Samuel Taylor Coleridge makes many religious references to Christianity in his epic poem The Rime of The Ancient

Marnier. In The Rime of The Ancient Marnier Coleridge uses many religious symbols such as the albatross. The albatross is very powerful symbol in The Rime of The Ancient Marnier, although the albatross can been as a symbol of luck, the albatross can also be seen as an ill omen and a sign of doom. The albatross can also be related to the theme of the purging of sins. The albatross is a symbol that relates to the themes of Christianity and the purging on sins. There are many examples in the poem that relate the albatross to Christianity. One example of the albatross relating to the theme of Christianity is when at length did cross an albatross. Thorough the fog it came; As if it had been a Christian soul, We hailed it in Gods name. The albatross in this part of the poem is revered by the crew and the Mariner because during the middle of a storm an albatross emerges. This emergence can be related to Christianity because it seems to be assign from god. This is proven even further because after the albatross arrives the crew and Mariner hail it in Gods name. Another example of how the albatross relates to Christianity is when the albatross is hung about the Mariners neck replacing a traditional Christian cross. The albatross not only relates to the theme of Christianity but also relates to the theme of the purging of sins. To understand how the albatross relates to theme of the purging of sins one must first understand what the purging of sins is. Purging can be defined as the removal or removing. A sin can be defined as an act that violates a known moral rule. Therefore the purging of sins means the removal of a violation of a known moral rule. The Mariner commits his sin when out of the frustrations of bad weather he shoots the albatross. After the albatross dies the crew justifies the killing by saying Twas right, such birds to slay, that bring the fog and mist. After the Marnier commits his sin, the crew begins experiencing horrible events, such as

snakes appearing in the water and fire on the water, resembling the Christian Hell is ways. The crew then hangs the albatross on the Mariners neck as punishment, as a burden for what he has brought upon the crew. Later in the poem the Mariner, does a good deed by praying for snakes and feeling love for the snakes. Once the Mariner realizes that God made all creatures beautiful, the albatross drops from his neck. The albatross dropping from the Mariners neck can been seen as the purging of his sin of killing the albatross. It can be seen that the Mariner did good and therefore relieved himself of his sin. The albatross plays different symbols in the poem. The albatross takes on the symbols of doom and luck. At the beginning of the play the Albatross can been seen as a symbol of luck and a symbol of doom at the same time. The crew is shrouded by a storm, and out emerges the albatross as a sign of luck. A sign that shows the crew and the Mariner that they should keep their hopes up, because this is a sign from god. Although the albatross represents a sign of god and the crew and Mariner praise it, the albatross also brings bad a shroud of mist and fog. This shows that even though the albatross is a symbol of luck and a sign of god, it still brought about the fog and was a symbol of doom for the crew because they could not see anything. After the albatross is killed by the Mariner, the crew goes through many ill omens such as snakes, fire on the water, and thirst. The albatrosss death ultimately beings about Life-in-Death. Life-in-Death who killed the entire crew of 200 men. Therefore the albatross can been seen as a symbol for doom. However the albatross can also be seen as another symbol of luck. The albatross tied around the Mariners neck as punishment can be seen as a good thing because through such punishment the Marnier learned his lesson. The mariner is able to learn that all of gods creatures are made beautiful thanks to the albatrosss death and all of the events that followed.

The albatross is a symbol used by Coleridge to represent many different things. The representations that the albatross brings about is luck and doom. The albatross also relates to the theme of Christianity. The albatross seems to be a symbol of god, but at the same time brings fog, which ultimately brings the Mariner to killing the albatross. Coleridge also uses the albatross as a symbol that relates to the purging of sins. The Mariner is burdened with his sin of killing the albatross by hanging it hung on his neck. Once the Mariner understands that God made all creatures beautiful the Albatross drops from his neck purging his sin. The albatross is ultimately a multipurpose symbol that represents many different things.