FREE ESSAY ON BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM IN RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER

BIBLICAL SYMBOLISM IN RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER

Biblical Symbolism in "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written in 1797, has been
widely discussed throughout literary history. Although critics have come up with many
different interpretations of this poem, one idea that has remained prevalent throughout
these discussions is the apparent religious symbolism present throughout this poem. The
Ancient Mariner contains natural, gothic, and biblical symbolism; however, the religious
and natural symbolism, which coincide with one another, play the most important roles in
this poem (Piper 43). It is apocalyptic and natural symbolism that dominates the core of
this poem (43). The biblical symbolism found in this poem mainly reflects the apocalypse,
as it deals with the Mariner's revelation that good will triumph over evil, and his
acceptance of all nature as God's creation. 
It is impossible to believe that Coleridge was not thinking of the mysterious wind that
blows on the Mariner, without any awareness of the wind as a Biblical symbol of the Holy
Spirit. Coleridge could also not associate the murder of the albatross with the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The reader is told that the Polar Spirit "loved the bird
that loved the man who shot him with his bow." It is doubtful that someone with
Coleridge's Christian background and faith could fail to see here an analogy with God who
loved his son who loved the men that killed him (Gardner 169). Another example of
symbolism is the fact that the albatross is hung around the Mariner's neck like a
crucifix. Event the "cross" in "cross-bow" hints at the murder of Jesus, which logically
paces the albatross as a symbol for Christ (180). It is thought that Coleridge
deliberately created these symbols and images with Christian meaning in mind. 
The apocalypse is heavily reflected upon throughout this poem as Coleridge combined the
vivid colors, the ocean, and the death fires of "The Ancient Mariner" with the terror and
desolation of the days of wrath in the apocalypse (Piper 48). The section of the poem
after the Mariner kills the Albatross is a description of the emptiness and desolation
that the Mariners experience, and the curse that is over the ship (103-127). This section
of the poem has tremendous correspondence to the apocalyptic story. The language and form
in this part of the poem represent the images and words, which have traditionally
described the wrath of God and the guilt of man in Christian terms. Its is at this point
in the poem that the Mariner feels guilty for having killed the Albatross and for the
deaths of his shipmates. However, it is directly after this description that the Mariner
observes the beauty of the water snakes and forms a respect for the presence of God in
nature. In this poem Coleridge uses the wrath and guilt of the apocalypse, but adds his
own ideas of divine love and conversion, which lead to paradise. Even thought the Mariner
must continue with his penance, he is free of God's wrath and is able to appreciate and
love all of nature as God's creation.
Throughout this poem there are many examples of biblical symbolism in nature. Coleridge
uses different elements of nature, such as the sea, as symbols of religious thought or
beliefs. The sea is where the decisive events, the moments of eternal choice, temptation,
and redemption occur (Piper 49). While at sea, the Mariner makes the eternal choice to
kill the Albatross. This choice is eternal because once the Mariner has committed the act
of murder, there is nothing that he can do to change it. As a result of the Mariner's
decision, a curse falls over the ship and the Mariner is sentenced to eternal penance.
The eternal penance that he must serve is a reminder to the Mariner of the choice that he
made. However, even after the death of his soul, the Mariner experiences redemption when
he recognizes and learns to love all God's creations.
It is a known fact that Coleridge's thoughts and feelings where rarely affected by his
beliefs, especially the apocalypse. The apocalyptic story deals with God's freeing the
soul of man from the pains of sin and death, and lifting it into paradise. After the
Mariner kills the albatross, he feels as if he is under some sort of curse (Harding 146).
However, the Mariner goes through as conversion, which thus releases his soul from the
pains of sin and death so that he can once again obtain happiness. There are two
essential steps in the conversion process. The first step occurs when imaginative powers
mythological appearances of nature so that the slightest willful act appears to bring
down a terrible vengeance. The willful act that the Mariner partakes in is the killing of
the Albatross, and the terrible vengeance that occurs because as a result of this action
is the cures that is cast over the ship. The second part of this conversion process takes
place at the greatest moment of hopelessness. At this point, the presence of divine love
within humankind appears and emphasizes the appearance of the natural world (48).
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is not a direct religious sermon, but there are many
strong references to the Christian religion throughout the poem, which stem from
Coleridge's own religious beliefs. Although Coleridge did not take the religious images
in this poem directly from the Bible, though much of his inspiration for the poem seemed
to be based on religious ideas, especially that of the Apocalypse. Coleridge integrates
natural symbols, which are associated with the religious symbols, in to this poem in
order to further emphasize his belief that God is present everywhere in nature, and that
one can sent into this state of paradise when this love for God is discovered. By using
imagery from the apocalypse and religious symbolism in nature, Coleridge created an
incredible poem which expresses how the realization of divine love within oneself has the
power to heal pain and suffering.
Works Cited
Gardner, Martlin. The annotated Ancient Mariner. New York: 1965, 1-33,169-190.
Harding, Anthony John. Coleridge and the Inspired Word. Mcgill-Queens University Press:
1985. 48, 146.
Piper, H.W. The singing of Mount Abora: Coleridge's Use of Biblical Imagery and Natual
Aymbolism in Poetry and Philosophy. Associated University Press: 1976. 43-48, 103-127.