ipl-logo

Allusions In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

445 Words2 Pages

If readers understand the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, as an allusion in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, then they can gain a deeper understanding of what Robert Walton feels and they can determine the meaning behind his actions. In Coleridge’s poem, the Ancient Mariner is in a dire situation, and believes that shooting an albatross will save him in the lines “With my cross-bow/I shot the ALBATROSS.” (Coleridge 1) This impacts the Mariner because it leaves a curse on him. However, the curse is soon lifted off of him when he prays to God. Unfortunately, the curse still stays with the Mariner. This is found in the lines, “The pang, the Curse, with which they died,/ Had never passed away:/ I could not draw my eyes from theirs,/ Nor turn them up to pray.” (Coleridge 6) In Letter Two of Frankenstein, Robert Walton writes his sister saying, “...but I shall kill no albatross; therefore do not be alarmed for my …show more content…

By learning from the Mariner’s faults, Robert believes that he will stay strong for his crew. Without the knowledge of the Ancient Mariner’s story, the reader would not be given an insight into Robert’s confidence in himself as a strong leader. Yet, if Robert fails to be a strong leader on his journey, like he said he would, the reader will be lead to believe that Robert is an unreliable narrator. Therefore, Robert, who also feels he suffers from isolation, represents a Gothic

Open Document