The Rime of the Ancient Mariner — Key Terms (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, symbols, imagery, and themes from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner as discussed in Week 2.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

A narrative ballad by Samuel Taylor Coleridge about a mariner who tells a haunted tale of sin, punishment, and redemption to a wedding guest.

Narrative ballad

A poem that tells a dramatic story, often with a simple rhyme scheme and a narrator who relates the plot.

Ancient Mariner

The seafaring protagonist who commits a sin (killing the albatross) and undergoes punishment and redemption.

Wedding Guest

The listener to the Mariner's tale, representing humanity's capacity for reflection and moral learning.

Albatross

A seabird that initially brings good luck and guidance to the crew, later symbolizing guilt after being killed.

Death and Life-in-Death

Spectral figures aboard the ship who gamble for sailors' souls; Death takes lives while Life-in-Death condemns the Mariner.

Punishment

The consequences of the Mariner's act, including blame from the crew, the ship's curse, and haunting isolation.

Redemption

Spiritual cleansing the Mariner experiences when he blesses sea creatures and prays.

Penance

The obligation for the Mariner to wander the earth and retell his tale as a warning.

Supernatural

Ghost ships, curses, and spirits that haunt the voyage and reinforce the moral lesson.

Visual imagery

Imagery that appeals to sight, e.g., 'Water, water, everywhere' to express paradox and torment.

Auditory imagery

Imagery that appeals to sound, e.g., eerie winds and the ship's movement creating a haunting soundscape.

Symbolism — Albatross

The bird symbolizes innocence and God's creation; its killing marks a fall from grace and later guilt.

Symbolism — Wedding Guest

Represents humanity and the audience; the guest is moved by the tale and changes.

Theme — Respect for nature

The idea that harming any creature disturbs the world's balance and moral order.

Theme — Sin, Punishment, and Redemption

The cycle of guilt, consequences, and spiritual cleansing in the Mariner's story.

Theme — Isolation and storytelling

The Mariner's penance is to endure isolation and retell his trauma to warn others.

Theme — The Supernatural

The role of ghosts, curses, and spirits in conveying moral weight.