Topic > Ethics in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Cherishing Life

IndexIntroductionMorality in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: summaryConclusionIntroductionAnna Barbauld may have believed that The Rime of the Ancient Mariner had no morals, but Coleridge is right when he insists that “ poetry had too much.” The moral of his ballad is to appreciate all forms of life. To develop this theme, Coleridge uses imagery and symbolism to create an implicit partnership between Life-in-Death and the Moon. The purpose of their partnership is simple; both serve to punish the sailor for his crime. Ultimately, their goal is to teach him a lesson he will never forget. To understand how they achieve this, one must first examine how the Moon sets the premise of the chart. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Moral in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: SummaryWhen the Moon is first seen, the Albatross is still alive and the Mariner observes: "While all night, through the white fog-smoke / Shined the white moonlight.” Even with the mist and fog, the images here are pleasant. Glimmered has a positive connotation that implies beauty, while white is a pure color that often represents innocence that in this scene the sailor and his crew have the blessing of the Moon because they welcome the bird with hospitality Although it seems that the Moon is not involved in any way, it becomes clear that it is when there is a change in the visual language . Once the Mariner shoots the Albatross, the pleasant images become ominous to reveal the Moon's disapproval of the Mariner's actions. Now, the Mariner notes, “The fires of death danced in the night; / The water, like oils Of witch, / Burnt green, blue and white” (128-130). Although the Moon is not directly mentioned, common knowledge dictates that the Moon typically appears at night and the Sailor must have a light source to see it. It grants the deadly fires, which sailors of this period believed to be a sign of disaster. Instead of glowing, the water burned, a word that uses the image of fire to create a sense of pain. Additionally, the word oil describes water as greasy and foul. The images of this scene are crucial because they highlight the differences between when Albatros was alive and when he was killed. This can also be inferred from the additional information on the side which states: "And the Albatross begins to be avenged." At this point it is known that Moon is not happy because the sailor shot the albatross, but why she cares for the bird is still unknown. When Life in Death is introduced, the motif is revealed and the central theme progresses. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner helps implement the cycle of punishment with the murder of the albatross and how he must pay for his actions. The poem itself is a story of retribution, as the Ancient Mariner spends much of the poem paying for his one, impulsive mistake of killing the Albatross. The spirit world avenges the death of the Albatross by wreaking physical and psychological havoc on the Ancient Mariner and his shipmates. Even before the sailors die, their punishment is extensive; they become delirious due to a debilitating state of thirst, their lips turn black in the sun, and they must endure the torment of seeing water all around them while being unable to drink it due to its saltiness. Thus detesting the statement that crimes are not important but criminals are. Although Life-in-Death and the Moon do not interact directly, their subtle collaboration is depicted with the juxtaposition of beauty and terror. The beauty of.