How we cite our quotes: (Section.Stanza)
Quote #1
And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariners' hollo!
In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white moon-shine."
"God save thee, ancient mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus! –
Why lookst thou so?" "With my crossbow
I shot the albatross. (I.18-20)
When the Mariner shoots the albatross, the question isn't whether the albatross was bringing the ship good luck, although the poem suggests that it does. The question is: what did the albatross ever do to him? The answer seems to be "nothing," so the Mariner shoots it only because he can. Pride is inherently irrational.
Quote #2
And I had done an hellish thing,
And it would work 'em woe:
For all averred, I had killed the bird
That made the breeze to blow.
Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay,
That made the breeze to blow!
Nor dim nor red, like an angel's head,
The glorious sun uprist:
Then all averred, I had killed the bird
That brought the fog and mist.
'Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,
That bring the fog and mist. (II.23-24)
The sailors misinterpret why killing the albatross is such a bad thing. They only care about their own self-interest, and as soon as the fog goes away, they are no longer angry with the Mariner. Maybe that's why they get whacked by Death later on.
Quote #3
I looked to heaven, and tried to pray;
But or ever a prayer had gushed,
A wicked whisper came, and made
My heart as dry as dust. (IV.57)
The "wicked whisper" sounds like the Mariner's pride, which prevents him from doing something so degrading as to ask for help and forgiveness. In this poem, the setting – here, dryness – often mirrors the spiritual condition of the Mariner.
Quote #4
'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man?
By him who died on cross,
With his cruel bow he laid full low
The harmless albatross.
The spirit who bideth by himself
In the land of mist and snow,
He loved the bird that loved the man
Who shot him with his bow.'
The other was a softer voice,
As soft as honeydew:
Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done,
And penance more will do.' (V.90-92)
The two voices play a kind of good cop/bad cop routine. The bad cop is like, "Is this the guy who thought the innocent albatross wasn't worth a second thought? Lemme at him!" And the good cop holds him back, saying, "He'll be able to earn forgiveness – as long as he plays ball and does the penance we require. You'll play ball, right, Mariner?" It's Law and Order, Coleridge-style.
Quote #5
Oh sweeter than the marriage feast,
'Tis sweeter far to me,
To walk together to the kirk
With a goodly company! –
To walk together to the kirk,
And all together pray,
While each to his great Father bends,
Old men, and babes, and loving friends
And youths and maidens gay!
Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
To thee, thou wedding-guest!
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast. (VII.138-40)
The Mariner has abandoned his prideful ways, and now he just wants to be a member of the community and, especially, to pray a lot. The guy loves his prayers. However, does Coleridge divert from traditional Christian doctrine when he suggests that people and animals deserve the same love? Maybe avoiding pride means avoiding species pride, as well.