t smell like a dead body usually does. They were looking at him with open eyes and their curse was stronger than an orphan’s which would be able to send somebody from heaven to hell. But he was still alive and he survived.
The Moon was moving softly, the water was still and the snakes were swimming and coiling. Suddenly something changed: the Mariner was looking at those slimy things and they resembled happy living creatures. He fell in love with them and could see their beauty. When he blessed them, for being the only other living things with him, he could finally pray again.
The spell began to break because he was once more in contact with Nature and so the Albatross hanging from his neck fell off and sank into the sea.
Supernatural elements and nature's lesson
The supernatural elements described are the slimy things crawling at the surface of the water and the two spirits on the skeleton ship: Death and Life-in-Death. There are also the souls of the dead crew that fled swiftly towards heaven, or hell.
The two spirits spared the Mariner’s life, because they wanted him to understand the importance of loving Nature and wanted him to tell and pass on his story and its message.
The mariner's symbolic message
The poem can be seen as a dream which allows the poet to relate men and nature. But the Mariner is also the romantic poet who, through his sense of guilt, produces poetry. He finds again what he has lost by telling a symbolic story of his loss. This is also what the Mariner does; he lost his good terms with Nature and he tells his story and the way he found it again. So he conveys his message to other people, such as the Wedding Guest, who after the story are changed into new, sadder and wiser men.
Coleridge's view on nature
Killing Nature is an evil, unforgivable deed. Everyone must love and respect Nature because it is the mirror of God, who is creator of all things. And indeed, for Coleridge Nature is the incarnation of God. Only a good person who loves all natural elements, all living creatures doesn’t matter how they look, can pray well. No one can pray and love God if he/she doesn’t love Nature.
Domande da interrogazione
- What is the significance of the Mariner's survival in the story?
- How does the Mariner's perception of the slimy snakes change, and what does it signify?
- What role do supernatural elements play in the Mariner's story?
- How does the Mariner's tale affect the Wedding Guest?
- What is Coleridge's perspective on Nature as depicted in the poem?
The Mariner's survival is crucial as it allows him to convey the story's message about the importance of loving Nature. Despite resembling a skeleton and being the sole survivor, he assures the Wedding Guest of his life, emphasizing his role in sharing the tale and its lessons.
Initially, the Mariner sees the snakes as slimy creatures, but he later perceives them as beautiful and blesses them. This change signifies his reconnection with Nature, allowing him to pray again and breaking the curse symbolized by the Albatross falling from his neck.
Supernatural elements, such as the slimy creatures, the spirits of Death and Life-in-Death, and the souls of the dead crew, highlight the Mariner's journey. These elements emphasize the lesson of loving Nature, as the spirits spare his life to ensure he shares this message.
The Mariner's tale transforms the Wedding Guest into a "sadder and wiser" man. By hearing the story, the Wedding Guest gains insight into the importance of respecting Nature, reflecting the poem's symbolic message of personal growth through understanding and guilt.
Coleridge views Nature as the embodiment of God, deserving love and respect. He suggests that harming Nature is an unforgivable act, and only those who love all living creatures can truly pray and connect with God, reinforcing the poem's moral lesson.
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