(Q.

) What were the conditions in which the sailors found themselves when they

were amidst snow and ice?

(2 Marks) (Ans)

The strong and the cruel storm had forced the sailors to reach the part of the sea where there was nothing but snow all around them. They were surrounded by mast-high ice bergs on all sides and there was no path through which the helmsman could steer them through. There was even no sound of any human being or creature in the sea and the sailors were stuck in mid-sea, becoming sad and depressed.

(Q.) How does the poet suggest that the Mariner is desperate to talk of his sin? (2 Marks) (Ans)

The old mariner forcibly stops a wedding guest to talk about his sin and make a confession of it. The guest is not interested in listening and tells the mariner that he is a close relative of the bridegroom and has to be present at the wedding. But the old sailor holds him with his glittering eye and keeps him hypnotized. He is left with no choice but to sit on a stone and listen to the strange story of the mariner.

Why did the mariners think that the bird was a symbol of good omen?
(2 Marks) (Ans)

The sailors had been stuck in the sea amidst mist and snow. They were surrounded by icebergs and snowy clifts. At that time, the arrival of the albatross was hailed as a welcome sign of a good omen a Christian soul. The albatrosss presence was the only sign of life. The only sounds they had heard were of the ice cracking, roaring and howling. The albatross gave the sailors a new lease of life. It was friendly andthe sailors believed that its arrival brought them good luck and they could come out of the ice and snowy clifts.

What would the bird do each day?

(2 Marks) (Ans)

The albatross was hailed by the mariners as a good omen- a Christian soul, thatwould havecome to eat and play. It responded to the mariners call and travelled with them for nine days. It would perch on the ships mast or sails or fly around the ship. The bird was always welcome because it had brought good weather and ice had split which helped the sailors to move on. Why did the mariner kill the albatross? How did he feel afterwards?
(2 Marks) (Ans)

The old mariner, in a fit of impulse took his cross-bow and shot the bird dead. It was an illogical act and there was no reason for him to kill the albatross. He immediately regretted his act and realized that it was an unmindful act for which he had to atone, for the rest of his life. It was this guilt on his mind that made him force the wedding guest to sit on a stone to hear his story of guilt.

What shows the fickle-mindedness of the sailors? How did they become partners in crime later?
(2 Marks) (Ans)

The albatross had come as a saviour for the crew of the ship. It had brought good luck and the sailors were able to steer their ship out of the polar region of ice and mist. The sailors pressed their anger and accused the mariner for killing the bird that was a good omen for them. These very sailors, after some time, changed their statement by condoning the act of the mariner by saying that he had done the right thing by slaying the bird. They were glad that the fog and mist had disappeared. Hence they became partners in crime. Justify the title of the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
(2 Marks) (Ans)

The title The Rime of the Ancient Mariner isvery aptbecause it is a narrative poem narrating the experiences of an old mariner at sea. It tells about his deeds and misdeeds. It tells us about an impulsive act of killing a harmless bird and then atoning the sin for the rest of his life. He felt his guilt was unforgivable and he had to keep atoning for it by narrating his experience to as many people as he could. Hence the title is justified.

Why does the Ancient Mariner stop and tell his tale to the Wedding Guest?
(2 Marks) (Ans)

The Ancient Mariner is feeling guilty for killing an innocent albatross. He wants to confess his sin and get relieved of his burden. He needs someone to listen to him so he stops a wedding guest and tells his tale to him.
(Q.) And now the STORM-BLAST came, and he

Was tyrannous and strong: He struck with his oertaking wings, And chased us south along. a) Identify the figures of speech used in line 1 and 3. b) How does the storm blast affect the Mariners ship? c) Explain: tyrannous and oertaking wings
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) In the first line, there is personification of the storm while in the third line overtaking wings is a metaphor.
b) The storm with its raging waves and immense force, lashed out on the ship as a result of which the ships prow toodipped into the water. Amidst the screaming and shouting of the sailors, the ship was being driven south by the storm, with full speed.

c) Tyrannous is an adjective used for the storm to show how severe and cruel the storm was. The turbulent storm was so harsh and ruthless that it did not leave anything undamaged in its way. The waves in the sea have been compared to a bird. Just like the

bird overtakes its prey to catch it, the waves too, with immense speed and strength, overpowered the ship. (Q.) With sloping masts and dipping prow, As who pursued with yell and blow Still treads the shadow of his foe, And forward bends his head, The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast, And southward aye we fled. a) Why did the ship move southward? b) What figure of speech is used in the second line? c) Explain the imagery used in the line: Still treads the shadow of his foe.
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The ship was being trailed by a tyrannous and strong storm which was driving them southward. So, in an attemptto save them from the storm, the sailors too fled southward with great speed. b)The figure of speech used in the second line is a simile. c) The poet compares the sailors situation to that of a person being pursued by his enemy. The person tries to escape by running faster and so bends his head forward. Similarly, the ships prow too is dipped in the water, as it flees southward, with the violent storm at its tail. (Q.) And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold; And ice, mast-high, came floating by As green as emerald. a) How can you say that the mariners had fallen into yet another unfavourable condition? What kind of condition had they just come out from? b) Explain how ice can be mast-high? c) Why is the poet comparing ice to an emerald?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The poet writes, And now there came both mist and snow. And it grew wondrous cold. Thus, it is evident that the mariners have now reached a place where the temperature is below zero degrees celsius and the ship is surrounded by snow and ice. So, the conditions are unfavourable both for the mariners and even for sailing. The mariners had just escaped from a violent and tyrannous storm which was overtaking and overpowering them. b) The mariners were closing the polar region and so here, it is the icebergs which are referred to as ice, mast-high. c) The icereflected the green colour of the weeds and mosses all around it. Consequently it too looked green and so the poet compares the ice to the green gem, emerald. (Q.) The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared Like noises in a swound! a) What literary device is used in the first two lines? What effect does it create? b) Which word rhymes with around? Give its meaning. c) Identify the words that create a sound effect. What literary device do they exemplify?

(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The literary device used is repetition. Repetition of the word ice gives a sense of continuity and endless presence. In other words, it gives an image that the ice was present all around the ship, as far as one could see. b) The word swound rhymes with around. Swound literally means a semi-conscious state. Here it signifies, the sound the ice is making, which are like the sounds a person makes and hears in a semi-conscious state. c) Words, like cracked, growled, roared and howled create a sound effect. They are all examples of onomatopoeia.
(Q.) And I had done a hellish thing,

And it would work em wore: 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! a) Identify I and they in these lines? b) What hellish thing had the speaker done? c) Identify the figure of speech used in the second line.
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) I is the ancient mariner narrating the incident while they are the other sailors and crew members on the ship. b) The speaker had killed the albatross that had brought them the good weather and made the light breeze blow. c) The figure of speech used in the second line is alliteration: would work em woe.
(Q.) Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,

Twas sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea! a) Why do you think the breeze stopped blowing? b) What atmosphere do these lines create? c) What or who was responsible for the situation described here?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) According to the poem, the depth of the albatross resulted in the stopping of the breeze. The albatross God sent to give the sailors good sailing conditions, and with its death, the good breeze too died away. b) The lines create a very sad atmosphere because the sailors were stuck in the middle of nowhere without any way to continue their journey. Yet, at the same time, it is also eerie as complete silence prevails with the sailors being the only living beings to break the silence of the sea. c) The ancient mariner is responsible for the situation as he killed the albatross.

(Q.) All in a hot and copper sky,

The bloody Sun at noon, Right up above the mast did stand No bigger than the Moon. a) What poetic device does the expression bloody sun illustrate? Explain its meaning. b) What does the harsh weather described here signify to the sailors? c) What do these lines tell you about the location of the ship?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) Bloody sun is a metaphor which gives the reader an apt image of the scorching heat of the sun. Though it appears the size of the moon, it is shining bright and is red hot. b) Due to the extreme heat, the sailors had parched throats and in order to quench their thirst, they depleted their water supply very quickly. As a result, they started hallucinating about witches doing their death dance and slimy creatures coming out of the sea-signs which the sailors believed signified their impending death. c) Since the sun is right overhead, it is evident that the ship is nearing the equatorial region. (Q.) Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. a) Who was stuck and where? b) What is the effect of repetition in the first line? c) What literary device is used in the last two lines? What effect does it create?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The ship with its entire crew was stuck in the middle of a calm and silent sea, where no breeze was blowing. b) The repetition day after day, day after day, shows that the sailors were stuck in the middle of the sea for several days. Even after so many days of standing idle in the sea the ship did not find any way to move further. c) The literary device used in the last two lines is a simile. The poet compares the condition of the ship and its crew to that of a painted picture. The ship was stranded in the middle of a calm sea standing just as still as a ship painted on a still ocean in a painting. (Q.) Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. a) Identify the figure of speech in the first line which is repeated as the third line. b) What does the repetition water, water, everywhere signify? c) What caused the boards to shrink?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The figure of speech used is repetition.

b) The repetition of water water everywhere signifies that there was water all around the ship as far as one could see. c) Due to the combined action of the freezing cold water all around the ship and the suns heat, the boards began to shrink. (Q.) About, about, in reel and rout The depth fires danced at night The water, like a witchs oils, Burnt green, and blue and white. a) What do you understand by reel and rout? b) What do the death fires represent? c) Describe the simile given in the last two lines.
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) Reel and rout literally means a type of dance. Due to intense heat and lack of potable water, the sailors were doing their death dance- a sign they believed signified their certain death. b) According to the sailors illusions, the death fires represent their certain death in the near future. c) The sailors were having hallucinations and thought that the water around them was like a witchs oil which was burning in different shades of green, blue and white. They felt as though all the devils were preparing for their death which was bound to come in the near future. (Q.) And every tongue, through utter drought Was withered at the root, We could not speak, no more than if We had been chocked with soot. a) Every tongue here stands for b) Every tongue..withered at the root. What literary device has been used here? Explain it. c) Why could we not speak?
(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) All the sailors whose mouths/throats were parched for want of drinking water. b) The literary device used is a metaphor. The poet is comparing the sailors tongues to a plant. He says that just like in the absence of water, the roots of the plants wither, similarly due to the lack of moisture the sailors tongues were dry and throats were parched. c) We could not speak because their throats were parched due to the lack of drinking water.
(Q.) Ah! Well a day! What evil looks

Had I from old and young! Instead of the cross, the Albatross About my neck was hung. a) Who are old and young? b) Whom do they give the evil looks and why?

c) Explain Instead of the cross.

(3 Marks) (Ans)

a) The old and young is the crew of the ship. b) The sailors gave the ancient mariner evil looks because he killed the albatross. They believed that it was due to the albatross s death that they had to go through so much of hell and misery on their route. c) The ancient mariner said that the other sailors did not allow the cross to be hung around his neck which is a constant reminder of the sacrifice made by Jesus. Instead they hung the albatross around his neck.It means that they left him with constant guilt that he killed the bird that made the breeze blow. (Q.) How did the fellow mariners punish the ancient mariner?
(6 Marks) (Ans)

The ship got stuck in the middle of the ocean for days. There was no breeze and no movement. The heat of the sun became unbearable and the sailors were suffering for days, at a stretch. The sailors strongly felt that the death of the albatross was being avenged. They held the ancient mariner responsible fortheir misery. There was no water to drink and creatures seemed to be crawling out of the sea. As an act of punishment, the sailors tied the albatross around the neck of the mariner instead of the cross, as a sad reminder of the sinful act.

Bring out the supernatural element in the poem The Rime of the Ancient mariner.
(Q.) (6 Marks) (Ans)

The supernatural element is very prominent in the poem. The supernatural is evident from the very beginning of the poem. The main character, the ancient mariner with his glittering eyes casts a spell on a wedding guest and compels him to listen to his story. Another example of the supernatural is the albatross, which the mariner encounters on his journey. The arrival of the albatross is hailed as a welcome sign, a good omen a Christian soul. The killing of the albatross arouses the wrath of the supernatural spirits. The sailors believe the spirit of the albatross is following them and causing them agony. The sudden sinking of the ship, a skeleton ship and many other supernatural incidents are there in the poem. It can be said that Coleridge has skillfully woven the supernatural elements in the poem.