Theme Of Punishment In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the Mariner recalled his story about unfortunate events he faced while at sea to a wedding guest. During the Mariner’s voyage, an Albatross guided him and his crew through a storm and brought them steady wind and good weather. The Mariner impulsively killed the Albatross, causing the Mariner to receive punishments for his cruelty. The punishments given to the Mariner was fitting for his crime because the pain of isolation and lifelong remembrance of his story, as a result of his actions, were justifiable consequences that helped him learn his lesson to respect God and nature at the end. First, the great isolation felt by the Mariner when he was stuck at sea by himself, was an …show more content…
At the end of the poem, the Mariner explained to the Wedding-Guest, “Since then, at an uncertain hour,/ That agony returns:/ And till my ghastly tale is told,/ This heart within me burns.” (Coleridge 578-581). The Mariner’s crime was so offensive to God and nature that the Mariner has to continually repay for his sins by telling his tale to strangers. In order for the Mariner to achieve salvation, it’s going to take a long time for him to be forgiven. His obscenity was so significant that he deserved a punishment that was severe and impactful, in which this lifelong remembrance accomplished. Given his punishments, the Mariner finally acknowledged that “All things both great and small;/ For the dear God who loveth us,/ He made and loveth all.” (Coleridge 611-613). The Mariner was able to learn his lesson and retell that to the Wedding-Guest. The consequence the Mariner had to face in recalling his story to relieve his agony, proved to be rightful in order for the Mariner to learn to appreciate God and nature. Overall, without the lifelong remembrance and his need to tell his story, the Mariner wouldn't have learned his lesson and pass it on to the Wedding-Guest. This consequence was to guide the Mariner to the message and make him realize that he cannot be easily forgiven. Because he was so uncivil to God and nature, he has to repay …show more content…
Due to the fact that this poem was written in the Romantic era, the story of the Mariner stressed the importance of nature. To Coleridge, nature was such a valuable thing that one cannot disrespect. Because the Mariner had done such a careless offense to God and nature, he was entitled to his punishments that were not extreme at all. The Mariner deserved to feel isolated. He deserved to have the lifelong debt of telling his story. These punishments sent to him from God were meant to teach him and his listeners the value of