The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Themes – Meaning and Main Ideas

Main Themes in the Ancient Mariner

This poem has two settings, being that it’s a loose frame narrative. The poem opens up outside of a wedding hall, as the Ancient Mariner detains a young wedding guest to relate his tales. The Mariner’s stories take place at sea, going from a peaceful and familiar harbor to an icy foreign land to the windless doldrums. Every now and then, the poem will jump back to the present, in which the Mariner recalls his experience to his reluctant but transfixed audience.

This poem has several notable motifs that speak to the nature of Romantic poetry as a whole as well as the overall thematic elements. The motif of conversation helps to contextualize the frame narrative. Since the Mariner is verbally relating his story, the entire poem feels like an oddly intellectualized/philosophized conversation. This helps to enhance the personal feel of the events. Prayer and delight over the natural world are other motifs that speak to tradition within the Romantic genre of poetry. The idea that man exists as a part of a beautiful natural design created by God is part of what makes up this genre and it would be hard to find one such poem that did not touch on this in some way.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Themes

What are the major themes in the Ancient Mariner?

  • The Power of Imagination
  • The Relationships Between Concepts of Piety, Philosophy, and the Arts
  • Natures Contributions to Individuality

Major Themes in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

albatross poem

The Power of Imagination

rhyme scheme of the rime of the ancient marinerIt is clear that Coleridge saw imagination as a powerful tool for connecting to nature’s glory. In this poem, it is clear that imagination can be used to overcome challenging situations.

In this case, the Mariner must learn to see things outside of reality before he can be free of his curse. What he knows in reality must be reframed in his mind and in his heart before he can find redemption.

The Relationships Between Concepts of Piety, Philosophy, and the Arts

The unusual aspect about The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is that the language is strangely archaic for its time and it hints at deep and dark philosophical ideas that are not generally explored in Romantic poetry.

Coleridge links the idea of God and spirituality to the natural world, but also highlights a clash between philosophy, art, and piety. For example, the poem highlights Coleridge’s belief that intellectualism can elevate one out of undesirable circumstances, rather than simply rely on God’s good will.

The Ancient Mariner finds himself in a place struggling to accept God and beauty while maintaining intellectual and philosophical truths. He winds up realizing that to do this, he needs to allow his heart to open to natural beauty. 

Natures Contributions to Individuality

theme of ancient marinerAn overarching idea found in this poem is that nature can enhance one’s sense of individuality. The beauty, imagination, joy, and wonder that are contained in nature can help one understand these things in oneself as well.

To understand nature is to understand the self. When the Mariner puts himself at odds with nature by killing the Albatross and cursing the sea creatures around him, he only makes his curse more deeply terrifying. However, when he is able to accept that there is room in his heart to appreciate the natural joys in the world, he is able to find freedom from his curse.

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