Draw the Significance of Death and Life-in-Death in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” 

Answer

Draw the significance of Death and Life-in-Death in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

In Coleridge’s (1772-1834) “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (1798), Death and Life-in-Death are two supernatural figures who appear on the Spectre Ship. They play a very important role in the poem because they decide the fate of the Mariner and his crew.

Death and Life-in-Death: When the Mariner and his crew are suffering from thirst and heat, a ghostly ship approaches. Onboard the ship are two supernatural figures; “Death” and “Life-in-Death”. Death is a dark, silent figure. The Life-in-Death is a ghostly woman with red lips, golden hair, and pale, diseased-looking skin. She is described as terrifying, like a nightmare. The mariner describes:

“The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she.”

Gamble and Significance: Death and Life-in-Death play a game of dice. They gamble to decide the Mariner’s fate. Life-in-Death wins the gamble. She says,

“The game is done! I’ve won! I’ve won!”

Life-in-Death wins the Mariner, meaning he is cursed to suffer a fate worse than death—he must live with guilt and pain forever. Death wins the crew, meaning all the Mariner’s shipmates suddenly fall down dead.

In the poem, Life-in-Death is portrayed as a more terrifying figure. It suggests that Death is quick and final, but Life-in-Death brings endless suffering. The Mariner does not get the relief of dying like his crew. Instead, he is forced to live, alone and haunted, until he learns his lesson. Life-in-Death’s victory also explains why the Mariner cannot die. He must wander the earth, telling his story, to relieve his pain.

To wrap up, Coleridge uses these two supernatural figures to make the poem dramatic and terrifying. Their gamble decides the Mariner’s fate to suffer endlessly.