Music of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Abstract

This paper investigates the rich musicality and layered structural design of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a narrative ballad that fuses elements of folklore, morality, and the supernatural. By focusing on poetic devices such as alliteration, internal rhyme, repetition, and rhythmic modulation, the study examines how Coleridge crafts a sonic texture that enhances the poem’s emotional and symbolic depth. The analysis adopts a stylistic and formalist approach to trace the Mariner’s psychological and spiritual journey—one of self-discovery, penance, and eventual transformation situated within a multi-tonal narrative structure. Special attention is given to the interplay between realism and fantasy, especially through Coleridge’s use of spectral imagery, metaphysical motifs, and dreamlike sequences. The paper argues that Coleridge’s innovation lies in his ability to integrate sound and meaning, reshaping traditional ballad conventions to express profound philosophical and moral insights, particularly the sanctity of all living things and the redemptive power of love