Question

Answer the following question in about 150 words:

From the poems ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ and ‘The Snake’, discuss how the characters, the albatross and the snake view human attitude and perspective towards creatures.

Answer 1

To begin with, the albatross in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” stands for hope and good luck for the sailors. However, the Mariner’s careless killing of the albatross shows how careless and harmful people are toward nature. The fact that this action has serious consequences shows how people’s lack of care for other living things upsets the natural order and causes pain.

In “The Snake” by D.H. Lawrence, the snake is a beautiful, calm animal that only wants to drink water. The human character at first likes the animal, but later has negative thoughts about it, which shows how humans have a complicated and often hurtful view of animals. Unfortunately, both songs criticize how people often fail to see and respect the value of other living things, leading to needless harm and disruption of the natural order.