Narrative Technique in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'
The poet writes the mariner’s tales in first-person perspective through a third person narrative, in order to create the effect of story telling from the protagonist. Narration begins in the poem by telling the reader about a mariner who stops a man. After getting his attention, the mariner tells his tale. Therefore, this is a frame narration: the frame being the narrator telling about the mariner, and the content represents the mariner narrating his story. Even though there are instances of the mariner quoting other characters, like the Pilot or Hermit, they are not narrators. This is due to the mariner recalling dialogue.
The effect of the story telling compels the reader, as it is reminiscent of us being told stories from other people, similar to being read to as a child. Just like the narrative between a parent reading a book to a child, the story teller is usually more wiser and thus would impart their wisdom, teaching about life. Within the context of the story telling in this poem, it is used as a reality check to the wedding goer about the battle between real and spiritual world, who was initially going to enjoy the wedding. Through the first person storytelling, the readers immerse themselves into the poem and experience the mariner’s distress and traumas, which allows the reader to use their imagination and create a more vivid image of the mariner’s tale.
The combination of third and first person narrative could be seen as an allegory of the poet’s job. Just like the narrative structure of the play, Coleridge uses "teach" to describe the mariner's storytelling technique. This could lead to the assumption that Coleridge compares the protagonist to himself. Both are gifted story tellers who impart their wisdom. The mariner is forced to live between the living and dead, the writer has to balance in the space of imagination. This makes the poem more vivid, as the reader lives through the poem while reading it. In associating himself with the Mariner, Coleridge implies that he is compelled to write. Overall this captivates the readers.
The effect of the story telling compels the reader, as it is reminiscent of us being told stories from other people, similar to being read to as a child. Just like the narrative between a parent reading a book to a child, the story teller is usually more wiser and thus would impart their wisdom, teaching about life. Within the context of the story telling in this poem, it is used as a reality check to the wedding goer about the battle between real and spiritual world, who was initially going to enjoy the wedding. Through the first person storytelling, the readers immerse themselves into the poem and experience the mariner’s distress and traumas, which allows the reader to use their imagination and create a more vivid image of the mariner’s tale.
The combination of third and first person narrative could be seen as an allegory of the poet’s job. Just like the narrative structure of the play, Coleridge uses "teach" to describe the mariner's storytelling technique. This could lead to the assumption that Coleridge compares the protagonist to himself. Both are gifted story tellers who impart their wisdom. The mariner is forced to live between the living and dead, the writer has to balance in the space of imagination. This makes the poem more vivid, as the reader lives through the poem while reading it. In associating himself with the Mariner, Coleridge implies that he is compelled to write. Overall this captivates the readers.