Coleridge, though significantly influenced by William Wordsworth and the pantheist tradition, carved his own path by emphasizing love as the wellspring of inspiration for life and poetry, diverging from Wordsworth’s nature-centric approach. Rooted in Christ's teaching that love is paramount, Coleridge crafts a narrative underscoring love's vital role not only for the soul but for maintaining harmony among all living beings.

The narrative centers on the thoughtless shooting of an albatross, a bird that initially followed the ship, drawn by the crew's initial kindness. This moment evolves into a compelling parable about righteous conduct. Once the sailors' hospitality and basic decency toward the albatross wane, they suffer immensely; their tongues blacken, and the sea around them mirrors this rottenness.

Faced with anger and fear, the crew fails to recognize their shared guilt, opting instead to hang the albatross around the Mariner’s neck, marking him as the sole bearer of their collective sin. Their refusal to acknowledge their part in the wrongdoing leads to their demise, while the Mariner, the one who mercilessly killed the bird, is condemned to live, echoing the fate of the Wandering Jew who denied Christ a mere cup of water.

At first, the Mariner fails to grasp his own culpability, choosing instead to lament, “And never a saint took pity on/ My soul in agony.” His refusal to accept responsibility keeps him mired in guilt, haunted by the souls of his deceased crewmates and a self-image as one of the "slimy things" that persist. It is only when he experiences a profound love for the beauty of the sea snakes that he begins to shed this "wicked whisper" of despair and blame, finally able to pray and move toward redemption. His path to atonement involves retelling his tale to others, imparting the lesson:

He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.

In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Coleridge explores humanity's relationship with the natural world. He makes it evident that the mariner faces severe repercussions for killing the albatross. More broadly, it is not just the act of killing the bird that is problematic, but rather the mariner's—and by extension, humanity's—indifferent and destructive attitude towards nature that is at fault. Coleridge aims to scrutinize this relationship and situate it within a larger philosophical framework. If readers comprehend the lesson the ancient mariner learns from his ordeal, there are significant social implications.

While the mariner's killing of the albatross, the horrifying deaths of his crewmates, and the grotesque depictions of supernatural spirits are unsettling, these elements serve to advance the narrative. They highlight how the mariner's destructive action isolates him and vividly depict the consequences of his deed and the terrifying, repugnant world he inhabits as a result. The consequences are especially dreadful because they are triggered by such a thoughtless act. Coleridge's objective is to illustrate the mariner's transformation into a sensitive, empathetic, and compassionate individual. In doing so, he seeks to encourage readers to reevaluate their own attitudes toward the natural world.

Coleridge employs the technique of personifying aspects of nature as supernatural spirits, but he does not advocate for pantheism at any level. The poem contains substantial Christian symbolism and some allegory, particularly towards the end of part 4, where connections between suffering, repentance, redemption, and penance are drawn. These elements merge to create a rich tapestry of both natural and religious symbolism that can be deeply moving.