How Does Coleridge Mingle Natural And Supernatural in the Poem ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’?

Answer

How does Coleridge mingle natural and supernatural in the poem ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s (1772-1834) poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (1798) is a remarkable romantic literary text. It flawlessly combines natural and supernatural elements. Coleridge obscures the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary through vivid imagery, symbolic representations, and the Mariner’s evocative story. In studying the natural and supernatural blending, we can identify several key factors within the poem.

Setting: Coleridge displays the Mariner’s ship in the ocean to develop the poem’s natural setting. The natural illustrations of the sea and the weather are a background for the unfolding supernatural events. The ordinary encounter between the Mariner and the wedding guest on the sea indicates the starting point for the Mariner’s supernatural tale. 

The Albatross: The albatross bird introduces supernaturalism in the natural world. The appearance of the bird occurs naturally. However, it surpasses the ordinary introduction. When the Mariner shoots the albatross, the supernatural outcome is clear. It is evident in the following lines. 

At length did cross an Albatross,

Thorough the fog it came;

As if it had been a Christian soul,

We hailed it in God’s name.

Death of the Two Hundred Sailors: How two hundred seamen died is likewise miraculous. Two hundred sailors die one by one so rapidly that they cannot scream or cry. As each sailor kills sin, his soul passes by the old sailor like a crossbow’s shot.

Punishment and Redemption: After killing the albatross, the Mariner gets punished. This punishment introduces supernatural elements into his experience. The unearthly suffering he takes reflects a supernatural dimension. The comparison of natural and supernatural is apparent in the Mariner’s narrative of his suffering:

And I had done a hellish thing,

And it would work ’em woe;

For all averred, I had killed the bird

That made the breeze to blow.

Water Snakes: The universal theme of the poem is related to the tiny water snakes. During their sailing through suspensions, the water snakes appear to them. These little creatures familiarise a surreal and supernatural element. Coleridge incorporates together the natural fear of the sailors and the supernatural existence of the serpents:

The Hermit and the Pilot: The Mariner meets a Hermit and a Pilot. They symbolize the natural world’s reaction to supernatural events. The Hermit’s prayer and the Pilot’s reaction to the Mariner’s appearance underline the tension between the ordinary and the supernatural. The Hermit’s role and the Pilot’s astonishment highlight the interchange of natural and supernatural elements.

The Specter-Woman and her Death Crew: The presence of Death and the Nightmare Life-in-Death is one of the most striking supernatural occurrences. Their dice game to snatch the crew members’ souls highlights the supernatural results of the Mariner’s activities. This is described shortly in the following quotation. 

The Nightmare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she,

Who thicks man’s blood with cold.

This supernatural involvement in the fate of the sailors strengthens the poem’s unnatural themes.

In Conclusion, the poet expertly interweaves the natural and supernatural to create an evocative story. The poem contains the relation between ordinary and extraordinary through vivid imagery, symbolic elements, and the Mariner’s harrowing journey. The mingling of these elements captivates the readers and bears the theme of the potential outcome of human actions. Coleridge’s skillful use of language and imagery makes “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” an everlasting exploration of the mystical and the mundane.