Rime of Ancient Mariner Text

The Lake Poets
Focus and Motivate The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Essential Course
of Study
RL 3 Analyze the impact of the
Poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge ecos
authors choices regarding how
to develop and relate elements VIDEO TRAILER KEYWORD: HML12-812A
of a story. RL 5 Analyze how an
authors choices concerning how
to structure specific parts of a text
contribute to its overall structure
Meet the Author
RL 3 Analyze the impact of the authors choices and meaning as well as its
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

aesthetic impact. L 4 Determine
regarding how to develop and relate elements or clarify the meaning of multiple- 17721834
of a story. RL 5 Analyze how an authors choices meaning words and phrases,
choosing flexibly from a range Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous for Robert Southey, and together they dreamed
concerning how to structure specific parts of a text of strategies.
composing Kubla Khan and The Rime about establishing a utopian community
contribute to its overall structure and meaning
of the Ancient Mariner, considered two in the Pennsylvania wilderness of America.
as well as its aesthetic impact. L 4 Determine or
of the greatest English poems. As a critic Southey, however, backed out of the
clarify the meaning of multiple-meaning words and did you know? and philosopher, he may have done more project, and their dream was never realized.
phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. Samuel Taylor Coleridge . . .
than any other writer to spread the ideas
developed a fascination Dream Poem In 1795, Coleridge
of the English romantic movement.
with the supernatural developed a close friendship with the
about the poet at age five. Precocious Reader The youngest of poet William Wordsworth. Inspired
was known as a ten children, Coleridge grew up feeling by the encouragement and intellectual
After students have read about Coleridge, brilliant and captivating rejected by his distant mother and stimulation he received from Wordsworth,
explain that besides the literary theory conversationalist. bullied by his older brother Frank. These Coleridge entered his most creative
included in his Biographia Literaria (1817), the was the most influential early experiences gave rise to feelings of period. Over the next few years, he
literary critic of his day. insecurity and loneliness that plagued produced a series of extraordinary poems,
poet left few written records of his critical and Coleridge throughout life. Despite his four of which appeared along with
liked to write poetry
philosophical work. Instead, he spread the while walking. self-doubt, Coleridge was an exceptional poems by Wordsworth in Lyrical Ballads
ideas of English romanticism through lectures student who impressed classmates with (1798). Coleridge said that when they
and gatherings that contemporaries recorded. his eloquence, his knowledge of classical had planned this landmark collection,
In later years, Coleridge drew many intellec- languages, and his flair for writing poetry. it was agreed that my endeavors should
be directed to persons and characters
tuals to his Thursday gatherings in Londons Restless Youth At Cambridge University,
supernatural, or at least romantic. . . .
Highgate area. Coleridge continued to read widely and
hone his craft. Troubled by debt, though, Lyrical Ballads opens with The Rime
he left Cambridge in 179317 and enlisted of the Ancient Mariner. Coleridge got
notable quote Dragoons, a British army
in the 15th Dragoon
regiment, under thet alias Silas
the idea for the poem from a friend who
had dreamed about a skeleton ship. Before
No man was ever yet a great poet, without Tomkyn Comberbache.
Comb After being composing it, Coleridge discussed the
being at the same time a profound philoso- rescued by his brothers, Coleridge poem extensively with Wordsworth, who
returned to Cambridge,
C but he contributed several plot ideas and even a few
pher. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
left again, in 1794, without lines of verse.
Have students read the quote by Samuel having earned
earn a degree. That
Taylor Coleridge and discuss whether they year, Coleridge
Coleri met the author
Author Online
agree with his observation. Students may Go to thinkcentral.com. KEYWORD: HML12-812B
feel that poetry often includes philosophical
insights but can also achieve greatness
through its music, imagery, or emotion.
812
Selection Resources
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See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.
Video Trailer
RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 4 BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT TECHNOLOGY
Go to thinkcentral.com to preview
Plan and Teach, pp. 7582, Plot Diagram, p. D10 Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM
the Video Trailer introducing this
105112 Cause-and-Effect Chain, pp. Student One Stop DVD-ROM selection. Other features that support
Summary, pp. 8384* B16, B39 PowerNotes DVD-ROM the selection include
Text Analysis and Reading Three-Column Journal, p. B10 Audio Anthology CD PowerNotes presentation
Skill, pp. 8588, 113116* Comparison Matrix, p. A24 ExamView Test Generator ThinkAloud models to enhance
DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION Two-Column Chart, p. A25 on the Teacher One Stop comprehension
TESTS INTERACTIVE READER WordSharp vocabulary tutorials
Selection Tests, pp. 233236, ADAPTED INTERACTIVE READER interactive writing and grammar
241244 instruction
ELL ADAPTED INTERACTIVE READER
* Resources for Differentiation Also in Spanish In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese
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poetic form: literary ballad Teach
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a celebrated literary
ballad, or narrative poem written in deliberate imitation of
the traditional folk ballad (see page 217). Like older ballads,
How can
Coleridges masterpiece features sensational subject matter
the perilous journey of an old sailor. It also contains other guilt How can GUILT enslave us?
Read the question and the paragraph; then
conventional elements: dialogue, repetition of words and
phrases, and strong patterns of rhyme and rhythm. However, enslave us? have students consider what causes people to
feel guilty. Urge them to carry their responses
there are aspects of the poem that reflect Coleridges own
romantic writing style: his emphasis on the supernatural,
The famous expression like an albatross into the QUICKWRITE. Invite volunteers to
around my neck stems from Coleridges share ideas about the impact of guilt.
his sophisticated use of sound devices, and his use of archaic
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It is
language. For example, notice his description of a mysterious
often used to describe feelings of guilt
ghost ship:
that weigh heavily on a person. Have
A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! you ever felt burdened by guilt? POETIC FORM
And still it neared and neared: RL 5
QUICKWRITE Think about a time when Model the Skill:
As if it dodged a water-sprite,
you felt ashamed about something
It plunged, and tacked and veered.
you had done. For example, maybe you
literary ballad
As you read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, observe how lost your brothers favorite CD or forgot Write these lines on the board:
Coleridge reworks the traditional ballad form and creates a your best friends birthday. How did
poem of rare beauty and complexity. Young Annie fought the dragon fierce,
guilt affect you? Write a paragraph to
describe the situation. She fought with all her might.
reading strategy: reading narrative poetry Ill slay that poison-breathing beast
Like all ballads, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a narrative That turns our town to night.
poema poem that tells a story. It has many of the basic Point out the ballads strong patterns of
elements of a prose story: setting, characters, point of view, plot,
rhyme and rhythm and explain that a
conflict, and theme. As you read the poem, use a chart like the
one shown to take notes about each of these elements. Focus typical ballad stanza has four lines and
on the main story, not on the frame story. Additionally, use the a rhyme scheme of abab or aabb. The
red marginal notes, which were written by Coleridge, rhythm reflects alternating lines of iambic
to help you clarify plot developments. tetrameter (four beats to a line) and iambic
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner trimeter (three beats to a line).
Setting ( Time/Place): GUIDED PRACTICE Have students identify
Characters:
other qualities of the ballad form in the
stanza, such as repetition and dialogue.
Point of View:
Plot and Major Conflict:
Theme:
R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y
RL 3
Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook. Model the Skill: reading
narrative poetry
Use the stanza from the Text Analysis activi-
ty to model how to identify the elements of
narrative poetry. Point out that the stanza
the rime of the ancient mariner 813
features characters, including Annie and the
dragon, and a plot that focuses on Annies
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conflict with the dragon. It is told by a nar-
differentiated instruction rator using a third-person point of view, and
it has a setting in Annies town. Its theme
for english language learners at line 21. Explain that in the frame story seems to be about good versus evil and the
Reading: Background Emphasize that the a third-person narrator tells of an ancient ability of a young woman to show courage
main purpose of a narrative poem is to tell mariner who stops a wedding guest to share a and strength.
a story. Then clarify that the important story. The main story, which the mariner then
GUIDED PRACTICE Have students identify
story in this poem appears inside a frame recounts, is told in the first person.
the characteristics of a narrative poem
story. A frame story sets a context in which
found in a popular song.
a character in one situation recounts a story,
often in flashback to another time or place.
RESOURCE MANAGERCopy Master
Point out that the first break between the
Analyze Structure p. 87
frame story and the main narrative occurs

Practice and Apply
summary
In this narrative poem, a mariner approaches
a wedding guest and tells the story of his T h e R i m e of t h e
journey at sea. As a storm drew his ship
toward the South Pole, the mariner inexplicably
shot an albatross that visited the crew. As a
A ncient Ma riner
result, a curse fell on the ship, and the mariner Samuel Taylor Coleridge
was forced to wear the bird around his neck.
After a skeleton ship appeared, the crew of the
mariners ship died, and he was left alone. When
he blessed the beauty of some water-snakes, the Argument
How a Ship, having first sailed to the Equator, was driven by storms to
albatross fell from his neck and supernatural be- the cold Country towards the South Pole; how the Ancient Mariner cruelly
and in contempt of the laws of hospitality killed a Seabird and how he was
ings brought the mariner home. As penance, he
followed by many strange Judgments; and in what manner he came back
is doomed to wander the earth and tell his tale. to his own Country.
read with a purpose Part I

It is an ancient Mariner, An ancient Mariner meeteth three
Help students set a purpose for reading. Ex- Gallants bidden to a wedding feast,
And he stoppeth one of three.
plain that the mariner tells his tale to teach By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
and detaineth one.
others an important lesson. Have students Now wherefore stoppst thou me? 4 wherefore: why.
consider whether the mariners tale is effective.
5 The Bridegrooms doors are opened wide,
background And I am next of kin;
Coleridges Notes Coleridge wrote the Argu- The guests are met, the feast is set:
Mayst hear the merry din. a a LITERARY BALLAD
ment and the italicized red marginal notes. Based on lines 58, identify the
The Argument appeared in the first edition of He holds him with his skinny hand, length and rhyme scheme of a
traditional ballad stanza.
the poem, while Coleridge added the marginal 10 There was a ship, quoth he.
notes in a later edition. These notes offer Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!
readers guidance in understanding the poem. Eftsoons his hand dropped he. 12 eftsoons: quickly.
Significance of the Title Explain that the title of He holds him with his glittering eye The Wedding-Guest is spellbound by
the poem shows Coleridges facility and interest in The Wedding-Guest stood still, the eye of the old seafaring man, and
constrained to hear his tale.
archaic and exotic language. Point out the use of 15 And listens like a three years child:
the archaic word rime in the title, and explain that The Mariner hath his will.
it means both rhyme and frost. Elicit from stu-
The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone:
dents that rime refers to the convention of rhyme, Analyze Visuals
He cannot choose but hear; Describe the mood conveyed
which the poem shares with older ballads; it also
And thus spake on that ancient man, by this engraving. What details
suggests the frosty coldness of the South Pole, an 20 The bright-eyed Mariner. contribute to this mood?
important setting in the ballad. As students read
the ballad, point out that Coleridge uses archaic
814 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism Engravings by Gustave F. Dor.
language to create the impression that the poem
came from an earlier period.
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differentiated instruction
POETIC FORM
RL 5 for english language learners for struggling readers
a literary ballad Language: Pronoun Referents Direct students The Audio Anthology CD provides extra
Answer: A traditional ballad stanza is four to the pronouns he and him in line 9. support for students with reading difficulties.
lines long, with a rhyme scheme of abcb. Explain that in this case these pronouns dont It is also recommended for use with English
IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Review the refer to the same character. Have students use language learners.
instruction about literary ballads on clues, including lines of dialogue, to identify Options for Reading: Oral Reading Direct
page 813. which man is he (the Mariner) and which is students to lines 103122, which include some
him (the guest). Encourage students to keep of the most famous lines in the poem. Have
Extend the Discussion How many beats,
in mind genre when identifying pronoun five students each read a stanza aloud, stress-
or stressed syllables, do lines 58 contain?
antecedents, as poets often choose words with ing the music and emotion of the lines.
Is this typical of a ballad? Explain.
few syllables to keep the rhythm intact.
814 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism

Reading Support
This selection on thinkcentral.com includes
embedded ThinkAloud modelsstudents
thinking aloud about the story to model the
kinds of questions a good reader would ask
about a selection.
Analyze Visuals
Possible answer: The engraving conveys an
eerie and supernatural mood, created by details
such as the bird hovering over the ship and the
icicles hanging off the ships masts and sur-
rounding landscape.
About the Art Gustave Dor (18321883) was
a French artist best known for his dynamic
illustrations of epic literature, including
Dantes Inferno and Miltons Paradise Lost
(pages 495 and 499). He reveals the influence
of romanticism in his fondness for the exotic
and mildly grotesque. Dor created Mariner,
Ice All Around in 1876 or 1877 to illustrate
Coleridges poem.
cultural connection
Mariner Tales From the ancient Greek epic the
Odyssey to Arabian tales of Sindbad the Sailor,
cultures around the world have produced exciting
seafaring adventures. Invite students to recount
tales of the sea that they have read or heard.
tiered discussion prompts

Use these prompts to help students explore
the details of the poems frame story:
Summarize What happens in the poems
opening scene? Possible answer: An old
sailor stops a wedding guest and compels
him to listen to a story.
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AM 815 12/2/10 9:52:35 AM Interpret What do the long grey beard
and glittering eye in line 3 suggest about
the mariner? Possible answer: The mariner is
for advanced learners/ap
old, wise, and mysterious.
Expert Groups Encourage students to
become subject experts by selecting and Evaluate Line 13 is a variation of line 9.
researching one of these topics: What does the change in wording stress
about the mariner? Is the repetition effec-
British navigational explorations in the late
tive in characterizing the mariner? Possible
1700s and in the 1800s, particularly voyages
answer: The change stresses that the mariner
to the Arctic Ocean and the South Seas
holds the guests attention simply with his
common dangers facing sailors prior to eyes. The repetition is extremely effective
the 1900s in creating a vivid image of the mariners
sailors omens and superstitions character and his influence on others.

The ship was cheered, the harbor cleared,
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill, 23 kirk: church.
Below the lighthouse top. The Mariner tells how the ship sailed
southward with a good wind and fair
weather, till it reached the Line.
25 The Sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.
R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y Higher and higher every day,

30 Till over the mast at noon 30 over . . . noon: The ship has
RL 3
b Model the Skill: The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, reached the equator, or Line.
narrative poetry For he heard the loud bassoon.
To model how to identify the setting The bride hath paced into the hall, The Wedding-Guest heareth the
change, read aloud lines 2128 and point Red as a rose is she; bridal music; but the Mariner
continueth his tale.
out the descriptions of time and place: the 35 Nodding their heads before her goes
harbor, the sea, and the shining sun. Then, The merry minstrelsy. 36 minstrelsy: group of musicians.
read aloud lines 4150 and point out the

The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast,
shift in setting that begins with And now. Yet he cannot choose but hear;
Possible answers: When the mariners ship And thus spake on that ancient man,
set sail, the sun shone bright (line 27), 40 The bright-eyed Mariner.
but then a tyrannous and strong (line 42)
And now the Storm-blast came, and he The ship driven by a storm toward the
storm blew the ship toward the icy South Pole.
Was tyrannous and strong:
South Pole. He struck with his oertaking wings,
Have students record notes about the set- And chased us south along.
ting in the chart introduced on page 813.
45 With sloping masts and dipping prow,
Extend the Discussion In what way does As who pursued with yell and blow
the use of personification in lines 4550 Still treads the shadow of his foe, b NARRATIVE POETRY
Compare the sailing conditions
help convey the wild sailing conditions? And forward bends his head, described in lines 2128 and
The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, 4150. In what way does the
50 And southward aye we fled. b poems setting change?
background And now there came both mist and snow,

And it grew wondrous cold: The land of ice, and of fearful sounds
Icebergs Coleridges descriptive details in And ice, mast-high, came floating by, where no living thing was to be seen.
lines 5162 are accurate rather than poetic As green as emerald.
exaggeration. Icebergs, the huge chunks of ice
that break off from glaciers and float in polar 55 And through the drifts the snowy clifts 55 clifts: cliffs.
waters, often appear to be blue or white but Did send a dismal sheen:
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken 57 ken: perceive.
near Antarctica sometimes look green, prob-
The ice was all between.
ably because of tiny embedded sediments.
Coleridges simile comparing the icebergs to 816 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism
emeralds in line 54 captures not only their
green color but also their faceted surfaces.
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eitherit reflects the very loud noise that

icebergs make when they break off from for struggling readers the sun appears very high in the sky. Point
glaciers in a process called calving. Comprehension Support To clarify the set- out that Coleridges marginal annotation at
ting beyond Coleridges marginal note at line lines 4142 clarifies that the ship is blown
24, remind students that the sun always rises even farther southtoward the South Pole.
in the east and sets in the west. Then draw a Have students note that the distance from
simplified diagram or use a map to show that the equator to the South Pole is quite long,
when a ship sets sail from England and the which reflects the strength and duration of
sun rises on the ships left, as described in line the storm.
25, then the ship must be sailing south. In
lines 2930, the mariner describes the suns
behavior as the ship nears the equator, where

The ice was here, the ice was there,
60 The ice was all around:
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a swound! 62 swound: swoon; fainting fit.
background
At length did cross an Albatross, Till a great sea bird, called the Directional Winds Winds are named for the
Thorough the fog it came; Albatross, came through the snow- direction from which they originate. Thus, the
fog, and was received with great joy
65 As if it had been a Christian soul, and hospitality. welcome south wind mentioned in line 71
We hailed it in Gods name. 63 Albatross (BlPbE-trsQ): a large comes from the south, blowing the ship north
web-footed ocean bird common in
the Southern Hemisphere.
to escape the icy Antarctic waters.
It ate the food it neer had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
70 The helmsman steered us through!
And a good south wind sprung up behind; And lo! the Albatross proveth a bird the significance of the albatross in lines 6378:
The Albatross did follow, of good omen, and followeth the ship
as it returned northward through fog Summarize What two good things happen
And every day, for food or play, and floating ice.
after the albatross appears? Answer: After
Came to the mariners hollo! 74 hollo (hPlI): call.
the albatross appears, the helmsman steers
75 In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, 75 shroud: one of the ropes that the ship through the ice and a good south
It perched for vespers nine; support a ships mast. wind springs up behind the ship.
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, 76 vespers nine: nine evenings.
Interpret Why does the crew welcome
Glimmered the white moonshine.
the albatross each day and offer it food?
Possible answer: The crew welcomes the
albatross because they assume it is an omen
of good luck and responsible for getting them
through the ice.
Synthesize On the basis of these lines, what
will happen to the albatross? Why? Accept
all reasonable ideas.
Analyze Visuals
Activity In what way do the mariners facial
expressions reflect their feelings toward the
albatross? Possible answer: The mariners look
completely focused on the albatross. Their
expressions reflect their hope that the albatross
will save them.
About the Art Like the other Dor illustra-
tions, this image was engraved by Jonnard
in 1888.
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AM 817 12/2/10 9:52:43 AM
for english language learners for struggling readers

Related Vocabulary The marine setting and Clarify Meaning Remind students that
activities are central to the story. Clarify that onomatopoeia is the use of words that echo
the story takes place on an ocean-going ship. or imitate sounds. Read aloud lines 5962,
Then teach these marine terms: stressing the sounds of the ice. Help stu-
lighthouse (line 24), building with a light at dents identify the onomatopoeia and hear
the top to guide sailors away from rocks the sounds being imitated. Possible answer:
The words cracked, growled, roared, and
masts (line 45), poles from which a ships
howled are onomatopoetic and all imitate
sails hang
the sound of the breaking ice.
prow (line 45), the front of a ship
helmsman (line 70), sailor who steers

God save thee, ancient Mariner, The ancient Mariner inhospitably
80 From the fiends, that plague thee thus! killeth the pious bird of good omen.
Why lookst thou so?With my crossbow

revisit the big question I shot the Albatross. c c NARRATIVE POETRY
Summarize the plot
How can GUILT enslave us? developments of the poem to
Part II this point. What conflicts might
Discuss What details in lines 7982 suggest The Sun now rose upon the right: arise because of the Mariners
that the mariner has feelings of guilt about Out of the sea came he, action?
shooting the albatross? Possible answer: The 85 Still hid in mist, and on the left 83 The Sun . . . right: The rising of
the sun on the right indicates that
question in line 81 suggests that the mariner Went down into the sea.
the ship is now heading northward.
looks odd or upset and feels anxious or guilty
And the good south wind still blew behind,
about shooting the bird. But no sweet bird did follow,
Nor any day for food or play
R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y 90 Came to the mariners hollo! His shipmates cry out against the
ancient Mariner, for killing the bird
RL 3 of good luck.
c narrative poetry And I had done a hellish thing,
Possible answer: The ship crosses the And it would workem woe:
For all averred I had killed the bird 93 averred (E-vrdP): declared;
equator and is blown toward the South asserted.
That made the breeze to blow.
Pole, where ice surrounds it. An albatross 95 Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay,
appears, the ice splits, and a south wind That made the breeze to blow!
blows the ship northward. The mariner
shoots the albatross. There is a possibility Nor dim nor red, like Gods own head, But when the fog cleared off, they
The glorious Sun uprist: justify the same, and thus make
of external conflicts between the mariner themselves accomplices in the crime.
Then all averred I had killed the bird
and the crew or between the crew and 98 uprist: rose.
100 That brought the fog and mist.
nature. There is also a possibility of an Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,
internal conflict between the mariner and That bring the fog and mist.
his conscience.
IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Urge them to The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The fair breeze continues; the ship
The furrow followed free; enters the Pacific Ocean, and sails
start a Plot Diagram to record plot devel- northward, even till it reaches the
105 We were the first that ever burst Line.
opments and identify conflict. Into that silent sea.
BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTransparency
Down dropped the breeze, the sails dropped down, The ship hath been suddenly
Plot Diagram p. D10 Twas sad as sad could be; becalmed.
And we did speak only to break

110 The silence of the sea!
All in a hot and copper sky,

The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.
818 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism

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for english language learners for reluctant readers
Vocabulary: Outdated Forms Tell students Connect to the Text Direct students atten-
that Coleridges poem contains many English tion to lines 8191. Ask students to discuss
words not used today. Provide these defini- how easy it can be to do something wrong
tions and urge students to substitute them without considering the consequences and
for the archaic terms: to describe how important forgiveness is to
Why lookst thou so? (line 81), Why do you contemporary society. Have students decide
look like that? whether the mariner should be forgiven
because he didnt know what he was doing
hollo (line 90), holler, hello
or if he deserves to be punished. Accept all
wretch (line 95), person disapproved of reasonable answers. Then encourage students
well a-day! (line 139), on every day to read on to discover the mariners fate.

115 Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean. background
Water, water, everywhere, And the Albatross begins to be The Ships Route The ship now sails north
120 And all the boards did shrink; avenged. (line 83) until it reaches the equator, where the
Water, water, everywhere suns position is again directly above the mast
Nor any drop to drink. d LITERARY BALLAD at noon (lines 112113). At this location, known
Reread lines 123126, identifying
examples of onomatopoeia, or
as the doldrums, there is very little wind (line
The very deep did rot: O Christ!
words whose sounds echo their 107), and the ship is becalmed, or unable to
That ever this should be! meanings. In what way do these
125 Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs sail, for many days (lines 115118). Because
words contribute to the mood of
Upon the slimy sea. d the scene? they cannot sail, the crew members begin to
run out of water (lines 119122). In Coleridges
About, about, in reel and rout 127 in reel and rout: with dizzying, day, ships had to stock fresh water when they
The death-fires danced at night; unpredictable motion.
128 death-fires: dim flamelike lights
set sail, pick up more at stops, and supplement
The water, like a witchs oils,
reportedly seen above decomposing their stores with rainwater.
130 Burnt green, and blue, and white. matter.
And some in dreams assurd were A Spirit had followed them; one
of the invisible inhabitants of this POETIC FORM
Of the Spirit that plagued us so;
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
planet, neither departed souls nor
RL 5
angels; concerning whom the learned d Model the Skill:
From the land of mist and snow. Jew, Josephus, and the Platonic
Constantinopolitan, Michael Psellus, literary ballad
may be consulted. They are very
135 And every tongue, through utter drought, numerous, and there is no climate To model how to identify onomatopoeia,
Was withered at the root; or element without one or more.
read aloud lines 123126 and emphasize
We could not speak, no more than if 133 nine fathom: 54 feet.
the words slimy and crawl to help students
We had been choked with soot.
hear the words and feel the mood evoked
Ah! well a-day! what evil looks The shipmates, in their sore distress, by their sounds. For further comprehen-
140 Had I from old and young! would fain throw the whole guilt on sion, provide the words drip, hoot, and
the ancient Mariner: in sign whereof
Instead of the cross, the Albatross they hang the dead sea bird round squish as more common examples of
About my neck was hung. his neck. onomatopoeia.
Possible answer: The words slimy and
Part III crawl are examples of onomatopoeia.
There passed a weary time. Each throat
Was parched, and glazed each eye. These words and the repetition of slimy
145 A weary time! a weary time! emphasize the horrible conditions on the
How glazed each weary eye! ship and the desperate mood of the scene.
When, looking westward, I beheld The ancient Mariner beholdeth a sign Extend the Discussion In what way does
A something in the sky. in the element afar off.
the repetition of the s and l sounds in
lines 125126 contribute to the mood of
the scene?
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for struggling readers for advanced learners/ap

Clarify Meaning Have students reread the Evaluate Sound Devices Challenge students
Big Question on page 813 to review the to evaluate the impact of Coleridges sound
meaning and origin of the expression in devices. Ask them to consider whether the
lines 141142. With this context in mind, help poem is more or less enjoyable because of
students clarify their understanding of the Coleridges strong rhythm and rhyme and ex-
expression by inviting them to describe and tensive use of other sound devices. Do these
discuss situations in which they might use devices serve Coleridges narrative purpose
the expression. or do they distract from it? Have students
discuss their reactions, citing examples such
as the alliteration in lines 127130 for support.

At first it seemed a little speck,
150 And then it seemed a mist;
It moved and moved, and took at last
tiered discussion prompts A certain shape, I wist. 152 wist: perceived; discerned.
Use these prompts to help students explore A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!
the appearance of the strange ship in lines And still it neared and neared:
149180: 155 As if it dodged a water-sprite, 155 water sprite: a mythical being
living in water.
It plunged, and tacked and veered.
Summarize What is the mariners reac- 156 tacked and veered: zigzagged.
tion to the ship? Possible answer: He is very With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, At its nearer approach, it seemeth him
happy to see it. We could nor laugh nor wail; to be a ship; and at a dear ransom he
freeth his speech from the bonds of
Analyze Why must the mariner bite his arm Through utter drought all dumb we stood! thirst.
and suck the blood? Possible answer: The 160 I bit my arm, I sucked the blood,
And cried, A sail! a sail!
mariner bites his arm and sucks his blood in
order to moisten his throat, which is other- With throats unslaked, with black lips baked,
wise too dry for him to speak. Agape they heard me call: A flash of joy;
Evaluate In what way does Coleridge Gramercy! they for joy did grin, 164 gramercy (grE-mrPsC): an
exclamation of gratitude.
165 And all at once their breath drew in,
foreshadow a problem with the distant
As they were drinking all.
ship? Is this an effective use of foreshad-
owing, building suspense in the reader, or See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more! And horror follows. For can it be a
not? Explain your opinion. Possible answer: Hither to work us weal ship that comes onward without
wind or tide?
Coleridge uses words such as strange shape Without a breeze, without a tide,
168 hither to work us weal: in this
(line 175), describes the ship blocking out the 170 She steadies with upright keel! direction to help us.
sun (line 176), and uses an image of prison to

The western wave was all aflame, 171 The western wave was all aflame:
describe the approaching ship (line 179). This The day was wellnigh done! The water to the west was reflecting
builds suspense by linking the ship to worri- Almost upon the western wave
the light of the setting sun.
some images. Rested the broad, bright Sun;

175 When that strange shape drove suddenly
Betwixt us and the Sun.
And straight the Sun was flecked with bars It seemeth him but the skeleton
(Heavens Mother send us grace!), of a ship.
178 Heavens Mother: the Virgin
As if through a dungeon-grate he peered
Mary.
180 With broad and burning face.
Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)

How fast she nears and nears!
Are those her sails that glance in the Sun,
Like restless gossameres? 184 gossameres (gJsPE-mCrzQ):
cobwebs floating in the air.

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for english language learners for advanced learners/ap Is that a Death? and are there two? (line
Related Vocabulary Note again that the Synthesize Have students review the discus- 188), white as leprosy (line 192), Nightmare
poem includes specialized vocabulary about sion of the Lake Poets in the historical essay Life-in-Death (193), comes the dark (line 200),
ships and the sea. Urge students to use the (page 761). Then ask them to identify elements far-heard whisper (line 201), spectre-bark
marginal notes, context clues, and a dictionary in the mariners interaction with the strange (line 202). Then have students discuss the
to determine the meaning of the jargon. For ship that reflect Coleridges goals as a lyrical importance of the supernatural in Part III of
practice, have them define tacked (line 156) poet. Have students begin by finding sensory Coleridges poem, sharing their views with
and keel (line 170). Possible answer: Tacked details in lines 181202 that invoke or fore- the class.
means sailed in a zigzag course. A keel is the shadow the presence of supernatural ele-
main timber running along a ships bottom. ments. Examples: my heart beat loud (line
181), gossameres (line 184), ribs (line 185),

revisit the big question
How can GUILT enslave us?
Discuss In lines 185198, Life-in-Death and
Death gamble for possession of the mariner.
What does the appearance of these two
figures suggest about the mariners guilt and
the severity of the crime? Possible answer:
The choice between Death and Life-in-Death
suggests that the mariner is guilty of a crime
for shooting the albatross. Both choices are
horrible, so his crime must be quite severe.
He will likely be forced to endure some sort
of horrible life in death.
About the Art This illustration by Gustave

Dor illustrates the events of lines 190198, in
which Life-in-Death plays her dice game with
185 Are those her ribs through which the Sun And its ribs are seen as bars on the
Death to determine the fate of the crew.
Did peer, as through a grate? face of the setting Sun. The Specter-
Woman and her Deathmate, and no
And is that Woman all her crew? other on board the skeleton ship.
Is that a Death? and are there two?
Is Death that Womans mate?
190 Her lips were red, her looks were free, Like vessel, like crew!
Her locks were yellow as gold:
Her skin was as white as leprosy, 192 leprosy (lDpPrE-sC): a disease
The Nightmare Life-in-Death was she, marked by spreading patches of
discoloration on the skin and by
Who thicks mans blood with cold. deformities of the limbs and other
parts of the body.
195 The naked hulk alongside came, Death and Life-in-Death have diced
And the twain were casting dice; for the ships crew, and she (the latter)
winneth the ancient Mariner.
The game is done! Ive won! Ive won!
Quoth she, and whistles thrice.
The Suns rim dips; the stars rush out: No twilight within the courts of
200 At one stride comes the dark; the Sun.
With far-heard whisper, oer the sea,

Off shot the spectre-bark. 202 spectre-bark: ghost ship.
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for english language learners for struggling readers for advanced learners/ap
Vocabulary: Archaic Forms Have students Concept Support: Reading Narrative Poetry Evaluate Description Have students discuss
reread lines 171198, replacing each archaic Help students add information to the chart the effectiveness of Coleridges language in
form with its modern version. introduced on page 813. Work with them to depicting the eerie ship, its crew, and the
wellnigh (line 172), almost identify the new characters in Part III, the con- atmosphere around them. Ask them to con-
flict that arises in lines 190198, and the way sider the vivid imagery, the use of figurative
Betwixt (line 176), between
that conflict is resolved. Possible answer: The language such as the simile in line 192, and the
straight (line 177), right away new characters in Part III are Death and Life- extensive use of questions (lines 183189) and
thicks (line 194), thickens in-Death. The conflict is between these two exclamations (lines 167, 170, 182).
twain (line 196), two characters, over the right to punish the Mariner
for shooting the bird. Life-in-Death wins.
thrice (line 198), three times

We listened and looked sideways up! At the rising of the Moon,
Fear at my heart, as at a cup,
205 My life-blood seemed to sip!
tiered discussion prompts The stars were dim, and thick the night,
The steersmans face by his lamp gleamed white;
Use these prompts to help students under- From the sails the dew did drip
stand the role of the frame story in lines Till clomb above the eastern bar 209 clomb (klIm): climbed.
224239 of Coleridges poem: 210 The hornd Moon, with one bright star 210 hornd Moon: crescent moon.
Within the nether tip.
Restate Who is speaking in lines 224225?
Why does the speaker fear the ancient mari- One after one, by the star-dogged Moon, One after another,
ner? Possible answer: The Wedding-Guest is Too quick for groan or sigh,
speaking. He fears that the mariner has died Each turned his face with a ghastly pang,
like the rest of the crew and is now a ghost 215 And cursed me with his eye.
talking to him.
Four times fifty living men
Interpret What is the mariners reaction to (And I heard nor sigh nor groan),
being the only survivor of the tragic voyage? With heavy thump, a lifeless lump,
Possible answer: As the sole survivor, the They dropped down one by one. His shipmates drop down dead.
mariner feels isolated and agonized.

220 The souls did from their bodies fly But Life-in-Death begins her work
Evaluate Do the interruptions of the frame They fled to bliss or woe! on the ancient Mariner.
story make the poem more or less effective? And every soul, it passed me by
Explain your thoughts. Students may say Like the whizz of my crossbow!
that the frame story lends authenticity to the
poem or that the Wedding-Guest serves as a Part IV
surrogate for the reader. Others may say that I fear thee, ancient Mariner! The Wedding-Guest feareth that a
I fear thy skinny hand! Spirit is talking to him;
the frame story interruptions are distracting 225
or that the language of the Wedding-Guest is And thou art long, and lank, and brown,
As is the ribbed sea-sand.
less powerful than the mariners narrative.
But the ancient Mariner assureth him
I fear thee and thy glittering eye, of his bodily life, and proceedeth to
And thy skinny hand so brown. relate his horrible penance.
230 Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest!

This body dropped not down. e LITERARY BALLAD
Storytellers of traditional ballads
Alone, alone, all, all alone often repeated words to help
make their works memorable.
Alone on a wide, wide sea! What ideas in lines 232235 does
And never a saint took pity on Coleridge want his readers to
235 My soul in agony. e remember?
The many men, so beautiful! He despiseth the creatures of the

And they all dead did lie: calm,
And a thousand thousand slimy things

POETIC FORM Lived on; and so did I.
RL 5
e Model the Skill:
literary ballad
To model how to analyze Coleridges use
of repetition, first read aloud lines 216219 NA_L12PE-u04s23-RimeM.indd 822 12/2/10 9:52:53
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and 230231. Point out that all of the mari-

ners shipmates have dropped dead and
for struggling readers adds lines to a stanza, as in lines 203211, and
that now the Wedding-Guest hearing the
Develop Reading Fluency Review the instruc- sometimes he simply modifies the meter, as
tale is afraid that the mariner is a ghost.
tion on pages 217 and 813 about rhyme and in lines 232233, where the first line includes
Then, read lines 232233 aloud, emphasiz-
rhythm in traditional folk and literary ballads. an extra stress on the first all and the second
ing the words all, alone, and wide.
Point to lines 240243 of The Rime of the includes an extra stress on the first wide.
Possible answer: By repeating alone, all, Ancient Mariner as an example of a tradi- Emphasize that the breaks in meter help
and wide, Coleridge stresses the mariners tional ballad stanza. Read these lines aloud show the mariners isolation. Have students
isolation and his dire circumstances. and then have students echo read while tap- practice reading aloud lines 203211 and
ping gently on their desks on each stressed 232233. Point out that repeated practice
syllable as they read the lines. Then explain using academic language will help students
that Coleridge changes these patterns when build language proficiency.
doing so suits his content. Sometimes he

240 I looked upon the rotting sea, And envieth that they should live, and
And drew my eyes away; so many lie dead.
I looked upon the rotting deck,

And there the dead men lay.
I looked to heaven, and tried to pray; f NARRATIVE POETRY RL 3
245 But or ever a prayer had gushed, According to lines 244247,
f narrative poetry
what is the Mariner unable to
A wicked whisper came, and made Possible answer: Despite his dire circum-
do? Explain what this suggests
My heart as dry as dust. f about his character. stances, the mariner is unable to pray. This
inability suggests that he lacks remorse for
I closed my lids, and kept them close, his wrongdoings and still despises Gods
249 balls: eyeballs.
And the balls like pulses beat; creatures. It also implies that the mariner
250 But the sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky,
Lay like a load on my weary eye,
lacks spirituality and a belief in a higher
And the dead were at my feet. authority.
Have students record their observations
But the curse liveth for him in the eye
The cold sweat melted from their limbs, of the mariners character in the chart
of the dead men.
Nor rot nor reek did they:
introduced on page 813.
255 The look with which they looked on me
Had never passed away. Extend the Discussion What is the
mariners relationship to society at this
An orphans curse would drag to hell point in the poem?
A spirit from on high;
But oh! more horrible than that
260 Is the curse in a dead mans eye! In his loneliness and fixedness he
Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, yearneth towards the journeying
Moon, and the stars that still
And yet I could not die. sojourn, yet still move onward; and
everywhere the blue sky belongs to revisit the big question
The moving Moon went up the sky, them, and is their appointed rest,
And nowhere did abide;

and their native country and their
own natural homes, which they
265 Softly she was going up, enter unannounced, as lords that Discuss What do lines 248256 suggest
And a star or two beside are certainly expected and yet there
is a silent joy at their arrival. about the mariners feelings of guilt? Possible
Her beams bemocked the sultry main,
267 bemocked . . . main: scornfully answer: The mariners feelings of guilt torment
defied the hot ocean (because the
Like April hoar-frost spread; moons pale light made the sea him. He cannot avoid the eyes of the dead
But where the ships huge shadow lay, appear cool). crew members, and he feels responsible for
268 hoar-frost: frozen dew.
270 The charmd water burnt alway their deaths.
A still and awful red.
Beyond the shadow of the ship, By the light of the Moon he beholdeth
Gods creatures of the great calm.
I watched the water-snakes:
They moved in tracks of shining white,
275 And when they reared, the elfish light
Fell off in hoary flakes. 276 fell off in hoary flakes: glittered
on water droplets falling from the
snakes.
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for advanced learners/ap for these words. Then ask students to make
Analyze Archaic and Poetic Language Point inferences about why Coleridge might have
out that Coleridge uses outdated language used these forms. Challenge students to find
and terms found almost exclusively in criticism from Coleridges time that discusses
poetry. For example, the title word rime is the poets word choices and supports stu-
an old spelling of rhyme, while main (line dents inferences.
267), meaning ocean, or hoar-frost (line
268), meaning frosty dew, are rarely seen
except in poetry. Have students use etymo-
logical reference sources such as the Oxford
English Dictionary to trace the path of usage

Within the shadow of the ship
I watched their rich attire:
Blue, glossy green, and velvet black,
tiered discussion prompts 280 They coiled and swam; and every track
Was a flash of golden fire.
the mariners curse and his escape from it in O happy living things! no tongue Their beauty and their happiness.
lines 282291: Their beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
Recall Under what curse does the mariner
285 And I blessed them unaware: He blesseth them in his heart.
suffer? Possible answer: The mariner is Sure my kind saint took pity on me,
cursed not to die and to face the continuous And I blessed them unaware.
gaze of his dead crewmates.
Analyze In what ways do the water-snakes The selfsame moment I could pray; The spell begins to break.
And from my neck so free
contrast with the mariners dead crew-
290 The Albatross fell off, and sank
mates? Possible answer: The water-snakes Like lead into the sea. g g NARRATIVE POETRY
are alive and seem beautiful, unlike the crew- Reread lines 272291.
Explain why the spell begins to
mates who, though once so beautiful (line Part V break at this point. What does
236), are now dead and horrify the mariner O sleep! it is a gentle thing, this event suggest about the
(lines 259260). Beloved from pole to pole! relationship between humans,
nature, and the supernatural?
Synthesize Create a general statement To Mary Queen the praise be given!
295 She sent the gentle sleep from Heaven, 294 Mary Queen: the Virgin Mary.
about the mariners understanding of
That slid into my soul.
nature based on your reading of the
poem thus far. Possible answer: Prior to The silly buckets on the deck, By grace of the holy Mother, the
this point, the narrator has been oblivious That had so long remained, ancient Mariner is refreshed with rain.
to the beauty of nature or its link to the I dreamt that they were filled with dew;
spiritual. Now he is overwhelmed by the 300 And when I awoke, it rained.
beauty of the water-snakes.
My lips were wet, my throat was cold. Language Coach
My garments all were dank; Synonyms Words with the
Sure I had drunken in my dreams, same or nearly the same
R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y And still my body drank. meaning are synonyms. Which
word in line 302 is a synonym for
RL 3 damp? What word in line 300
g narrative poetry 305 I moved, and could not feel my limbs: gives you a clue?
Possible answer: The spell begins to break I was so lightalmost
because the mariner feels love and blesses I thought that I had died in sleep,
the water-snakes. This event suggests that And was a blessd ghost.
supernatural ills beset those who do not
And soon I heard a roaring wind: He heareth sounds and seeth strange
love nature and who lack spirituality, and 310 It did not come anear; sights and commotions in the sky and
that human beings must respect all forms the element.
But with its sound it shook the sails,
of life in order to stand in the correct rela- That were so thin and sere. 312 sere (sr): dry.
tionship with God.
IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Work with them
to show and contrast the cause-and-effect 824 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism
relationships between the mariners ac-
tions toward the albatross and the snakes.
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BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTransparency differentiated instruction

Cause-and-Effect Chain pp. B16, B39
for english language learners for advanced learners/ap
Comparative Analysis Ask students to write
Language Coach
a few paragraphs comparing and contrasting
Synonyms
Coleridges description of sleep in lines
Possible answer: Dank is a synonym for 292296 with this famous passage from
damp. The word rained in line 300 is a clue. Macbeth: Act II, scene 2, lines 3340,
Have students list other synonyms they of Shakespeares Macbeth (page 372),
know for damp. Encourage them to ascer- beginning Sleep that knits up the raveled
tain the subtle differences between defini- sleave of care.
tions of such words as moist, wet, soggy,
soaked, misty, and clammy.

The upper air burst into life;
And a hundred fire-flags sheen; 314 fire-flags: probably the aurora
315 To and fro they were hurried about! australis, or southern lights
wavering bands of light in the night
And to and fro, and in and out, sky; sheen: bright. revisit the big question
The wan stars danced between. 317 wan: pale.
And the coming wind did roar more loud, Discuss What happens to the mariner after
And the sails did sigh like sedge; 319 sedge: tall grasslike plants that
the albatross falls off in lines 288296? What
320 And the rain poured down from one black cloud; make a rustling sound when blown
by the wind. does this event suggest about the mariner and
The Moon was at its edge.
his guilt? Possible answer: When the albatross
The thick black cloud was cleft, and still falls off, the mariner finds that he can pray and
The Moon was at its side; sleep. These results might suggest that he has
Like waters shot from some high crag, released his feelings of guilt.
325 The lightning fell with never a jag,
A river steep and wide.
The loud wind never reached the ship, The bodies of the ships crew are
RL 3
Yet now the ship moved on! inspirited, and the ship moves on; h narrative poetry
Beneath the lightning and the Moon Possible answer: The mariner discovers that
330 The dead men gave a groan.
the crewmen seem to have been resurrected
They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, but that they do not recognize or interact
Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; with himin other words, that they are
It had been strange, even in a dream, ghosts. He is especially shocked to see his
To have seen those dead men rise. brothers son standing beside him.
Have students record their observations of
335 The helmsman steered, the ship moved on;
Yet never a breeze up-blew; this plot point in the chart introduced on
The mariners all gan work the ropes, page 813.
Where they were wont to do; 338 wont: accustomed.
Extend the Discussion Why does the
They raised their limbs like lifeless tools
Wedding-Guest fear the ancient mariner
340 We were a ghastly crew.
h NARRATIVE POETRY (line 345)?
The body of my brothers son In a narrative, the climax is the
moment of greatest interest
Stood by me, knee to knee: and intensity. What shocking
The body and I pulled at one rope, discovery does the Mariner make
But he said naught to me. h in lines 331344?
But not by the souls of the men, nor
345 I fear thee, ancient Mariner! by demons of earth or middle air, but
by a blessed troop of angelic spirits,
Be calm, thou Wedding-Guest: sent down by the invocation of the
Twas not those souls that fled in pain, guardian saint.
Which to their corses came again, 348 corses: bodies.
But a troop of spirits blest:
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Climax
Concept Support: Reading Narrative Poetry Critical Interpretations Tell students that
Work with students to continue the Plot in Biographia Literaria, Coleridge explains
Diagrams they began on page 818 or to create Mariner shoots albatross that the poems in Lyrical Ballads focus on the
Fall
new diagrams that trace the progress toward Ship becalmed supernatural, but with enough human interest
in
the climax on page 825. and truth for readers to suspend their disbelief
g Ac
Crew killed
io n
and enter the poems world. Ask students if

tion
Mariner alone
Act

they can suspend disbelief and get involved
Plot Diagram p. D10
ng
Resolution in this poem. Have students cite details that

Risi
help them to either accept or reject what

happens.
Exposition

Use these prompts to help students under-
stand the spirits effect on the ship in lines
350366:
Recall What forms do the spirits take? Pos-
sible answer: The spirits take the forms of the
dead crewmens bodies.
Interpret What adjectives could describe
the spirits sounds? Possible answer: Adjec-
tives such as sweet, musical, or birdlike could
describe the spirits sounds.
Evaluate In what way do sound devices help
capture the sound and movement of the
spirits and the ship they help sail? Explain.
Possible answer: The smooth rhythm helps
convey the spirits pleasant, musical sounds
and the ships rolling movement. Alliteration
such as the s sounds in lines 354365 and the
l sounds in lines 363364 adds to this musical 350 For when it dawnedthey dropped their arms,
effect. The devices are effective because they And clustered round the mast;
draw readers into the mood of the scene. Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths,
And from their bodies passed.
Around, around, flew each sweet sound,

About the Art In this Gustave Dor illustra-
355 Then darted to the Sun;
tion, the Spirit from the South Pole and an Slowly the sounds came back again,
angelic troop hover above the water, helping Now mixed, now one by one.
the mariners ship on its way.
Sometimes a-dropping from the sky
I heard the skylark sing;
360 Sometimes all little birds that are,
How they seemed to fill the sea and air
With their sweet jargoning! 362 jargoning: warbling.
And now twas like all instruments,

Now like a lonely flute;
365 And now it is an angels song,
That makes the Heavens be mute.

NA_L12PE-u04
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Simile What It Its Effect
Chart Similes [paired option] Have students Analyze Word Choice Challenge students
Compares
identify the simile in lines 389390, indicate to locate details in lines 350372 that relate
like all the spirits shows us the
to what it compares the ship, and explain its to landscape. Examples: skylark (line 359),
instruments sounds and sweetness of
effect. Possible answer: The simile like a paw- (line 363) musical the sounds hidden brook (line 369), leafy month of
ing horse let go compares the ship to a pawing instruments June (line 370), sleeping woods (line 371).
horse that suddenly charges, helping readers Have students discuss why the poet may have
picture the ships movement. Have partners BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTransparency included such details at this point in the narra-
use a Three-Column Journal to list and explore Three-Column Journal p. B10 tive. Invite them to share their thoughts with
other similes in the poem. the class.

It ceased; yet still the sails made on
A pleasant noise till noon,
A noise like of a hidden brook
370 In the leafy month of June,
POETIC FORM
That to the sleeping woods all night
Singeth a quiet tune. RL 5
i Model the Skill:
Till noon we quietly sailed on,
literary ballad
Yet never a breeze did breathe: Read aloud lines 379380. To model how
375 Slowly and smoothly went the ship, to recognize the supernatural element in
Moved onward from beneath.
this section of the ballad, point out that
Under the keel nine fathom deep, The lonesome Spirit from the South
the mariner says that a Spirit makes the
From the land of mist and snow, Pole carries on the ship as far as the ship move. Remind students that a spirit,
Line, in obedience to the angelic troop,
The Spirit slid: and it was he but still requireth vengeance.
or ghost, is a supernatural element and
380 That made the ship to go. adds to the sensational feelings evoked by
The sails at noon left off their tune, the tale.
And the ship stood still also.
Possible answer: Coleridge introduces the
The Sun, right up above the mast, Polar Spirit, who moves the ship without
Had fixed her to the ocean: wind and then forces it to move suddenly,
385 But in a minute she gan stir, causing the mariner to fall down.
With a short uneasy motion
Backwards and forwards half her length
Extend the Discussion In what ways are
With a short uneasy motion. these spirits similar to or different from
i LITERARY BALLAD Life-in-Death, who appeared earlier?
Then like a pawing horse let go, Reread lines 377392. What
supernatural element does
390 She made a sudden bound: Coleridge introduce to enhance
It flung the blood into my head, the sensational nature of his
And I fell down in a swound. i tale? revisit the big question
How long in that same fit I lay,
I have not to declare; 394 have not: am not able. Discuss What seems to be the Polar Spirits
395 But ere my living life returned, The Polar Spirits fellow demons, the attitude toward the mariners guilt and crimes
I heard, and in my soul discerned invisible inhabitants of the element,
take part in his wrong; and two of
in lines 398405? Possible answer: The Spirit
Two voices in the air. them relate, one to the other, that loved the albatross that the mariner killed. He
penance long and heavy for the
ancient Mariner hath been accorded
believes that the mariner is guilty and demands
Is it he? quoth one, is this the man?
By Him who died on cross,
to the Polar Spirit, who returneth that he do penance for his crime.
southward.
400 With his cruel bow he laid full low 399 Him who died on cross: Jesus
The harmless Albatross. Christ.
The Spirit who bideth by himself

In the land of mist and snow,
He loved the bird that loved the man
405 Who shot him with his bow.
/2/10 9:52:55
AM 827 12/2/10 9:52:59 AM
for english language learners bides. Then, provide a more commonly used for advanced learners/ap
Vocabulary: Outdated Forms [mixed-readiness verb that conveys the same meaning, such Synthesize [small-group option] Shortly
groups] Explain this two-step process for as lives. Have student groups use the pro- after writing The Rime of the Ancient Mari-
translating Coleridges archaic verbs into con- cess with the verb quoth in line 398. Possible ner, Coleridge studied the works of German
temporary English: answer: The modern form is quotes. A possible philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant did not
1. Determine the modern form of the verb. replacement is says or said. believe that nature and the human mind were
distinct. He believed that nature, as part of
2. Replace the verb with a more common verb
that has the same meaning. the external world, is in part a reflection of the
human imagination. Ask students to explore
Model the process with the archaic verb bideth
ways that Coleridges poem, though written
(line 402). First, provide the modern form,
before his study of Kant, reflects these ideas.

The other was a softer voice,
As soft as honey-dew:
Quoth he, The man hath penance done, 408 penance (pDnPEns): suffering in
And penance more will do. repayment for a sin.
Part V I
First Voice:
410 But tell me, tell me! speak again,
Thy soft response renewing
What makes that ship drive on so fast?
What is the Ocean doing?
Second Voice:
Still as a slave before his lord,
415 The Ocean hath no blast;
His great bright eye most silently
Up to the Moon is cast
If he may know which way to go;

For she guides him smooth or grim.
420 See, brother, see! how graciously
She looketh down on him.
First Voice:
But why drives on that ship so fast, The Mariner hath been cast into a
Without or wave or wind? trance; for the angelic power causeth
POETIC FORM the vessel to drive northward faster
than human life could endure.
RL 5 Second Voice:
j Model the Skill:
The air is cut away before,
literary ballad 425 And closes from behind. j LITERARY BALLAD
To model how to analyze the dialogue in Ballads often feature dialogue,
Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high! which adds liveliness and
the ballad, create a chart on the board with conveys key information. In
Or we shall be belated:
a column for the First Voice and one for what ways does the dialogue
For slow and slow that ship will go, in lines 410429 conform to
the Second Voice. In each column, record When the Mariners trance is abated. j these conventions?
the information given and the emotion
conveyed in each stanza of the section. For 430 I woke, and we were sailing on The supernatural motion is retarded;
As in a gentle weather: the Mariner awakes, and his penance
example, for lines 410414, write that the begins anew.
First Voice asks how the ship is moving in Twas night, calm night, the Moon was high;
The dead men stood together.
a way that reveals great curiosity and even
confusion. All stood together on the deck,
Possible answer: The dialogue adds key 435 For a charnel-dungeon fitter: 435 For . . . fitter: more suitable for a
All fixed on me their stony eyes, burial vault.
information by informing the reader that
That in the Moon did glitter.
in killing the albatross, the mariner has
offended the Spirit of the South Pole, who
seeks revenge, and that the ocean itself, or 828 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism
another supernatural force, is controlling
the ships speed. The dialogue adds liveli-
NA_L12PE-u04
AM
ness by describing these exciting events and differentiated instruction
also because it takes place between two
unknown voices, adding to the poems sense for english language learners for advanced learners/ap
of mystery. Language: Comparative Forms Point out Compare Character and Setting British litera-
that more high (line 426) is not the proper ture that explores hardships and loneliness
comparative of high. Since high is a one- at sea dates back to the earliest times. Have
syllable word, the correct comparative form students review The Seafarer (page 104) or
is higher. Coleridge perhaps uses more high The Wanderer (page 108), then compare
for reasons of rhythm and also to create an and contrast the speakers experiences and
internal rhyme with fly. Ask students to find emotions to those of the ancient mariner.
a comparative in lines 430437 that reflects Invite students to share their findings in a
the more typical form. Possible answer: Fitter Comparison Matrix chart.
in line 435 is a comparative that reflects the
more typical form.
Comparison Matrix p. A24

The pang, the curse, with which they died,
Had never passed away:
440 I could not draw my eyes from theirs,
Nor turn them up to pray. tiered discussion prompts
And now this spell was snapped: once more The curse is finally expiated.
Use these prompts to help students under-
I viewed the ocean green, stand the mariners emotions on returning to
And looked far forth, yet little saw his native land in lines 464467:
445 Of what had else been seen
Analyze In what ways do the mariners
Like one that on a lonesome road emotions on leaving his native land contrast
Doth walk in fear and dread, with his emotions on returning? Possible
And having once turned round, walks on, answer: He describes the return with more
And turns no more his head; emotion, as shown by his exclamation in line
450 Because he knows a frightful fiend 450 fiend: demon. 464 and his questions in lines 465467, which
Doth close behind him tread.
suggest that he is afraid to believe his eyes.
But soon there breathed a wind on me, Evaluate In your opinion, is the contrast
Nor sound nor motion made: of the mariners emotions on departure
Its path was not upon the sea, and return effective? Does it capture the
455 In ripple or in shade. mariners transformative experience? Ex-
plain. Possible answer: The contrast is highly
It raised my hair, it fanned my cheek
Like a meadow-gale of spring effective. It shows that the mariner is excited
It mingled strangely with my fears, and intensely relieved to be home again, a
Yet it felt like a welcoming. k LITERARY BALLAD reaction that highlights the transformation
Read aloud lines 460463, he has experienced.
460 Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, identifying examples of
alliteration, or the repetition
Yet she sailed softly too: of consonant sounds at the
Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze beginning of words. What effect
On me alone it blew. k does this technique create? POETIC FORM
RL 5
O dream of joy! is this indeed And the ancient Mariner beholdeth
k Model the Skill:
The lighthouse top I see? his native country.
465 literary ballad
Is this the hill? is this the kirk?
Is this mine own countree? Possible answer: The s sound is repeated
in swiftly, sailed, softly, and sweetly; the
We drifted oer the harbor-bar, b sound is repeated in blew and breeze.
And I with sobs did pray The alliteration helps convey the ships
470 O let me be awake, my God! speed and the sweetly blowing breeze.
Or let me sleep alway.
Extend the Discussion Coleridge breaks
The harbor-bay was clear as glass, the typical ballad rhythm in lines 460
So smoothly it was strewn! and 462, opening with a stressed syllable.
And on the bay the moonlight lay, In what way does this enhance the
475 And the shadow of the Moon.
alliteration?
/2/10 9:52:59
AM 829 12/2/10 9:53:00 AM
for struggling readers

Setting a ships journey to the
Concept Support: Reading Narrative Poetry South Pole and back; time
(Time/Place)
Help students add further to the chart unspecified
introduced on page 813. After they complete ancient mariner, ships crew,
Characters
the first three rows, work as a group to list Wedding-Guest, Life-in-
important plot events and identify the major Death, Death, Polar Spirit,
conflict. Refer students to the Plot Diagram other spirits
introduced on page 825 for guidance. Then Point of View third-person narrator for
help students explore possible themes to list frame story; first-person
on their charts, such as the power of guilt narrator, the ancient mari-
and the possibility of redemption. ner

The rock shone bright, the kirk no less
That stands above the rock:
The moonlight steeped in silentness
background The steady weathercock. 479 weathercock: weathervane.
Lowland Scots Dialect The word kirk (line 476) 480 And the bay was white with silent light
is an alternate form of church, with k sounds Till rising from the same,
instead of ch sounds. Used in Middle English, Full many shapes, that shadows were, The angelic spirits leave the dead
In crimson colors came. bodies,
kirk is still used in Lowland Scots, a dialect of
English spoken in southern Scotland. Scots
A little distance from the prow And appear in their own forms
terms frequently appear in the folk ballads of light.
485 Those crimson shadows were:
that Coleridge is imitating, well-known ver- I turned my eyes upon the deck
sions of which often come from the border O Christ! what saw I there!
area between England and Scotland.
Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat,
Seraphim In biblical tradition, seraphim
And, by the holy rood! 489 the holy rood (rLd): the cross
which Coleridge references with seraph-man 490 A man all light, a seraph-man, on which Christ was crucified.
(line 490) and seraph-band (line 492)are On every corse there stood. 490 seraph (sDrPEf) man: angel.
supernatural creatures that indicate the
presence of God. As described in chapter 6 This seraph-band, each waved his hand:
of the biblical book of Isaiah, each one of the It was a heavenly sight!
seraphim has six wings: two for flying, two They stood as signals to the land,
495 Each one a lovely light;
for covering the face, and two for covering
the feet. The word seraphim uses the Hebrew This seraph-band, each waved his hand,
plural ending im instead of s, and derives from No voice did they impart
a Hebrew word meaning to burn. Thus, bibli- No voice; but O, the silence sank
cal scholars have proposed that seraphim were Like music on my heart.
burning or flaming angels, which could create
500 But soon I heard the dash of oars,
the lovely light referred to in line 495.
I heard the Pilots cheer;
My head was turned perforce away, 502 perforce: of necessity.
And I saw a boat appear.
The Pilot and the Pilots boy,

505 I heard them coming fast:
Dear Lord in Heaven! it was a joy
The dead men could not blast. 507 blast: destroy.
NA_L12PE-u04s23-RimeM.indd 830 12/2/10 9:53:00 AM

NA_L12PE-u04
for advanced learners/ap contributions to The Rime of the Ancient
Analyze Collaboration [small-group option] Mariner. Suggest a keyword search of
Wordsworth contributed in several ways to Wordsworth Rime of Ancient Mariner and
Coleridges poem. He apparently introduced a reading of Wordworths notes for his poem
some background information from Captain We Are Seven, in which he reflects on his
George Shelvocks Voyage Round the World role in writing Coleridges poem. Then have
by the Way of the Great South Sea (1726), groups present their findings to the class.
which recounts a circumnavigation of the
globe. He also contributed two or three lines
to the poem. Ask small groups to use print or
online references to learn about Wordsworths

I saw a thirdI heard his voice:
It is the Hermit good!
510 He singeth loud his godly hymns
That he makes in the wood. revisit the big question
Hell shrieve my soul, hell wash away 512 shrieve (shrCv): absolve from
The Albatrosss blood. sin; pardon. How can GUILT enslave us?
Discuss Read lines 508513. What does the
P a r t V II mariner mean when he says that the hermit
This hermit good lives in that wood The Hermit of the Wood will wash away / The Albatrosss blood? In
515 Which slopes down to the sea. what way does the mariner think this will
How loudly his sweet voice he rears! L4 affect his guilt? Possible answer: The mariner
He loves to talk with marineres
That come from a far countree. Language Coach means that the hermit will absolve him of guilt
Multiple Meanings The verb for killing the bird.
rears can mean brings up
He kneels at morn, and noon, and eve (children, for example); rises
520 He hath a cushion plump. up (in anger, for example);
It is the moss that wholly hides or simply raises. What does background
The rotted old oak-stump. it mean in line 516? Hint:
Rearrange this line as How
The Hermit in Romantic Literature Romantic
loudly he rears his sweet voice! writers, such as Coleridge and Wordsworth,
The skiff-boat neared: I heard them talk,
idealized hermits and vagrant dwellers for
Why, this is strange, I trow! 524 trow: believe.
525 Where are those lights so many and fair, choosing a solitary life in nature and rejecting
That signal made but now? society. References to hermits can be found
in this poem (line 509) and in Wordsworths
Strange, by my faith! the Hermit said Approacheth the ship with wonder. Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern
And they answered not our cheer! Abbey (page 800, lines 2022).
The planks look warped! and see those sails,
530 How thin they are and sere! Shrieve The word shrieve, defined in the
I never saw aught like to them, note for line 512, derives from the Latin word
Unless perchance it were scribere, to write. Priests often wrote down
Brown skeletons of leaves that lag religious penances for the guilty person to
My forest-brook along; follow. Many Christian religious terms were
535 When the ivy-tod is heavy with snow, 535 tod: clump.
borrowed from Latin, the language of the
And the owlet whoops to the wolf below,
That cats the she-wolf s young. medieval church. The word appears today in
its past-tense form in Shrove Tuesday, the day
Dear Lord! it hath a fiendish look before the beginning of Lent (also celebrated
(The Pilot made reply) as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras).
540 I am a-feard.Push on, push on!
Said the Hermit cheerily.
/2/10 9:53:00 AM
NA_L12PE-u04s23-RimeM.indd 831 12/17/10 9:43:16 AM
for english language learners verb, for instanceby looking at the words
context. Point out the multiple-meaning
Language Coach L4 words in lines 521 (hides), 525 (fair), and 533
Multiple Meanings (leaves). Then encourage students to de-
Possible answer: Brings up, as in children, termine each words meaning by looking
makes no sense; he rises up his sweet voice at its context. Possible answers: Hides here
does not make sense, but he raises his sweet means to conceal, not animal skins;
voice does. Rears must mean raises. fair in this instance means beautiful and
Explain to students that in some cases they not a carnival; leaves here refers to the
can figure out the meaning of a multiple- leaves that fall off of trees, not pages in a
meaning wordwhether it is a noun or book or to go away.
NA_L12TE-u04s07-marinerin.indd 831 1/16/11 7:36:19 AM

The boat came closer to the ship,
But I nor spake nor stirred;
The boat came close beneath the ship,
Analyze Visuals 545 And straight a sound was heard.
Activity Ask students to describe the events Under the water it rumbled on The ship suddenly sinketh.
portrayed in the illustration, citing relevant Still louder and more dread:
lines from the poem. Possible answer: The It reached the ship, it split the bay;
illustration shows the approach of the Hermits The ship went down like lead.
skiff to the mariners boat (line 542). It also
550 Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound,
illustrates the events in lines 548549, when Which sky and ocean smote, 551 smote: struck.
the bay is split and the mariners ship begins Like one that hath been seven days drowned The ancient Mariner is saved
to founder. My body lay afloat; in the Pilots boat.
But swift as dreams, myself I found

555 Within the Pilots boat.
tiered discussion prompts Upon the whirl, where sank the ship,
Use these prompts to help students un- The boat spun round and round;
And all was still, save that the hill
derstand the mariners final rescue in lines
Was telling of the sound. 559 telling of: echoing.
542559:
Summarize Where is the mariner? Who
is approaching him, and why? Possible
answer: The mariner is in the harbor. A pilot
is approaching in a small boat to steer the
mariners ship into port.
Interpret What happens to the mariner and
his ship as the pilots boat approaches? Pos-
sible answer: A loud sound roars, the water in
the bay splits, and the ship sinks into the hole.
The mariner is swept into the pilots boat and
survives.
Synthesize In what way will the destruc-
tion of the ship make arriving home easier
for the mariner? In what way might it help
tie up loose plot threads and enhance the
impact of his ending? Possible answer: If
the ship did not sink, the mariner would have
to explain the dead crew. The destruction
of the ship allows Coleridge to focus on the
mariners inner state, thus intensifying the
emotional impact.
832

NA_L12PE-u04
AM
for english language learners Ask students to apply the process to these
Vocabulary: Multiple-Meaning Words Us- words: still (line 558), quiet or yet; save
ing the word lead (line 549), model the use (line 558), to rescue or but; fit (line 561),
of context clues to determine the correct to be the right size or a sharp attack or
meaning of a word with multiple meanings. seizure; frame (line 578), the wood around
Point out first that lead can be pronounced a picture or the human body. Answer: In
with a short or long e. Then provide these the poems context, still means quiet, save
definitions: a heavy metal or to show the means but, fit means a sharp attack or
way. Explain that clues such as the usage seizure, and frame means the human body.
as a noun and the comparison to a heavy
ship sinking suggest the first definition.

560 I moved my lipsthe Pilot shrieked
And fell down in a fit;
The holy Hermit raised his eyes,
And prayed where he did sit. background
I took the oars: the Pilots boy, Port Pilots The captain and crew of a ship can-
565 Who now doth crazy go, not be expected to know the ins and outs of a
Laughed loud and long, and all the while large port, especially since the port configura-
His eyes went to and fro. tion changes as other ships enter and leave.
Ha! ha! quoth he, full plain I see Thus, when a ship approaches a port, an em-
The Devil knows how to row.
l LITERARY BALLAD
ployee called a pilot often comes out in a small
570 And now, all in my own countree, Identify several examples boat, boards the ship, and steers it safely into
of archaic language in lines
I stood on the firm land! port. In Coleridges poem, that pilot brings his
564573. What effect do
The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, these antiquated expressions son and the holy Hermit with him.
And scarcely he could stand. l help to create?
O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!

575 The Hermit crossed his brow. 575 crossed his brow: made the sign
POETIC FORM
Say quick, quoth he, I bid thee say of the cross on his forehead. RL 5
The ancient Mariner earnestly
l Model the Skill:
What manner of man art thou?
entreateth the Hermit to shrieve him;
and the penance of life falls on him.
literary ballad
Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched Possible answer: Examples of archaic
With a woeful agony, language include doth, to and fro, quoth,
580 Which forced me to begin my tale;
And then it left me free.
countree, and forth. The use of archaic
language makes the poem seem older, if
Since then, at an uncertain hour, And ever and anon throughout his not timeless. It helps give this literary
That agony returns: future life an agony constraineth ballad the feeling of a folk ballad.
him to travel from land to land;
And till my ghastly tale is told,
585 This heart within me burns.
I pass, like night, from land to land; revisit the big question
I have strange power of speech;
That moment that his face I see, How can GUILT enslave us?
I know the man that must hear me: Discuss What happens to the mariners
590 To him my tale I teach. agonized feelings of guilt when he retells the
tale in lines 578590? Possible answer: The
What loud uproar bursts from that door!
The wedding-guests are there: mariners feelings of guilt are relieved when he
But in the garden-bower the bride retells his tale. He feels absolved.
And bride-maids singing are:
595 And hark, the little vesper bell,
Which biddeth me to prayer!
/2/10 9:53:02
AM 833 12/2/10 9:53:06 AM
for struggling readers for advanced learners/ap Example of similarities: a plot involving an
Concept Support: Reading Narrative Poetry Analyze Literary Parallels Some critics see exciting adventure; a sea setting; character who
Ask students to reread lines 586590 and parallels between Coleridges poem and Her- is the sole survivor of a journey; a first-person
explain the way the mariner chooses his audi- man Melvilles Moby Dick. Ask students famil- narrator; theme involving human attacks on
ence for each retelling of his tale. Then point iar with Moby Dick to summarize that novel. nature and God
out the transition from main story to frame Then challenge groups to consider similarities Example of differences: Character: In Moby Dick,
story that occurs in lines 591. Ask students and differences between the two works, using Ahab is motivated by revenge, while the mariner
what character they expect to reappear in the the narrative elements listed on page 813 as lacks clear motive for killing the albatross. Plot:
remaining lines of the poem. Possible answer: a guide. Have groups share and explain In Moby Dick, a character dies trying to kill the
The Wedding-Guest will reappear. their results. whale and Ahab does not repent, while the mari-
ner recognizes his crime and seeks absolution.

O Wedding-Guest! this soul hath been
Language Coach
Alone on a wide, wide sea:
Oral Fluency Coleridge
So lonely twas, that God Himself sometimes uses contractions
600 Scarce seemd there to be. to make a line fit the ballad
meter, or rhythm. Reread lines
O sweeter than the marriage-feast, 597-600 aloud. In line 599, it
R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y was becomes twas. How does
Tis sweeter far to me,
RL 3 he alter a word in line 600 to
m Model the Skill: To walk together to the kirk complete the meter of that line?
narrative poetry With a goodly company!
To model how to recognize a thematic 605 To walk together to the kirk,

statement for such a long ballad, explain And all together pray,
that poets and authors often place im- While each to his great Father bends, 607 his great Father: God.
portant information such as instructions Old men, and babes, and loving friends,
And youths and maidens gay!
near the end of a piece so that the reader
is more likely to remember it. In this case, 610 Farewell, farewell! but this I tell And to teach, by his own example,
both the mariner and Coleridge make an To thee, thou Wedding-Guest! love and reverence to all things that
God made and loveth.
important, instructional statement at the He prayeth well, who loveth well
end of the tale. Remind students that a Both man and bird and beast.
thematic statement is a general statement
He prayeth best, who loveth best
about life, such as Friendship is worth m NARRATIVE POETRY
615 All things both great and small; Express in your own words the
fighting for. For the dear God who loveth us, thematic statement in lines
Possible answer: The poems thematic He made and loveth all. m 612617.
statement is A person who loves and
respects all creatures is at one with God. The Mariner, whose eye is bright,
Whose beard with age is hoar, 619 hoar: gray.
620 Is gone: and now the Wedding-Guest
Turned from the bridegrooms door.
selection wrapup He went like one that hath been stunned,

And is of sense forlorn:
READ WITH A PURPOSE Now that students A sadder and a wiser man
have finished reading the ballad, ask them to 625 He rose the morrow morn.
describe the changes that the Wedding-Guest
experiences during the telling of the tale. Ask
students to explain whether the guest has
learned a lesson from the mariner. Possible
answers: At first, the Wedding-Guest doesnt
want anything to do with the mariner, but he
is soon under the mariners thrall. At one point,
the guest fears that the mariner is a ghost,
and at the end of the story he is stunned and
wise as a result of the tale. Students may say
that the guests mood at the end of the ballad
indicates that he has learned a lesson from the
mariners tale; other students may say that the
guest, while affected, can never truly learn a NA_L12PE-u04s23-RimeM.indd 834 12/2/10 9:53:07 AM
NA_L12PE-u04
lesson unless he experiences the events himself. differentiated instruction
CRITIQUE Ask students whether they find

for english language learners for advanced learners/ap
Evaluate Note that critics compare the
the mariners transformation and redemption Language Coach
believable. Why or why not? mariner to Cain from the Bible, who jealously
Oral Fluency Possible answer: He puts
killed his brother Abel and was punished with
an accent mark over the -ed in seemed so
perpetual exile. Have partners evaluate the
the reader knows to pronounce it /sCmQEd/
comparison. Possible answer: Like Cain, the
instead of /sCmd/. Ask students to read the
mariner kills an innocent being and is exiled as
lines without the contraction or the accent.
punishment. Some students may say that the
Then, ask them to explain what effect
comparison does not work because fratricide is
these devices have on the lines. Possible
worse than killing a bird.
answer: Without the contraction or accent,
the lines dont have the right rhythm; with
834 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism them the lines sound like part of a song.

After Reading
Practice and Apply
Comprehension
1. Recall In what ways does the albatrosss arrival seem to affect the ships RL 3 Analyze the impact of the For preliminary support of post-reading ques-
authors choices regarding how
voyage? to develop and relate elements tions, use these copy masters:
of a story. RL 5 Analyze how
2. Summarize What happens to the rest of the crew after the Mariner kills an authors choices concerning
how to structure specific parts
RESOURCE MANAGERCopy Masters
the albatross?
of a text contribute to its overall Reading Check p. 89
structure and meaning as well as
3. Clarify Why does the albatross eventually fall from the Mariners neck? its aesthetic impact. Literary Ballad p. 85
4. Clarify Why must the Mariner continue to tell his tale? Question Support p. 90
Additional selection questions are
Text Analysis provided for teachers on page 79.
5. Understand Narrative Poetry Like short stories and novels, narrative
poems often focus on characters who undergo major changes. Identify the
character traits the Mariner exhibits early on in the poem. In what ways answers RL 3, RL 5
does he grow and change as the plot unfolds? Review the chart you created
as you read to help you respond. 1. When the albatross appears, the ice splits so
that the ship can move forward, and a good
6. Make Inferences What are the consequences of the Mariners being won
by Life-in-Death (lines 190198) rather than by Death? wind appears, hastening its progress.
7. Identify Symbol In literature, a symbol is a person, place, object, or activity 2. Every crew member dies a painful death.
that represents something beyond itself. What symbolic meaning might 3. The albatross falls from the mariners neck
the albatross have in the poem? Cite evidence to support your answer. when he shows love for Gods creatures.
8. Make Judgments Do you think that the punishment the Mariner 4. The mariner must tell his tale as penance
experiences fits his crime? Explain your thoughts.
for his crimes and to dispel his acute agony.
9. Interpret Theme What overall message, or theme, about guilt does the
Possible answers:
poem convey? Offer evidence to support your ideas.
10. Analyze Literary Ballad Review the conventions of the ballad form listed
5. common core focus Reading Nar-
on page 217. Identify the characteristics of the traditional ballad that are rative Poetry The mariner at first has little
present in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. What qualities distinguish respect for Gods creatures. After his crew-
this poem from traditional ballads? Give examples to support your mates die, he feels guilt but is an outcast from
observations. Gods community. In the end, he becomes a
compassionate person, showing love for Gods
Text Criticism creatures.
11. Critical Interpretations Decades after the publication of The Rime of the
6. He must witness the horrible deaths of his
Ancient Mariner, Coleridge observed that it had too much of a moral for
a work of pure imagination. Do you agree or disagree with this view?
crewmates and is denied the release from
Cite evidence from the poem to support your opinion. suffering that they find.
How can guilt enslave us?

Guilt is a feeling of self-reproach and self-condemnation that can dominate
our thoughts. What are some ways people try to escape from guilt?
Assess and Reteach
Assess
the rime of the ancient mariner 835 DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTS
Selection Test A pp. 233234
Selection Test B/C pp. 235236
/2/10 9:53:07 7. At first,835the bird symbolizes hope and sal-
NA_L12PE-u04s23-arRimeM.indd
AM and strong rhyme and rhythm. Its length,1/13/11 11:46:05 AM
Interactive Selection Test on thinkcentral.com
vation; as a dead weight, guilt and despair; symbols, philosophical themes, poetic
at the end, nature or Gods creation. language, and intentional archaisms Reteach
8. Some students may find the punishment distinguish it from traditional ballads. Level Up Online Tutorials on thinkcentral.com
justified, while others may find it too severe. 11. Students may say that the moral should
have been conveyed more subtly. Others Reteaching Worksheets on thinkcentral.com
Students should support their responses.
may say it adds philosophical depth. Literature Lesson 12: Ballad
9. Guilt can enslave a person and overcome
Literature Lesson 16: Narrative vs.
his or her faith. Release from guilt comes
How can GUILT enslave us? Lyric Poetry
only when a person seeks redemption.
Ask students to discuss the question and Literature Lesson 21: Alliteration,
10. common core focus Literary Ballad Assonance, and Consonance
identify ways literary or film characters
The poem reflects ballad style in its Literature Lesson 22: Onomatopoeia
sensational content, dialogue, repetition, have tried to escape guilt.
Literature Lesson 41: Dialogue and Dialect
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Rime of Ancient Mariner Text

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Rime of Ancient Mariner Text

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The Lake Poets

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

* Resources for Differentiation Also in Spanish In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese

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Plot and Major Conflict:

the rime of the ancient mariner 813

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read with a purpose Part I

814 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism

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tiered discussion prompts

the rime of the ancient mariner 815

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R E A D I N G STR ATEG Y Higher and higher every day,

narrative poetry For he heard the loud bassoon.

read aloud lines 4150 and point out the

background And now there came both mist and snow,

eitherit reflects the very loud noise that

816 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism

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for english language learners for struggling readers

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Why lookst thou so?With my crossbow

And we did speak only to break

All in a hot and copper sky,

818 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism

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the rime of the ancient mariner 819

for struggling readers for advanced learners/ap

the rime of the ancient mariner 819

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sun (line 176), and uses an image of prison to

some images. Rested the broad, bright Sun;

Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)

820 unit 4: the flowering of romanticism

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820 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism

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About the Art This illustration by Gustave

With far-heard whisper, oer the sea,

the rime of the ancient mariner 821

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mariner feels isolated and agonized.

230 Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest!

The many men, so beautiful! He despiseth the creatures of the

And a thousand thousand slimy things

and 230231. Point out that all of the mari-

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I looked upon the rotting deck,

And nowhere did abide;

the rime of the ancient mariner 823

the rime of the ancient mariner 823

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BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTransparency differentiated instruction

824 unit 4 : the flowering of romanticism

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the rime of the ancient mariner 825

for struggling readers for advanced learners/ap

and enter the poems world. Ask students if

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITTransparency

Resolution in this poem. Have students cite details that

help them to either accept or reject what

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