
THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER IN SEVEN PARTS
By Samuel Taylor Coleridge
PART THE FIRST.
PART THE SECOND.
PART THE THIRD.
PART THE FOURTH.
PART THE FIFTH.
PART THE SIXTH.
PART THE SEVENTH.
A weather‑beaten sailor stops a wedding guest by the sea and begins to recount a strange voyage that turned from celebration to catastrophe. The crew’s ship is trapped in ice, a lone albatross appears, and the bird’s presence seems to calm the raging elements. In a moment of impulsive cruelty the mariner kills the bird, and the sea’s mood shifts dramatically, leaving the sailors stranded in a sun‑blasted, water‑filled nightmare.
The tale explores how a single act can unleash a chain of supernatural consequences, echoing the ancient belief that every creature carries its own weight of destiny. As the ship drifts amid endless water, the mariner’s guilt becomes a vivid, almost tangible presence, urging listeners to contemplate the fragile balance between humanity and the natural world. The narrative’s rhythmic, lyrical language draws you into the oppressive silence of the ocean, making the story linger long after the final line.
Language
en
Duration
~24 minutes (23K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Judy Boss and David Widger
Release date
2006-03-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1772–1834
A leading voice of English Romanticism, he wrote poetry that feels dreamy, strange, and unforgettable. Best known for works like The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, he also helped shape literary criticism for generations of readers and writers.
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