In the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge uses religious allusions and descriptive imagery to elicit his message that after sin, man’s path of redemption is dependent on a higher power.
In the poem, Coleridge evokes a powerful message about the strength of religious figures regarding mortal redemption through many theological allusions. One of the largest religious allusions was through the use of the Albatross many times within the poem. First, the albatross was a symbol of joy, positivity and a “Christian soul…hailed…in God’s name” (Coleridge 2). But after the Mariner killed the bird with his cross-bow, the Albatross became a symbol of God’s rage towards man’s blunder, becoming a message, where “instead of the cross, the Albatross about my neck was hung” (Coleridge 3). Because this allusion acts first as natures beauty and then of religious revenge out of anger for it’s death, the Albatross greatly assists in the transitioning of the story as well as a consistent force the characterizes the Mariner. Through the use of the Albatross, the reader experiences the change within the Mariner as the story progresses and suffering for his sin becomes inevitable, Coleridge emphasizes his message that sin is unforgivable to a higher power and redemption is an uphill battle. Therefore, through his use of theological allusions, Coleridge creates his ultimate message that sin as a result for wrongful actions create suffering as the path for redemption is difficult due to the influences of a higher power.
Coleridge’s use of pictorial imagery ultimately forges his message that redemption after sin is defenseless to the wishes of a higher power. Throughout the poem, Coleridge uses vivid detail in describing every piece of the settling, characters and plot. His description with emphasizing the Mariner’s “glittering eye” first to describe the hold the old man had on the Wedding-Guest, to then construing the importance behind the eye plays an important role in developing his message (Coleridge 1). This repetitive imagery creates a sense of history to the poem, showing that sin, much like the taking of an innocent life, is necessary of punishment that can last an eternity. This use of imagery also evokes the sense of betrayal felt, highlighting the religious themes in the poem as the Albatross is betrayed by a companion, much like Jesus was by Brutus in the Christian religion. Following the use of imagery, Coleridge’s description of the ship as a sturdy vessel “with sloping masts and dipping bow” able to withstand the storm that drove the ship southward, creating a sense of honor and dignity within not only the ship, but it’s crew. By the end of the poem, this portrayal is sharply contrasted as “the ship went down like lead”, defeated by the severity of revenge and punishment from a higher power (Coleridge 8). Therefore, the use of imagery creates Coleridge’s message that the path to redemption after sin cannot be protected from the wrath of a higher power.
Throughout the poem, Coleridge creates many messages, some religious and some not, dependent on the reader. But ultimately, the use of religious allusions and descriptive imagery elicits his message that after sin, man’s path of redemption is dependent on a higher power.
