Character Analysis in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

None of the characters in this poem have specific names and are instead referred to either in relationship to what they do or what they are. The eponymous Ancient Mariner has a long, gray beard and is introduced with an air of mystery and a suggestion of the supernatural. His inexplicable decision to kill the albatross catalyzes the events of the story, which not only affect him but the crew he serves with on the ship.

Character Analysis Examples in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Seven Parts

"The self same moment I could pray..." See in text (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Seven Parts)

These last several stanzas mark a pivotal point in the Mariner’s story. Earlier, he despised the water-snakes as “slimy creatures,” but he now sees how truly beautiful they are, describing them in rich colors that have connotations of warmth, light, and hope. We can see how this passage marks a change in his attitude towards living creatures when he blesses the snakes and suddenly manages to pray. In a symbolic moment, the Albatross, a reminder of his sin and guilt, falls from his neck into the ocean.

Wesley, Owl Eyes Editor

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