Theme Of Biblical Allusion In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

In “The Rime of the Ancient mariner” the author, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, uses multiple literary elements and techniques to portray the meaning of the work to readers. A recurring central idea in Coleridge’s poem, a change in perspective aids the change of certain circumstances in an individual’s life, becomes known to readers through the use of allusion, conflict and setting. This ensures that readers fully grasp the experiences the mariner goes through on his journey.

Biblical allusions emerge throughout the poem that reference the cross, Jesus and Jesus’ disciples. The albatross, a sign of hope for those struggling, aids the mariner and his crew to sail safely and with ease. Similar to the intentions of Jesus, the albatross frees individuals

Although the albatross guides the crew safely through the sea, the mariner shoots it dead with a crossbow. This alludes to the way Jesus dies on the cross in order to allow abolition of the world 's sins. The allusion to the cross allows readers to again see the recurring allusion to Jesus and the biblical messages Coleridge presents. Another example of a biblical allusion in the poem includes Jesus’ disciples. Life and Life-In-Death play for souls of those of the ship and when Life-In-Death wins, she obtains the mariner and Death gets the souls of the crew. Death collects his prize and later on the crew begins to move and talk as if they are alive. Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost receive the gift of language. Therefore, the allusion Coleridge makes between the mariners’ crew and Jesus’ disciples displays how perspective relates to events that occur in the lives of individuals. The biblical allusions in “The Rime of the Ancient mariner” allow the mariner, as well as readers to realize the beauty of nature and everything surrounding it. The albatross allows for the realization that guidance and support come along and help in times of hardship that

The sea freezes and the ship along with the crew aboard cannot move. With this conflict in place, it allows for the albatross to arrive and save the crew. If one event does not occur the albatross would not have been able to come and unfreeze the sea with just his presence and everything after that would not have been able to happen. Another example of man versus nature conflict occurs when the drinkable water on the ship disappears and the crew has no way to obtain water to drink. There was no rain or other form of precipitation that the crew could collect. Due to the fact that water for the crew to drink is unavailable, they become weak and are unable to function. The mariner must bite his arm and drink his blood to rehydrate his mouth and inform the others that a ship is approaching. This shows the hardships the crew goes through on their journey and exactly what drastic measures occur in order to attempt to be rescued. Finally, when the slimy creatures came out of the slim filled sea the mariner and his crew deal with being around creatures they would normally not. Nothing happens to ensure their safety from the creatures or their overall safety. If these conflicts between the mariner, along with his crew, and nature did not exist readers would be unable to see exactly how perspective changes