“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner;” Nature verses Humanity In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the mariner sets himself apart from humanity. After killing the albatross, his mindset becomes the ultimate paradox to the rest of humanity’s mindset. Humanity may not view the choice to murder the albatross as detrimental; however, the mariner discovers the error of his decision through the consequences he experiences. Throughout the poem, the tone of the ancient mariner’s thoughts separate him from those around him. After realizing the importance of loving “… both man and bird and beast” (ln. 613), the mariner must share his knowledge with others and try to help humanity overcome its unnatural mindset, one person at a time. After killing the albatross, the mariner encounters spirits and beasts associated with nature. For example, the polar spirit moves the ship when there is no wind, two daemons of the polar spirit talk amongst themselves about the mariner’s crime while the polar spirit moves the ship at an unnatural speed, and the mariner blesses the water-snakes in his heart. …show more content…
While telling the wedding-guest his story, the ancient mariner introduces the hermit who has a major impact on his tale. Regarded as a holy man in the story, the hermit is a metaphor for Christianity in the poem. The hermit, pilot, and the pilot’s son all meet the mariner at his ship and save him before it sinks. When the mariner sees the holy man he cries “O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man” (ln. 574)! The hermit is not capable of absolving the mariner of his sin because the mariner is no longer a spiritual man, but a natural man