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Question
In groups of four, discuss what you think happens next in the poem. Share your views with the rest of the class.
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Solution
We think the Mariner continues his eternal journey, acting as a living warning to others. Because telling his tale is the only way to relieve his “agony,” he likely keeps scanning the world for individuals who, like the Wedding Guest, need to learn the lesson of universal love and respect for all living things.
His journey likely never truly ends because his sin, killing the Albatross, was so profound that his guilt remains a permanent part of his existence. He probably haunts harbours and wedding feasts alike, forever seeking out those who appear spiritually disconnected from nature, using his “strange power of speech” to force them to listen. Ultimately, his fate is to remain a bridge between the supernatural world he witnessed and the human world, ensuring that the Albatross’s death is never forgotten and that the sanctity of God’s creatures is honoured by everyone who hears his chilling narrative.
