Summary
Lines: 1-20
In the poem's first line, we meet the main character, an Ancient Mariner. He stops one of three people who are on their way to a wedding celebration. The wedding guest tries to resist being stopped by the strange old man but he is held by his captivating eyes. He explains that he is on his way to the wedding place and that he is a close relative of the groom, and the festivities have already begun. Still, the Ancient Mariner takes his hand and begins his story. Although the guest is reluctant, he is mesmerized by the old man. The Wedding Guest has no choice but to sit down on a rock to listen.
Lines: 21-40
The Ancient Mariner explains that one clear and bright day, he set sail on a ship full of sailors. The sailors were all in a happy mood. The ship sailed by the lighthouse and then sailed further. The sun came from the sea and it was shining brightly. They sailed along smoothly until they reached the equator. Suddenly, the sounds of the wedding interrupt the Ancient Mariner's story. The Wedding Guest beats his chest impatiently as the blushing bride enters the reception hall and music plays. However, he is compelled to continue listening to the Ancient Mariner, who goes on with his tale. The Ancient Mariner seems to have hypnotized the sailor. As soon as the ship reached the equator, a terrible storm hit and forced the ship southwards. The wind blew with such force that the ship pitched down in the surf as though it were fleeing an enemy.
Lines: 41-62
He says that as soon as the ship reached the equator, a terrible storm hit and forced the ship southwards. The wind blew with such force that the ship was forced move in the southwards direction. The storm was chasing the ship like a strong enemy. It was like a hunter chasing its prey. Then the sailors reached a part of the sea that was "wondrous cold", full of snow and glistening green icebergs as tall as the ship's mast. It was the land of mist and snow. Huge icebergs surrounded the sea. The snow cliffs provided a sad shine and the mariners were stuck in the sea. There was no place to steer the ship. There was no life around. The ice cracked, growled and howled and it held the ship at one place.
Lines: 63-82
Finally, an Albatross emerged from the land of mist, and the sailors considered it to be the sign of good luck as it gave an indication that there was some life around. They hailed it in the name of Christ and considered it to be a bird of good omen. The sailors fed the albatross and played with it. The Albatross also hovered around the ship. With the arrival of the albatross, a good South Wind started to blow and the ice cracked making way for the ship. The mariner after this becomes hysterical and the wedding guest is dead terrified on seeing his pale face. Then, the mariner tells the wedding guest that he took his cross bow and killed the Albatross.
Lines: 83-102
The ship started moving forward. The sun shone during the day and the wind also blew in the right direction but there was mist all around. The other sailors were angry with the Ancient Mariner for killing the innocent Albatross, which according to them was the Holy Spirit sent by the Christ to save them. It was a bird of good omen. Then the mist disappeared and the sun shone particularly brightly. On seeing the weather changing, the sailors also change their opinion. They were fickle-minded people and they said that the Mariner did a good job by killing the Albatross as it had brought the mist.
Lines: 103-122
The ship sailed along merrily as the favourable winds were blowing but soon the winds died down and they were in the part of the sea where there was nothing all around. They were stranded in the middle of the sea. There was no wind at all and the sails dropped and the water was calm and the ship could not move, and sat "As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean." Then the sun became unbearably hot just as the sailors ran out of water. They were dying of thirst though they were surrounded by water from all sides. Even the boards of the ship began to shrink because of the heat.
Lines: 123-142
The ocean became a horrifying place; the water was covered with "slimy" creatures at night. The water at night seemed to changed color because of so many slimy creatures which appeared on the water at night. Some of the sailors dreamed that the spirit had followed them from the icy world, and they all suffered from a thirst so terrible that they could not speak. The sailors blamed the Ancient Mariner for their woes and the put the blame on him alone and as a constant reminder to the wrong he had done, the sailors hung the Albatross' dead carcass around the neck.
Outcome
The Mariner had to repent his evil deeds and ultimately he had to tell his woeful story to everyone whom he met. He had to roam around with a dead Albatross hanging around his neck as a symbol of his ill deed.
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