Skip to main content

What mood does Shelley create by alluding to "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"?

By alluding to this famous poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Mary Shelley creates a mood of foreboding, but ultimately it is optimistic. Early on, Captain Walton writes to his sister, saying,


"I am going to unexplored regions, to 'the land of mist and snow;' but I shall kill no albatross, therefore do not be alarmed for my safety."


"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" tells the story of an old sailor who, on a long...

By alluding to this famous poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Mary Shelley creates a mood of foreboding, but ultimately it is optimistic. Early on, Captain Walton writes to his sister, saying,



"I am going to unexplored regions, to 'the land of mist and snow;' but I shall kill no albatross, therefore do not be alarmed for my safety."



"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" tells the story of an old sailor who, on a long voyage, killed an albatross and brought down a curse upon himself and the crew of his ship.  He tells the story of his misfortune to whomever needs to hear it and learn from it in order to avoid tragedy in their own life. Once Victor is introduced and he begins to tell his tragic story, one that he brought upon himself just as the mariner did, it begins to seem as though hearing Victor's story may prove efficacious for Walton if and when he must make a decision to avert potential tragedy.  This is what happens in the end, when Walton makes the difficult decision to return home at his crew's request rather than risk their lives for the sake of his own pride.  Although he sees this as a tragedy for him, Walton has clearly learned from both the mariner and Victor's stories, and this is a positive thing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some external and internal conflicts that Montag has in Fahrenheit 451?

 Montag, the protagonist of Fahrenheit 451, faces both external and internal conflicts throughout the novel. Some examples of these conflicts are: External Conflicts: Conflict with the society: Montag lives in a society that prohibits books and critical thinking. He faces opposition from the government and the people who enforce this law. Montag struggles to come to terms with the fact that his society is based on censorship and control. Conflict with his wife: Montag's wife, Mildred, is completely absorbed in the shallow and meaningless entertainment provided by the government. Montag's growing dissatisfaction with his marriage adds to his external conflict. Conflict with the fire captain: Montag's superior, Captain Beatty, is the personification of the oppressive regime that Montag is fighting against. Montag's struggle against Beatty represents his external conflict with the government. Internal Conflicts: Conflict with his own beliefs: Montag, at the beginning of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

In A People's History of the United States, why does Howard Zinn feel that Wilson made a flimsy argument for entering World War I?

"War is the health of the state," the radical writer Randolph Bourne said, in the midst of the First World War. Indeed, as the nations of Europe went to war in 1914, the governments flourished, patriotism bloomed, class struggle was stilled, and young men died in frightful numbers on the battlefields-often for a hundred yards of land, a line of trenches. -- Chapter 14, Page 350, A People's History of the United States Howard Zinn outlines his arguments for why World War I was fought in the opening paragraph of Chapter 14 (referenced above). The nationalism that was created by the Great War benefited the elite political and financial leadership of the various countries involved. Socialism, which was gaining momentum in Europe, as was class struggle, took a backseat to mobilizing for war. Zinn believes that World War I was fought for the gain of the industrial capitalists of Europe in a competition for capital and resources. He states that humanity itself was punished by t...
Post a Comment
Read more