The Natural World: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

                                   The Natural World In Rime of the Ancient Mariner

In my opinion, the poem is essentially an assertive statement that the natural world exerts dominance over humanity. For periods during the poem, the Natural world does not seem to even be a setting, but rather a character who is interacting with the Ancient Mariner. As soon as the Ancient Mariner displeases the spirit, his consequences is received through the hands of the natural world. The sun takes a brutal toll on the Mariner as the wind seems to die down, while the ocean is described as containing serpents with legs, reflecting the personality of the natural world. The powerful storm on the sea often threatens the life of the Ancient Mariner, while the fire of the cloud above defines the power of the natural world. In the conclusion of the poem, it is evident that the Ancient Mariner advocates for respect for the natural world, because he realizes he must respect the natural world if he is to respect god. The natural world is one of God's creations, so by respecting nature, the Ancient Mariner is respecting god. At the end the Mariner says to the wedding guest, that the way to achieve cohesion with god is through "the image of a greater and better world."