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Jackson Hopper

February 19, 2021

ENG-242-Z91

William Wordsworth’s 1798 work “Lyrical Ballads” completely altered the course of

literature by giving birth to the artistic style of Romanticism. This compilation of poetry was the

first to adhere strictly to the principles of Romanticism, which was a foreign concept to readers

before it was outlined in the preface of the book. Wordsworth’s “Preface to Lyrical Ballads”

served an enormous role in the birth and development of Romanticism because in the essay,

Wordsworth outlines the basis of the artistic style while simultaneously explaining his reasoning

for writing in the style. Additionally, Wordsworth mentions that some of the poems included in

“Lyrical Ballads” were not written by himself. The poems not written by Wordsworth were

written by his friend and colleague Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who had an equally large impact

on the Romantic style. One of the poems written by Coleridge and included in “Lyrical Ballads”

is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” which truly embodies the principals of Romanticism.

Some of the elements include appreciation of nature, acceptance of emotion, and the importance

of a connection to the spiritual and supernatural; all of these principles are embodied in

Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

A staple of the Romantic style is the glorification of nature. Many Romantic works

demonstrate a unity between man and nature, which contrasts the beliefs of the Enlightenment

period. In Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” the Mariner does not have this

appreciation for nature until later in the poem. The Mariner’s relationship with nature at the

beginning of the poem is one of ignorance, which leads to feelings of hatred and disgust. In Part

II of the poem the Mariner calls the creatures of the sea “slimy things,” showing his disgust for
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them (Coleridge, line 126). This disgust stems from his ignorance, or put simply the Mariner

does not appreciate nature because he does not understand it. The Romantic period views nature

as something that should not be controlled by man, and men should instead grow a meaningful

connection with nature. When the Mariner begins his voyage, he is opposed to nature. Because

of this, he is met with opposition from nature, namely storms and the danger of the sea. The

Mariner attempts to except control over nature by killing the Albatross, and is met with the

consequences of the still, the death of his crew, and the possession of his life by the entity Life-

in-death. It is only when the Mariner gains understanding and appreciation for nature that he is

forgiven for his transgressions. This shift in the Mariner’s view of nature is illustrated in this

quote from Part IV: “O happy living things! no tongue / Their beauty might declare: / A spring of

love gushed from my heart, / And I blessed them unaware” (Coleridge, lines 282-285). The

Mariner understands that nature is a creation of God, and to not love nature is equivalent to not

loving God. Because of his reconciliation, the Mariner receives help from the ghosts of his crew

and is returned to the mainland.

In Wordsworth’s “Preface to Lyrical Ballads,” he states that “all good poetry is the

spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (306). Wordsworth was a proponent of emotional

acceptance and believed that the poet must understand and accept their emotions in order to

project it onto a character, which poets often did. This theme of emotional acceptance was

present in all of Romantic poetry, and is especially present in “The Rime of the Ancient

Mariner.” The emotional aspect of the poem coincides with its use of nature, specifically the

Mariner’s emotions towards nature. The Mariner was ignorant when he shot the Albatross. As

the Mariner grows more aware of nature, he becomes increasingly guilty from what he has done.

This is embodied by the dead Albatross hung around the Mariner’s neck by the crew. It is only
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when the Mariner accepts the beauty of nature, and therefore the weight of attempting to control

it through killing the Albatross, that his guilt is relieved and the Albatross falls off of his neck.

The Albatross sinks into the ocean, which symbolizes God accepting the guilt of the Mariner.

Guilt and the forgiveness of guilt play a massive part in this poem; although the Mariner also

deals with emotions including hatred, loneliness, despair, and love. The presence and importance

of these emotions in the poem solidify its position in the Romantic style.

Finally, Romanticism often deals with the spiritual or supernatural. Coleridge’s “The

Rime of the Ancient Mariner” uses both of these elements almost interchangeably. The largest

way is in the Mariner’s relationship with nature. The Mariner gains a very spiritual relationship

with nature by the end of the poem, realizing its connection to God. In part VII of the poem, the

Mariner says to the wedding guest “He prayeth best, who loveth best / All things both great and

small; / For the dear God who loveth us, / He made and loveth all” (Coleridge, lines 614-617).

This quote displays the spiritual growth of the Mariner throughout the poem, which coincides

with his appreciation for nature. The quote demonstrates the Mariner’s discovery of the

importance of love in prayer, a discovery that has healed his spirit. Elements of the supernatural

present in the poem include the entities Death and Life-in-death, as well as the resurrected crew

members. All of these elements are characteristics of romanticism.

Romanticism is an artistic style that uses specific elements in order to achieve a

characteristic style. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a culmination of these characteristics,

and the resulting poem is a microcosm of the Romantic style. Elements of Romanticism used in

the poem include the appreciation of nature, acceptance of emotion, and the importance of a

connection to the spiritual and supernatural. The poem displays all of these elements in a tasteful
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way, and serves as an accurate representation of Coleridge and Wordsworth’s vision of

Romanticism.
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Works Cited:

Coleridge, Samuel. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” Lyrical Ballads, 1798.

Wordsworth, William. Preface to Lyrical Ballads. 1801.