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Question
Answer the following question briefly:
What is the irony in the ninth stanza? Explain it in your own words.
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Solution
The ship is stuck in the middle of the sea with water all around. The weather is extremely hot and mariners need drinking water. In spite of there being water, there was not a drop of c drinking water available. That is the irony in this stanza.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What was the crime committed by the mariner?
Why were the mariners angry with the Ancient Mariner?
Why does the ancient Mariner compel the wedding guest to listen to his story?
Why did the wedding guest beat his breast ?
1. What can you see in the picture? Does the man look happy? Give reasons for your answer.
2. Why does he have the bird hanging around his neck?
3. Have you heard of the expression-'having an albatross around your neck'? What do you
think it means? Does it mean:
a. something that you can always be proud of
b. something that you have to do because you have no choice
c. something that is with you all the time as a reminder that you have done something wrong?
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Was the wedding guest happy to be stopped? Give reasons for your answer.
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How does the mariner describe the movement of the ship as it sails away from the land?
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Answer the following question briefly.
What was the terrible deed done by the Mariner? Why do you think he did it ?
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Why does the mariner say that 'no sweet bird did follow'?
Answer the following question briefly:
How did the sailing conditions change after the ship had moved out of the land of mist and snow? What or who did the mariners blame for this change?
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What is the narrator trying to convey through the description of the situation in the tenth and eleventh stanza ?
Answer the following question briefly:
Describe the condition of the mariners as expressed in the thirteenth stanza.
The poem is full of strange, uncanny or supernatural elements. Discuss how these elements appear in the poem. You should consider:
- the strange weather;
- the albatross as a bird of "good omen"
- the spirit from "the land of mist and snow''
- the strange slimy creatures seen in the sea
- the ocean appearing to rot
- the death fires and sea water being referred to as witch's oil
Now write a paragraph about the supernatural elements in the poem and how they add
to the events that take place in the poem.
This is a very dramatic poem, excellent for reading aloud or even dramatising. The class should be divided into groups and given the different dramatic moments from the poem to be performed as follows. Some of them are given below:
- the first storm that they encounter
- the time spent in the land of mist and snow
- the coming of the albatross and the subsequent events till they move out
- the killing of the albatross till they reach the silent seas
- the suffering of the sailors in the hot region till they hang the albatross around the Ancient Mariner's neck.
After you have read the poem, discuss the following questions in your groups:
i. Why did the Ancient Mariner stop the particular wedding guest to listen to his tale?
ii. Why did he have to tell his tale to someone?
iii. What is the poet trying to convey through this poem?
Imagine that the mariner hears of Mrs Packletide’s hunt and decides to share some advice with her about the impact of wilfully killing creatures. As the mariner, write this letter, in about 150 words, to Mrs Packletide, based on the consequences following your own experience of having killed a creature intentionally.
