Kirk

Kirk. Unnamed church at which the poem opens and closes. This church, as well as other sites to which the Mariner alludes—such as a lighthouse, a hill, and a harbor bay—are evidently located in the Mariner’s native country. (“Kirk” is an old and once commonly used word for church in the British Isles, especially in Scotland.) The Mariner comes to understand his place within the universe as one of many creatures that deserve honor and respect, and the church imputes a moral tone to these ideas. Indeed, the Mariner is not simply a relativist, believing that whatever he wants to do is correct for a particular situation. His killing of the harmless albatross emerges from such an incorrect assessment. The church calls this assumption into question. Consequently, the Mariner is compelled to repeat his story to the Wedding-Guest, whom the Mariner believes to be in need of such a lesson.

Ship

Ship. Unnamed vessel on which the Mariner rides the waves of the sea, beginning in the third stanza of part 1. As his ship continues its voyage, the sea itself reflects the mood, the emotional intensity, of the ship’s sailors. The men have nowhere else to go so long as they remain at sea, and their ship thus becomes both home and prison to them. When the wind drops, and the ship is becalmed, the Mariner is reminded how confining the ship is. When the ship is trapped among ice floes, the Mariner allows himself to kill the albatross for sport. The Mariner’s ship becomes the stage for his great sin, as well as for the beginning of his redemption.

Other ships also play important parts in this poem. For example, the skeleton ship approaching from the direction of the westward sky, on a still sea where no wind blows, provides a stage for a dialogue that occurs between Specter-Woman and her Deathmate who cast dice for the lives of the sailors.

South Pole

South Pole. The southern tip of Earth’s axis is not mentioned by name in the poem, but it is the clear direction in which the Mariner is sent by a storm-blast that drives his ship toward certain judgment in the frigid south. The ice of the southern polar region seems alive, as its movements make noise that sound like wild beasts, frightening the Mariner. The Spirit from the pole embodies these characteristics in the mind of the Mariner, as the Spirit makes the becalmed ship move at the behest of an angelic troupe who still seek vengeance for the albatross.

High Seas

High seas. Primary location through the poem. Two forms of water trap the ship—ice and water—thereby becoming its primary locus. Sailors learn to read the moods of the sea, based on the winds that propel its waves. The moon, as well, is reflected in the sea’s surface. Coleridge uses the sea, as well as other natural forms, as tools to instruct the Mariner on his moral lapse and lack of respect for all creation. The sun rises and sets several times in the poem, not simply to indicate the passage of time. When the sea gives back the sun’s face in reflection, the Mariner reacts as if all creation were watching and judging him.

"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" features two main settings. Initially, an old mariner halts a wedding guest and begins recounting his story. Through the mariner's narrative, the reader is taken on an extensive sea journey, only to return to the wedding scene by the poem's conclusion. The tale is likely set in the late medieval era. The town where the events unfold remains unnamed, though Coleridge's audience might have envisioned a British port city, possibly London.

The mariner recounts an expedition he embarked on in his youth, sailing from an unspecified European country to the South Pole and back. The early descriptions of the vessel and its crew are quite realistic. However, as the mariner seeks understanding and redemption, he becomes increasingly enveloped by the supernatural. His experiences turn nightmarish, starkly contrasting the realistic world he left behind. Throughout the poem, elements of the natural world persist in the background. For much of the story, the mariner is adrift in the vast ocean, symbolically isolated from all human contact.

In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Coleridge skillfully conveys themes using symbols and vivid imagery. The imagery is often stunning, and his detailed descriptions leave a lasting impression on readers. This effective blend of intellectual depth and vivid imagery is not only visually appealing but also emotionally impactful.

When Coleridge and Wordsworth formulated the poetic theory behind Lyrical Ballads, they chose to incorporate everyday language in their poetry—what Wordsworth referred to as "the language of real life." This use of colloquial speech was part of their broader departure from neoclassical ideals, which prioritized logic, structure, and formality. They utilized ballad forms, themes, and characters, aiming to write about simple, natural individuals.

Instead of focusing heavily on society, as was common in the poetry of Alexander Pope, Wordsworth and Coleridge sought to emphasize the significance of the individual. They highlighted human emotions and underscored the idea that imagination and creativity are innate forces that interact with the natural world.

A lyric is typically a brief poem expressing the speaker's feelings and thoughts, while a ballad is a dramatic narrative that tells a story. Lyrical Ballads was Coleridge and Wordsworth's attempt to merge these two previously distinct poetic forms. Their innovative approach aimed to create a new kind of poetry that reflected the evolving realities they observed around them.