NCERT CBSE for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 11 The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Important Questions
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type
Question 1.
Describe the Ancient Mariner.
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The mariner is old and thin with skinny hands, grey beard and glittering eyes. With the power of his eyes, he could hold the wedding guests mesmerised. The Wedding Guest could hear the noise of the wedding festivities and is the bridegroom’s closest relative. The Ancient Mariner has him captivated and is telling him the story.
Question 2.
What is the relationship between the guest and the Mariner in the beginning?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The Mariner stops one of the wedding guests and wants to tell him his story. He confesses to the sin of killing an albatross. The guest is impatient and can hear the noise of the wedding festivities and is the bridegroom’s closest relative. But Ancient Mariner has him captivated with the power of his glittering eyes. The guest resents this and exults - "Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!" He is transfixed by the Ancient Mariner’s ‘glittering eye’ and can do nothing but sit on a stone and listen to his strange tale.
Question 3.
How does the Mariner stop ‘one of three’?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The mariner sees three guests going to a wedding and stops one. He holds one of them with his hand.
The wedding guest resents this intrusion but he is transfixed by-the Ancient Mariner’s ‘glittering eye’ and powerless to resist, he sits on a stone like a three year child, and listens to the story and gets involved with story. He asks the mariner this question-"God save thee, ancient Mariner!
Question 4.
Why do the mariners hail the bird as a ‘Christian soul’?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The crew on the ship is alone at sea surrounded by a land of mist, by drifts and snowy cliffs and can see neither beasts nor men. Ice is all around them. Suddenly the albatross appears and they see the first sign of life in a desolate area. It is a friendly bird and comes to eat and play with them.
Question 5.
How does the bird relate to the mariners?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The friendly bird comes to eat and play with the crew on the ship and responds to the mariners’ ‘hollo’. It flies around and travels with them for nine days and sits on mast and sails of the ship.
Question 6.
Why does the Mariner shoot the albatross?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The friendly bird comes to eat and play with the crew but the Mariner takes a crossbow and shoots it. It is not a premeditated act but an impulsive one. Maybe he was weary of its hovering presence and had nothing to do.
Question 7.
Why do the mariners change their minds about the value of the bird?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The albatross represents goodness and acts as a saviour to the ship’s crew as it brings a south wind which guides the ship out of the Polar regions. The crew are initially outraged at the death of the bird of good omen. But after its death the fog and mist dissipate and the crew deem the act as the right thing to do. The shipmates are glad at the disappearance of the fog and mist, thinking the bird brought the’dense fog and mist.
Question 8.
Why does the crew hang the albatross around the Mariner’s neck?
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The death of the albatross begins to be avenged as the breeze that once carried the sails halts. There was no water to drink and slimy creatures could be seen emerging from the rotting sea. The crew hangs the dead albatross around the Mariner’s neck as a sign of guilt for their plight. The crew believe that the spirit of the albatross was following them, haunting them and causing misfortunes.
Question 9.
Examine the ideas of crime and punishment in the poem.
Year of Question:(2013)
Answer:
The Mariner killed the albatross for no apparent reason. The other sailors were initially outraged at the death of the bird of good omen. But once the fog dissipated they said that it was the right thing to do. Instead of condemning this act, they start to praise the act of killing bird the bird and hence become partners in crime. They are punished by for this misdeed as the winds die down and they are stranded on the ship with no water to drink. The crew punish the Ancient Mariner with the weight of the Albatross around his neck. The value that is derived from this incident is that harming of an innocent creature has terrible repercussions.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context
Read the extracts below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answers in one or two lines only.
Question 1.
It is an ancient Mariner
And he stoppeth one of three.
"By thy long grey beard and grey glittering eye,
How wherefore stopp’st thou me?"
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) Whom does the Ancient Mariner stop?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner stopped one of the three wedding guests.
(b) Why does he stop the wedding guest?
Answer:
The mariner is compelled to narrate his story and to admit the wrong he has done and he needs someone to listen to him.
(c) What are the chief features of the Mariner’s appearance? Why has the poet described him in this way?
Answer:
The chief features of the Mariner’s personality are his long grey beard and his glittering eye that holds the wedding guest mesmerised. The poet has described him in this way to show his hypnotic power over the guest.
Question 2.
‘The Bridegroom’s doors are
opened wide, and I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May’st hear the merry din.’
(a) Why is the wedding guest restless?
Year of Question:(2010)
Answer:
The wedding guest is restless as he can hear the noise of the wedding festivities in the church and he is the bridegroom’s closest relative. But the Ancient Mariner has him captive and is forcing him to listen to his story.
(b) Why was the wedding guest in a hurry to go?
Answer:
The guests had gathered for the wedding and the feast had already been laid out.
He could hear the noise of the festivities.
(c) Who was stopping him from going?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was stopping him from going.
Question 3.
He holds him with his skinny hand,
"There was a ship," quoth he.
"Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!"
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) Who is the ‘he’ in the first line? Whom does he hold?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner is being referred to in the first line. He is holding the wedding guest.
(b) Why does the Ancient Mariner immediately start on the story?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner is guilty of having killed an innocent albatross. He wants to assuage his guilt by confessing the crime to someone. This is a part of his penance.
(c) Explain:‘unhand me’.
Answer:
‘Remove your hand; do riot hold me.’ This is said by the Wedding Guest who is stopped by the Ancient Mariner.
Question 4.
He holds him with his glittering eye-
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years’ child:
The Mariner hath his will
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) How does the Ancient Mariner stop the Wedding Guest?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner holds him spellbound with the intensity of his hypnotic eyes.
(b) Why does the Wedding Guest not wish to listen to the Mariner’s story?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest is going to a wedding and is getting late. He can hear the sound of the merrymaking and wants to be a part of the wedding festivities.
(c) What is’the significance of ‘listens like a three years’ child’?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest listens spellbound to the Mariner’s story. He is powerless to resist him.
Question 5.
The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone:
He cannot choose but hear;
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) What does the expression ‘bright-eyed’ signify?
Answer:
The expression ‘bright-eyed’ signifies the glittering eye of the Mariner which held the Wedding Guest captive.
(b) What does the expression ‘sat on a stone’ signify?
Answer:
I ‘Sat on a stone’ shows that the Wedding Guest was totally mesmerised by the Ancient Mariner and he had no choice but to listen to the Mariner’s story despite the fact that the wedding festivities had begun.
(c) The Wedding Guest is not left with any choice but to listen to the Mariner because:
Answer:
the look in the Mariner’s eye held him captive.
Question 6.
"The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill,
Below the lighthouse top."
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) Explain: ‘drop’.
Answer:
It meahs they set sail with the ebbing tide.
(b) What sights did the sailors see as they started on their journey?
Answer:
The; sailors saw the church, the hill and the lighthouse.
(c) In which direction did they set sail? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
They set sail southwards. The sun rose from the left.
Question 7.
"The Sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea."
Year of Question:(2010)
(a) Why is the narrator compelled to narrate the story?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner is compelled to confess his sin to assuage his guilt and as a part of his penance.
(b) Who is listening to the story?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest is listening to the story.
(c) Why was he prompted to beat his breast?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest beat his breast because the wedding festivities had started but he was compelled to listen to the story of the Ancient Mariner.
Question 8.
"Higher and higher every day,
Till over the mast at noon-"
The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast,
For he heard the loud bassoon.
Year of Question:(2009)
(a) What rose higher and higher every day? Where were they when it was ‘over the mast at noon’?
Answer:
The sun rose higher and higher. They were at the equator.
(b) Why did the Wedding Guest ‘beat his breast’?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest could hear the sound of merrymaking and could imagine the bride entering the hall signifying that the wedding was over.
(c) What is a bassoon?
Answer:
A bassoon is a musical instrument that is played by blowing into a long wooden tube while pressing metal keys.
Question 9.
The bride hath paced into the hall,
Red as a rose is she;
Nodding their heads before her goes
The merry minstrelsy
Year of Question:(2009)
(a) What is happening at the wedding place?
Answer:
The bride has come into the hall.
(b) Where is the Wedding Guest?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest is sitting on a stone and listening to the Ancient Mariner’s story.
(c) Who are the minstrelsy? What are they doing?
Answer:
They are a group of travelling musicians and singers common ben .1 centuries. They are playing the bassoon and walking in front of the :
Question 10.
The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast,
Yet he cannot choose but hear;
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.
Year of Question:(2009)
(a) Why has the poet repeated the line: ‘he cannot choose but hear’?
Answer:
The line is repeated to show the hypnotic power which the Mariner exerts over the Wedding Guest and how he has been forced to hear the story.
(b) How does the Mariner hold the Wedding Guest?
Answer:
The Mariner holds him with the hypnotic power of his glittering eye.
(c) What is the Mariner telling the Wedding Guest?
Answer:
The Mariner is telling him the story of the fateful voyage when he
Question 11.
‘And now the storm-blast came, and he
Was tyrannous and strong:
He struck with his o’ertaking wings,
And chased us south along
Year of Question:(2009)
(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above lines? How is he described?
Answer:
The storm is being referred to as ‘he’ in the above lines. The storm is described as being a large bird that is tyrannical and strong. The wind created by its large wings pushed the ship southwards.
(b) Why has he been called ‘tyrannous’?
Answer:
The storm took control over the ship and pushed it in the southward direction.
(c) Point out the figure of speech in ‘o’taking wings’.
Answer:
Personification is being used here. The storm has been personified as a powerful bird with large wings which takes total control of the ship.
Question 12.
"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,
The southward aye we fled."
Year of Question:(2009)
(a) What is the storm described as? What is the ship personified as?
Answer:
The storm is described as an enemy who is very powerful. The ship is personified as a man running away from his enemy who is pursuing him.
(b) Explain: ‘Still treads the shadow of his foe.’
Answer:
This line means to walk in the shadow of your enemy and not getting away from him. Here it refers to the ship being unable to get out of the storm.
(c) In which direction did the storm push them?
Answer:
The storm pushed them towards the South Pole.
Question 13.
"And now there came both mist and snow,
And it grew wondrous cold;
And ice, mast-high, came floating by,
As green as emerald."
Year of Question:(2011)
(a) Describe the land of mist and snow.
Answer:
The land was covered with mist and snow and was extremely cold. Large icebergs floated past the ship. There were snowy cliffs all around. The sailors could see no sign of men or beasts.
(b) Where were the mariners at this point?
Answer:
The mariners were at the South Pole.
Question 14.
"And through the drifts the snowy clifts
Did send a dismal sheen:
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken-
The ice was all between."
Year of Question:(2011)
(a) Explain: ‘the drifts’.
Answer:
The‘drifts’refer to icebergs.
(b) Explain: ‘dismal sheen’.
Answer:
Though the icebergs were as bright as emeralds, they spread sadness in the hearts of the beholders because they had blocked the route of escape.
(c) What did they see amid all this? How did they welcome it?
Answer:
They saw an albatross. They welcomed it in God’s name as if it were a Christian soul. They played with it, offered it food and considered it a harbinger of hope.
Question 15.
"The ice was here, the ice was there,
The ice was all around:
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a swound!"
Year of Question:(2011)
(a) Where was the Mariners’ ship stuck?
Answer:
The Mariner’s ship was stuck in the ice in the polar region.
(b) What figure of speech has been used in the first two lines? What effect does it create?
Answer:
Repetition is being used in the first two lines. It emphasises the fact that huge icebergs surrounded the ship and kept it from moving.
(c) What sort of a poise did the ice make? What figure of speech is used here?
Answer:
The ice made noises as if a person was having a fainting fit. The figures of speech used here are onomatopoeia and personification.
Question 16.
"At length did cross an Albatross,
Through the fog it came,
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God’s name."
Year of Question:(2011)
(a) Why were the mariners relieved to see the albatross?
Answer:
The mariners were relieved to see the albatross because they were stuck in the ice for many days and had not seen a living being apart from themselves. After the arrival of the albatross, the ice split and a good wind sprang up behind them and they could finally leave the polar region.
(b) Point out the figure of speech in the above lines.
Answer:
Simile is being used in the line-‘As if it had been a Christian soul.’
Question 17.
"It ate the food it ne’er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!"
Year of Question:(2011)
(a) Why had the albatross not eaten the food it was now given before?
Answer:
The albatross was used to eating fish from the sea. It had never eaten the cooked food that the mariners gave it.
(b) How did the weather change with its arrival?
Answer:
The ice cracked and the navigator could steer the ship away from the land of ice and snow.
(c) What did the albatross do with the sailors?
Answer:
The albatross came whenever the sailors called it and flew round and round the ship, playing with the mariners. It also accepted the food they offered it.
Question 18.
"And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The Albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariners’ ‘hollo’!"
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) In which direction did the south wind take the mariners?
Answer:
The wind took them towards the north.
(b) What was the attitude of the sailors towards the bird?
Answer:
The sailors were fond of the bird. They fed it and played with it. They considered it a bird of good omen.
(c) Explain: ‘hollo’.
Answer:
‘Hollo’ implies a call out to someone.
Question 19.
"In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine."
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) For how many days did the albatross accompany the sailors?
Answer:
The albatross accompanied them for nine days.
(b) Where did the albatross sit?
Answer:
The albatross sat on the mast and on the sails of the ship.
(c) Explain: ‘Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,/Glimmered the white Moon-shine.’
Answer:
At night the ship was surrounded by a thick fog and the moon shone intermittently and faintly through the fog.
Question 20.
"God save thee, ancient Mariner!
From the fiends, that plague thee thus! -
Why look’st thou so?’.’-
‘With my cross-bow I shot the ALBATROSS"
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) Who speaks the first three lines?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest speaks the first three lines.
(b) Why does the Wedding Guest interrupt the Mariner?
Answer:
The Wedding Guest sees an expression of horror and anguish on the face of the Mariner. He is frightened by the look and wants to know why the Mariner has that look on his face.
(c) What had the Mariner done?
Answer:
The Mariner had shot the albatross with his crossbow.
Question 21.
"The Sun now rose upon the right:
Out of the sea came he,
Still hid in mist, and on the left
Went down into the sea."
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) In which direction were the sailors headed?
Answer:
The sailors were now headed northwards.
(b) How is the sun different from what it was when the sailors were sailing southwards?
Answer:
At the time when sailors were sailing southwards, the sun shone brightly but now the sun was hidden behind the mist.
(c) Describe the weather in the above lines.
Answer:
The sun rose and though it was covered with mist, the weather became pleasant. A good South wind blew behind the ship and pushed it northwards.
Question 22.
"And the good south wind still blew behind,
But no sweet bird did follow,
Nor any day for food or play
Came to the mariners’hollo!"
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) Why had the mariners called the bird?
Answer:
The mariners had called the bird to feed it or to play with it.
(b) What did the mariners think of the bird?
Answer:
The mariners considered the bird to be a good omen.
(c) What would be the result of killing the bird?
Answer:
They would suffer grave misfortunes.
Question 23.
"And I had done a hellish thing,
And it would work ’em woe:
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!"
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) What hellish thing had the speaker done? Why was it hellish?
Answer:
The speaker had killed the albatross. It was hellish because the bird has been described as a Christian.
Soul, a harbinger of happiness, and the Mariner had killed it for no reason.
(b) What was the reaction of the other sailors to the Mariner’s deed?
Answer:
At first the other sailors condemned the Ancient Mariner for killing the bird that had brought the breeze.
(c) Explain: ‘And it would work ’em woe’
Answer:
The sailors believed that the wanton killing of the albatross would bring them great sorrow and unhappiness.
Question 24.
"Nor dim nor red, like God’s own head,
The glorious Sun uprist:
Then all averred, I had killed the bird
That brought the fog and mist."
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) Why has the sun been described as glorious?
Answer:
The sun has been described as glorious because it had appeared on the horizon after a long time. Before this, the weather had been foggy and misty.
(b) Name a poetic device used in the above lines.
Answer:
Simile-‘Nor dim nor red, like God’s own head,’
(c) These lines indicate a change in the sailor’s attitude. What is that change?
Answer:
The sailors had earlier condemned the killing of the bird as they had seen it as a bird of good omen, which had caused the ice to split and the breeze to blow. They now regarded it as the one that had brought the fog and mist.
Question 25.
"Nor dim nor red, like God’s own head,
The glorious Sun uprist:
Then all averred, I had killed the bird
That brought the fog and mist.
’Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,
That bring the fog and mist."
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) What had the speaker done?
Answer:
The speaker had killed the albatross.
(b) How was reaction of the others significantly different from their earlier reaction? Why?
Answer:
The crew at first berated their mate for killing the bird that had brought the change in the breeze. But as the ship made its way out of the fog and mist, they decided it was the bird that had brought the mist so the Mariner had been right to kill the bird after all.
(c) What was the effect of the reaction of the sailors?
The sailors became accomplices in the crime by praising the Ancient Mariner. Therefore, they too had to suffer.
Question 26.
"The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea."
Year of Question:(2016)
(a) How does the narrator create the impression of speed?
Answer:
The Mariner does so by describing the movement of the ship which cut through the waves, leaving a track on the surface of the water with the formation of the foam.
(b) Name a poetic device used in the above lines.
Answer:
Alliteration is being used in the lines:
‘The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew/The furrow followed free’
(c) What happened after this?
Answer:
The mariners reached the silent sea.
Question 27.
"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!"
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) Why did the sails drop down?
Answer:
The sails dropped as there was no breeze.
(b) What was the only sound that the sailors could hear?
Answer:
The only sound the sailors could hear was the sound of their own voice.
(c) What according to the sailors was the reason for this situation?
Answer:
The sailors blamed the situation on the killing of the albatross by the Ancient Mariner.
Question 28.
"All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) How does the narrator convey the heat of the sun? How is it different from the sun earlier?
Answer:
The sun was red hot. Earlier the sun was described as being glorious.
(b) Name the poetic device used here.
Answer:
The poetic devise used is metaphor-the bloody Sun.
(c) Where were the sailors at this moment?
Answer:
The sailors were nearing the equator.
Question 29.
"Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) Who was stuck and where?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner and his companions were stuck in the middle of the sea.
(b) What is the effect of the repetition in the first line?
Answer:
The repetition in the first line emphasises lack of motion. The mariners had been stuck for a long time in the middle of the sea.
(c) How does the narrator communicate the idea of being becalmed?
Answer:
The idea of being becalmed is communicated by comparing the ship to a painted picture of a ship standing in the ocean.
Question 30.
"Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean."
(a) Explain: ‘We stuck, nor breath nor motion;’
Answer:
The lines imply that the mariners were stranded on a still sea. There was no wind to help them move.
(b) Whom did the mariners blame for this condition? How did they punish him?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was blamed for this condition as he had killed the albatross. The mariners hung the ‘ dead albatross around his neck.
(c) Explain ‘As idle as a painted ship’.
Answer:
There was no breeze. The ship was still and motionless as if it had been painted on a canvas.
Question 31.
"Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere, ‘
Nor any drop to drink."
(a) Explain: ‘Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink. ‘
Answer:
The heat of the sun dried the boards and shrank them.
(b) What sufferings did the sailors undergo?
Answer:
The sun was shining overhead. It was very hot. The sailors had no water to drink. There was no breeze, and the ship was stuck in the middle of the ocean.
Question 32.
"The very deep did rot: O Christ!
That ever this should be!
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs.
Upon the slimy sea."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) What does the word ‘deep’ refer to?
Answer:
The word ‘deep’ refers to the ocean.
(b) How did the ‘deep’ rot?
Answer:
The stillness of the sea and lack of motion made the mariners feel that the vegetation in the sea was decaying.
(c) How does the Ancient Mariner describe the sea and the creatures?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner calls the creatures repulsive and slimy.
Question 33.
"About, about, in reel and rout
The death-fires danced at night:
The water, like a witch’s oils,
Burnt green, and blue and white."
(a) Explain the term ‘reel and rout’.
Answer:
It refers to a dance from Scotland where the dancers go round and round.
(b) Where did the death fires dance?
Answer:
The death fires danced around the ship.
(c) Why did the water of the ocean appear to be burning green, blue and white?
Answer:
The rotting vegetation on the water appeared to have a film of oil on top that shone in various colours.
Question 34.
"And some in dreams assured were
Of the Spirit that plagued us so;
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
From the land of mist and snow."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) Who was being followed? What spirit was following them?
Answer:
The mariners were being followed by the spirit of the albatross.
(b) Why does the narrator feel they were being plagued? Give two reasons.
Answer:
The narrator feels they were plagued because they had to undergo many hardships. The ship got stuck in the ocean as there was no breeze. They had no water to drink.
(c) Why was the spirit following them?
Answer:
The spirit was following them to avenge its death.
Question 35.
"And every tongue, through utter drought
Was withered at the root,
We could not speak, no more than if
We had been choked with soot."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) Who are the ‘we’ referred to here? What was the reason for their misery?
Answer:
‘We’ refers to the sailors. They were stuck in the middle of the ocean with no water to drink and no breeze.
(b) Why were their tongues dry?
Answer:
They had no water to drink and the sun was very hot.
(c) Who was held responsible for their condition?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was held responsible for their condition.
Question 36.
"Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung."
Year of Question:(2014)
(a) What did the mariners hang around the speaker’s neck and why?
Answer:
The mariners hung the dead body of the albatross around the neck of the speaker. They did this to make him repent for his mistake. The dead body of the albatross would be a constant reminder of his guilt.
(b) Who was held responsible for their misery? Was it correct to do so?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was held responsible for their misery. The sailors were right in hanging the bird ‘ around his neck as the Ancient Mariner had disturbed the balance of nature by killing the innocent bird.
Important Questions and Answers: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Question1.
How did the Ancient Mariner stop the Wedding Guest?
- Subheading: Method of Stopping
- The Ancient Mariner stopped one of the wedding guests by holding him with his "skinny hand."
- He looked into the guests eyes with his "glittering eye", which captivated the guest and made him stay
Question2.
Was the Wedding Guest happy to be stopped?
- Subheading: The Guests Reaction
- No, the Wedding Guest was not happy to be stopped
- He was frustrated because he was in a hurry to attend the wedding, saying he was "next of kin" to the bridegroom
Question3.
Describe the Ancient Mariner?
- Subheading: Characteristics of the Mariner
- The Ancient Mariner is described as:
- An old man with a "long grey beard."
- His eyes are "glittering" and compelling
- He is worn out, yet theres something mysterious and powerful about him
Question4.
What kind of weather did the sailors enjoy at the beginning of their journey?
- Subheading: Initial Sailing Condition
- The sailors enjoyed clear and pleasant weather when the journey began
- The "sun came up upon the left" and the ship sailed smoothly
Question5.
How did the sailors reach the land of mist and snow?
- Subheading: Path to the Frozen Land
- The ship was driven southward by a "tyrannous storm-blast"
- The strong winds and fierce storm led them to the "land of mist and snow" where the sea was surrounded by icebergs
Question6.
What did the mariner do to the Albatross and why was it terrible?
- Subheading: The Mariners Crime
- The Ancient Mariner shot the Albatross with a crossbow
- This act was terrible because the Albatross had been seen as a good omen and its presence brought good fortune to the ship
Question7.
Why did the sailors hail the Albatross in Gods name?
- Subheading: Significance of the Albatross
- The sailors believed that the Albatross was a "Christian soul"
- Its arrival coincided with the splitting of icebergs and smoother sailing, so they hailed it in "Gods name" as a sign of hope
Question8.
What happened to the ship after the Albatross was killed?
Answer:
- Subheading: Aftermath of the Albatrosss Death
- The weather changed drastically after the Albatross was killed
- The ship became stuck in the sea with no wind to move it, and the crew suffered from lack of water, despite being surrounded by the ocean, leading to the famous line "Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink."
Question9.
What is the irony in the poem regarding the killing of the Albatross?
Answer:
- Subheading: Irony
- Initially, the sailors blamed the Ancient Mariner for killing the bird that made the breeze blow, causing their suffering
- Later, they changed their minds and said it was right to kill the bird because they believed it brought fog and mist
- The irony is that both their praise and blame come too late to change their fate.
Question10.
Why did the sailors hang the Albatross around the Mariners neck?
Answer:
- Subheading: Punishment for the Mariner
- The sailors hung the Albatross around the Ancient Mariners neck as a form of punishment
- It symbolized the burden of guilt he carried for killing the bird that had once been a symbol of good fortune