"Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines biblical imagery in Samuel Taylor Coleridge?s ?Rime of the Ancient Mariner? and the way in which Coleridge?s use of traditionally negative Christian imagery advocates a post Enlightenment renewal of religion through nature. Although his use of imagery and language is quite opposite to the advice given to poets by Wordsworth in the second edition of Lyrical Ballads, Coleridge accomplished many of the goals Wordsworth sets by emphasizing the importance of natural symbols in the spirituality of the mariner. This paper makes use of quotes by Wordsworth, Coleridge (from ?Rime of the Ancient Mariner?), and the Bible.

From the Paper:

"Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere," which begins the second volume of Lyrical Ballads, falls short of Wordsworth's appeal for simple imagery and language, but it is through the complexity of its imagery and language that the spiritual transformation that Wordsworth appealed to is expressed. By using biblical imagery early in the poem, and later using imagery that positively violates traditional Christian positive imagery in favor of imagery that valorizes nature, Coleridge iterates that spiritual change of Christianity to the new relationship between humankind and nature."

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