The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Part 2

"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Part II: A Haunting Tale of Guilt and Desolation"

Introduction: Discover the mesmerizing continuation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's timeless masterpiece, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Part II takes you deeper into the harrowing journey of an ancient mariner who finds himself plagued by guilt and cursed by his own actions. Join us as we delve into the haunting verses that unravel the consequences of one fateful deed.

Description: In Part II of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," the story unfolds with the rising sun casting its ethereal glow upon the vast sea, but hope seems distant for the mariner and his crew. The good south wind still blows, yet no sweet bird follows, leaving an ominous void in the once joyous voyage. The mariner's confession reveals the dark truth - he has committed a "hellish thing" by slaying the albatross, the very creature that brought them favorable winds and protection from the fog and mist.

As the mariner's guilt and remorse intensify, the consequences of his action take a dramatic toll on the ship and its crew. The once lively voyage turns into a nightmarish experience as the ship becomes motionless in a silent sea, surrounded by water everywhere but not a drop to drink. The imagery of a "painted ship upon a painted ocean" paints a haunting picture of desolation and hopelessness.

With each passing day, the mariner's suffering deepens, and the crew begins to blame him for their plight. The sea becomes a realm of horror, with eerie death-fires dancing in the night and slimy creatures crawling with legs upon the waves. The mariner is haunted by dreams of a Spirit, seemingly avenging the death of the albatross, following them from the land of mist and snow.

As despair takes hold, the mariner and his crew find themselves unable to speak, their tongues withered by drought and suffering. Their eyes, full of scorn and judgment, turn to the albatross, now hung around the mariner's neck like a heavy burden.

Conclusion: Immerse yourself in the chilling narrative of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Part II," where guilt, redemption, and the forces of nature intertwine in a haunting tale that continues to captivate readers of all ages. Experience the mariner's journey from bliss to anguish, and reflect on the consequences of one's actions amidst the vast and mysterious sea. Prepare to be spellbound by the poetic brilliance and profound themes that have made this poem an enduring literary classic.

SUMMARY

In Part II of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the mariner keeps talking about the scary things that happened after the Albatross was killed. As the Sun comes up and goes down, mist stays around the ship, and the south wind is good, but the Albatross, which used to be on board, is no longer there.

The mariner realises how bad his action was and how it affected the rest of the team. The bird used to mean a good breeze, but now it doesn't. The team thinks the bird is to blame for their bad luck. The crew thinks that the Albatross is to blame for the fog and mist, so they think it's okay for him to kill it. Some even think it's a fair penalty for the bird's claimed role in the strange weather.
The ship is still sailing in eerie silence, and the crew will have to spend days in the huge ocean without moving. They experience severe pain as their thirst worsens because they can't drink the seawater that is all around them. The sea itself looks like it is dying and full of strange slippery critters, which adds to the creepy feeling.

At night, ghostly lights called "death fires" dance around the ship, and the water looks like something from another world. Some sailors even think that an evil ghost from the land of fog and snow is following them around.

The mariner thinks about how his fellow crew members look at him with disgust, and he feels guilty and sorry for what he did. Instead of the cross, he wears the weight of the Albatross's death around his neck as a disturbing memory of what he did.

Part II sets up the mariner's journey to find forgiveness and shows how his actions affect the group and the natural world. The poem goes into more depth about blame, justice, and how all living things are linked to each other. Its vivid images and eerie atmosphere capture the reader's mind.

ARCHAIC WORDS

Here are all the archaic words used in Part II of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" with their meanings:

1) uprist - archaic form of "uprose"; to rise or ascend.

2) rist - archaic form of "rose"; past tense of "rise."

3) 'em - archaic contraction of "them"; used to refer to a group of people or things.

4) 'twas - archaic contraction of "it was."

5) thither - to that place; in that direction.

6) eftsoons - archaic for "soon after; afterward; immediately."

7) furrow - a long narrow trench or groove made in the ground, especially by a plow.

8) hollo - an archaic form of "hollow" or "holler"; to shout loudly or call out loudly.

9) slimy - covered with or resembling slime; slippery or unpleasantly slick.

10)  assurèd - archaic spelling of "assured"; to be certain or confident about something.

11)  fathom - a unit of length equal to six feet, used to measure the depth of water.

12)  'em - archaic contraction of "them."

13)  yea - archaic word for "yes" or "indeed."

14)  oils - archaic form of "oily"; greasy or slippery.

15)  reel - to stagger or sway unsteadily from side to side.

16)  rout - a disorderly retreat of defeated troops; also used to describe a tumultuous or disorderly movement.

17)  did rot - archaic form of "did decay"; to decompose or become rotten.

18)  a-day - an expression of regret or sorrow, similar to "alas."

19)  wretch - a person who is despised or unhappy; a miserable or unfortunate individual.

20)  please note that these archaic words may not be commonly used in modern english and may require some context to fully understand their meanings.

Answer the following questions briefly

a. In which direction did the ship start moving? How can you say?

b. Why does the mariner say that 'no sweet bird did follow'?

c. How did the other mariners behave towards the Ancient Mariner at first? How

many times did they change their mind about the Ancient Mariner? What does this  tell us about their character?

d. How did the sailing conditions change after the ship had moved out of the land of mist and snow? What or who did the mariners blame for this change?

e. What is indicated by the line 'The bloody sun, at noon,/Right up above the mast did  stand,/No bigger than the moon'?

f. How does the mariner describe the fact that they were completely motionless in the middle of the sea?

g. What is the irony in the ninth stanza? Explain it in your own words.

h. What is the narrator trying to convey through the description of the situation in the tenth and eleventh stanza?

i. What or who did the mariners feel was responsible for their suffering?

j. Describe the condition of the mariners as expressed in the thirteenth stanza.

k. Why did the mariners hang the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner?

ANSWERS:

a. The ship started moving northwards after leaving the harbour, as mentioned in the lines:

"The Sun now rose upon the right:

Out of the sea came he,

Still hid in mist, and on the left

Went down into the sea."

b. The mariner says that "no sweet bird did follow" because the Albatross, which was once following the ship, is no longer present after the mariner killed it.

c. At first, the other mariners were angry and blamed the ancient mariner for killing the Albatross. They changed their mind about him when the mist and snow disappeared, thinking it was right to kill the bird that brought bad weather. However, they later blamed the mariner again for the lack of wind and being stuck at sea. This shows their fickle and easily influenced character.

d. After leaving the land of mist and snow, the sailing conditions changed drastically. The fair breeze stopped blowing, and the ship became motionless, stuck in the middle of a silent and eerie sea. The mariners blamed the ancient mariner for killing the Albatross, believing that the bird's death caused their misfortune.

e. The line "The bloody Sun, at noon,/Right up above the mast did stand,/No bigger than the moon" indicates that the Sun appeared unnaturally small and crimson, unlike its usual size and appearance. This suggests an eerie and otherworldly phenomenon, emphasizing the unnatural events unfolding.

f. The mariner describes their motionlessness at sea by stating, "As idle as a painted ship/Upon a painted ocean." This simile indicates that the ship was completely still, as if it were a painting rather than a vessel in motion.

g. The irony in the ninth stanza lies in the fact that the mariners blame the ancient mariner for killing the bird that brought the fog and mist, but they later agree that it was right to kill the bird that brought bad weather. They are inconsistent in their beliefs and judgments, revealing their lack of understanding and wisdom.

h. Through the description in the tenth and eleventh stanzas, the narrator conveys the extreme suffering and desperation of the mariners. The lack of wind and water to drink, the rotting sea, and the eerie lights dancing at night all create a sense of doom and hopelessness.

i. The mariners feel that the Spirit, which they believe was embodied in the Albatross, is responsible for their suffering. They think the Spirit is haunting and punishing them for the ancient mariner's act of killing the bird.

j. In the thirteenth stanza, the condition of the mariners is expressed as dire and desperate. They are suffering from extreme thirst, and their tongues are so dry that they cannot speak. Their physical and emotional state is deteriorating rapidly.

k. The mariners hang the albatross around the neck of the ancient mariner as a symbolic act of blame and punishment. They see him as the cause of their misfortune and suffering, and by burdening him with the dead bird, they hold him responsible for their plight.

A NOTE ON ALBATROSS

The albatross is a large seabird belonging to the family Diomedeidae. It is known for its impressive wingspan, which can range from 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.7 meters), making it one of the largest flying birds in the world. Albatrosses have a distinct and graceful flying style, effortlessly gliding over the open oceans for long distances without flapping their wings much.

Key Characteristics of Albatrosses:

Physical Appearance: Albatrosses have white plumage with dark markings on their wings and back. They have long, narrow wings that enable them to soar for extended periods without expending much energy. Their large bill is hooked and helps them catch prey while foraging at sea.

Life at Sea: Albatrosses are highly adapted to life on the open ocean and are seldom seen near the coast. They spend most of their lives flying over the seas, where they search for food, which primarily includes fish, squid, and crustaceans.

Breeding Behaviour: Albatrosses are known for their remarkable breeding behavior. They typically form lifelong monogamous pairs and return to the same nesting site year after year. They build large, simple nests on remote islands or isolated coastal regions to lay a single egg.

Threats and Conservation: Albatross populations face several threats, with one of the most significant being accidental capture in fishing gear, leading to high mortality rates. Many species of albatross are considered vulnerable or endangered due to human activities such as overfishing and habitat destruction.

Symbolism in Literature:

The albatross has also become a symbol in literature, particularly in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." In the poem, the albatross is initially seen as a sign of good luck and is welcomed by the sailors. However, the ancient mariner kills the bird, bringing a curse upon the ship and its crew. The albatross then becomes a burden, and the mariner is forced to wear it around his neck as a reminder of his guilt and the consequences of his actions.

Overall, the albatross is an awe-inspiring and symbolic bird, representing freedom, wanderlust, and the delicate balance of nature. Its majestic presence and tragic association in literature continue to captivate the imagination of people worldwide.

MORE QUESTIONS:

12. Like part one, the second part also has a number of literary devices. List them out

in the same way as you had done in question number seven and explain them.

13. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

14. Find examples of the use of interesting sounds (Onomatopoeia) from the poem

and explain their effect on the reader

ANSWERS:

The list and the explanations of  the literary devices used in Part II of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner":

Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighbouring words.

Example: "Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down" - The repetition of the "d" sound emphasizes the sudden drop in the breeze and sails.

Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Example: "Water, water, every where" - The repetition of the "a" and "e" sounds creates a sense of abundance and emphasizes the presence of water.

Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or effect.

Example: "Water, water, every where" - The repetition of "water" emphasizes the dire condition of being surrounded by water but having none to drink.

Personification: Giving human attributes to non-human entities.

Example: "The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew" - The breeze and foam are personified, as if they are capable of blowing and flying like living beings.

Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as."

Example: "As idle as a painted ship/Upon a painted ocean" - The ship's stillness is compared to a painting, emphasizing its motionless state.

Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unrelated things without using "like" or "as."

Example: "The very deep did rot" - The rotting of the sea is metaphorically compared to decay or decomposition.

Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

Example: "And some in dreams assurèd were/Of the Spirit that plagued us so" - The thought flows across lines, creating a seamless connection between ideas.

Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts.

Example: The Albatross - Symbolizes various aspects like good luck, burden, guilt, and supernatural forces.

Imagery: Vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the senses.

Example: "The water, like a witch's oils, Burnt green, and blue, and white" - The description of the water's colors creates a visual and atmospheric image.

Allusion: A reference to another work of literature, person, or historical event.

Example: The reference to "Christ" in the line "Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs/Upon the slimy sea" - This alludes to biblical themes of suffering and punishment.

Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme of Part II of the poem is mostly ABABCC. Each stanza consists of six lines, and the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other (A), while the third, fourth, and sixth lines have a different rhyme (B). The poem maintains this consistent rhyme scheme throughout.

Examples of Onomatopoeia and their effects: Onomatopoeia is a use of words expressing sound. The use of onomatopoeia helps create a more immersive reading experience, as the reader can audibly imagine the described sounds, intensifying the emotional impact of the poem

"Hissed" - "The water, like a witch's oils, Burnt green, and blue, and white" - The word "hissed" imitates the sound of the water, enhancing the eerie and mysterious atmosphere of the scene.

"Rout" - "About, about, in reel and rout, The death-fires danced at night" - The word "rout" mimics the chaotic and tumultuous movement of the death-fires, adding to the sense of disarray and danger.