Write a Short Note on Supernaturalism.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a notable literary work by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Answer
Write a short note on Supernaturalism.
Supernaturalism means the presence of mysterious, magical, or unexplainable events in a story. It includes ghosts, spirits, curses, and unnatural happenings that go beyond human understanding. Many Romantic poets, including S. T. Coleridge (1772-1834), used supernatural elements in their poetry to create mystery, fear, and wonder.
In Coleridge’s seminal work “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (1798), supernaturalism plays a very big role. The poem is full of strange and eerie events. The supernatural elements make the poem exciting and mysterious. Supernaturalism is everywhere in the poem. The Albatross can be seen as a supernatural bird. After killing the bird, the Mariner is cursed and must suffer endless pain. A ghostly ship appears in the middle of the sea, even though there is no wind or waves. Death and Life-in-Death, two supernatural figures, are the crew of this ship. 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.”
They play dice for the Mariner’s soul. Life-in-Death wins, which means he must suffer instead of dying. Again, when the Mariner’s suffering begins to end, the dead sailors come back to life. They all rise—
“It had been strange, even in a dream,
To have seen those dead men rise.”
Their bodies are controlled by spirits and they drive the ship. The fact that this ancient Mariner cannot die is also supernatural. He is burdened to wander the earth and tell his story again and again.
Coleridge uses supernaturalism to make the poem more thrilling and meaningful. The supernatural events teach a moral lesson—love all creatures of God, no matter how great or small/slimy. The mix of real and unreal in the poem keeps readers engaged and makes the story feel powerful and magical.