One of
Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s most famous poems is “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
This poem is very fascinating to me because initially, it “was not well received, and it was some time before this
story… was recognized as among the greatest ballads in English” (Krueger). A
very large part of Coleridge’s fame can be contributed to this poem, which is
why I find it very odd that people did not see how remarkable the poem was from
the very start. The reason that it was not well received could possibly be due
to the harsh storyline. The poem tells a story of an ancient mariner who shoots
an albatross, which completely goes against all the laws of hospitality, and
there is no reasonable excuse given as to why the mariner committed this act
other than pure evil and contempt. The tale actually relates to the story of
Cain and Abel in the fact that it is a story of sin and penance in man.
However, the story soon became very popular once readers saw how masterfully
crafted the poem was. Coleridge’s brilliance was revealed after the public saw
the incredible language, striking imagery, and deep and complex symbolism
incorporated into the work. It is fascinating to me that a piece of writing
that has been deemed so brilliantly written could have been completely looked
over at the beginning. Coleridge’s writing focuses on very strange and complex ideas,
but he executes the details of the writing with absolute perfection.
Krueger, Christine, ed. "Coleridge, Samuel Taylor." Encyclopedia of British Writers, 19th Century, vol. 1. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
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