The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1797-98 and published in 1798 in the first edition of Lyrical Ballads. It is written in a ballad form and tells the story of a mariner who has returned from a long sea voyage. The mariner stops a man who is on his way to a wedding ceremony and begins to narrate a story. The mariner tells the man that he and his crew had been at sea for many days and were caught in a storm. The storm was so powerful that it killed all of the crew except for the mariner. The mariner was then cursed by a spirit to wander the seas for eternity, telling his story to anyone who would listen. The mariner then tells the man of his journey, which includes encounters with strange creatures, a ship full of dead sailors, and a ghostly figure. He also tells of his eventual redemption, when he is able to pray for forgiveness and is released from his curse. The poem is an exploration of the themes of sin, guilt, and redemption. It is also a meditation on the power of nature and the consequences of human actions.
By Samuel Taylor Coleridge · First published 1797 · Genre: Romantic Poetry, Fantasy, Adventure · 7 chapters