(A Comparison of Symbolisms in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and The Raven)

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Recommended: Discuss the use of symbolism in the life of the ancient mariner

Symbolism is a powerful tool in literature. Throughout history, it has been used as a device to convey a deeper meaning. Writer Rukhsana Khan says this about it. “Symbolism deals with the background of a story. It’s the wallpaper on the walls where the characters are having their scene. It’s not something you immediately notice (or at least it shouldn’t be or it’s too obvious) but it’s definitely there making its presence felt.” The writer could simply write the point they were trying to make, but something about symbols just makes the intended message have more of an impact on the reader. Both Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Edgar Allen Poe knew this very well. And, they used symbolism very well. In fact, the albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and the raven in The Raven are two of the most recognized symbols in all of literature. What do they have in common that makes them that way? The uses of symbolism by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Edgar Allen Poe in The Raven will be compared for their method, meaning, and result.
Initially, I’ll compare The Rime of of the Ancient Mariner and The Raven for the method of their symbolism. In Mariner, the symbol is brought into play when the ship is on the open sea. An albatross eventually starts trailing the ship. While the albatross is there, everything is fine and dandy. When it isn’t there, not so much. “‘God save thee, ancient Mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus!- Why look’st thou so?’ ‘With my crossbow I shot the Albatross.’(Part 1 Lines 79-82)” What was the big deal of killing the albatross? Well, it was more than that. As Anna E. Gould states, he represented a greater figure. “The most apparent symbol, however, is the albatross’ repr...

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...’s theme. It can weave subtle shades of meaning into your writing, turning what began as a simple rug into a rich tapestry.” The albatross and the raven are what took their poems from ordinary to extraordinary. And, as a final note, I wouldn’t recommend messing with either one if you don’t want your life ruined.

Works Cited
Eshbaugh, Julie. ""The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"" Coleridge:. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Foll, Scott. ""The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"" Coleridge:. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Gioia, Dana. "On Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"" Essays by. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Gould, Anna E. "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Www.unc.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Khan, Rukhsana. "Article: Symbolism & Enriching Your Writing ~ RukhsanaKhan.com." Article: Symbolism & Enriching Your Writing ~ RukhsanaKhan.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

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