"I moved my lips - the Pilot shrieked The holy Hermit raised his eyes, 560 The ancient Mariner earnestly entreateth the Hermit to shrieve him; and the penance of life falls on him. And ever and anon throughout his future life an agony constraineth him to travel from land to land; And prayed where he did sit. "I took the oars: the Pilot's boy, 6 Who now doth crazy go, Laughed loud and long, and all the while Ha! ha!' quoth he, full plain I see The Devil knows how to row.' "And now, all in my own countree, I stood on the firm land! The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, "O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!' The Hermit crossed his brow. 6 6 Say quick,' quoth he, I bid thee say, 565 570 575 "Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony, Which forced me to begin my tale; 580 And then it left me free. "Since then, at an uncertain hour, And till my ghastly tale is told, "I pass, like night, from land to land; 585 I know the man that must hear me : 66 What loud uproar bursts from that door! The wedding guests are there : But in the garden bower the bride And bridemaids singing are: Which biddeth me to prayer! "O Wedding Guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide, wide sea: So lonely 'twas, that God himself Scarce seemed there to be. "Oh, sweeter than the marriage feast, "Tis sweeter far to me, To walk together to the kirk 590 595 600 With a goodly company! "To walk together to the kirk, And all together pray, 605 While each to his great Father bends, - "Farewell, farewell! but this I tell "He prayeth best, who loveth best The Mariner, whose eye is bright, Is gone and now the Wedding Guest He went like one that hath been stunned, A sadder and a wiser man, 620 625 EXERCISES PART I Read Part I. What persons are introduced? Describe each briefly as you imagine them. Give orally the story of Part I. How is interest aroused? Why is the reader's curiosity not gratified? 66 1. What is the particular purpose, or effect, in the use of the pronoun It"? Does the word "ancient" have any special significance? Why is the present tense used? Why was not the poem begun with a description of the Mariner and the wedding guests? 3-8. Who speaks these words? To whom? Why are the "long gray beard" and the "glittering eye" mentioned particularly? 6. kin. 9. Give the antecedents of the pronouns. 10. quoth. 11. "loon" means "low fellow," a term of contempt. 12. "eftsoons," immediately. 13. Compare this line with line 9. What difference do you notice? 20. Why was the Mariner "bright-eyed"? 22. Is the word "drop" correctly used here? Explain. 24. What are the relative positions of kirk, hill, and lighthouse? 25-31. How do these lines indicate the direction in which the ship is sailing? 31. What is the special meaning of "here"? What does beating the breast signify? 32. A "bassoon " is a flutelike wind instrument, which produces deep bass tones. 33. paced. 35. What is the subject of "goes"? 37-40. This stanza is like what preceding lines? Is there any artistic reason for the repetition? 41. How is the "storm-blast" thought of? 45. What does this line indicate regarding the motion of the ship? 46-50. What must be supplied after " As" (46) and before "The ship" (49)? 47. Explain "treads the shadow of his foe." 53. What is meant by ice mast-high"? 54. What would cause the green tints ? 56. Why a "dismal" sheen? Was it really a dismal sheen, or did it merely seem so to the imagination of the sailors because of their situation? 57. Give the prose words for "nor . . . nor." 59-60. What is the effect of the repetition? 63. Albatrosses are found in all the southern seas and the whole Pacific Ocean, but not in the northern Atlantic. Some of them are the largest of sea birds, often having a stretch of wings of twelve feet, or even more; and they are all noted for their powers of flight. They can sail for hours and in any direction, without reference to the wind and without visible motion of the wings. From their habit of following ships for days at a time without resting, albatrosses are regarded by sailors with feelings of attachment and superstitious reverence. 64. Give the modern form of "thorough." 65. Why is the albatross thought of as a "Christian soul"? 67. Explain the use of "eat" here. 69. What is meant here by "thunder-fit"? What was wonderful about this phenomenon? 71. What was extraordinary in the fact that the ship had been driven southward for so long a time? What was the danger? Which way did the "good south wind" drive the ship? 76. Why just "nine" vespers? 79. Give at least two reasons for introducing the Wedding Guest here. 82. Why did the Mariner kill the Albatross? Does the reader expect any remarkable results to follow this act? What is the general purpose of Part I? What are the elements of this introduction? State the characteristics of the versification and rhyming of this poem. Is there a tendency to read it in a kind of singsong tone? How can this tendency be overcome? PART II How does this Part develop the story with regard to the journey? with regard to the Mariner and his companions? How is the reader's interest intensified? What prominent characteristic of this Part is not noticeable in Part I? What lines connect this Part with Part I? In what direction is the ship now sailing? 97. What kind of weather does this line indicate? What kind of weather had they been having? 101. How does this assertion make the sailors accomplices in the crime? 104. What is meant here by "furrow"? 106. Where is the ship now? 108. What was so "sad"? 111 ff. What kind of weather is implied here? How do we know where the ship is now? 116. What must be supplied? 117. What does "idle "mean here? Can you think of any other comparison that would apply to the present situation of the ship and sailors? 120. Why did the boards “shrink"? 122. Why was there no water to drink? This line is often misquoted; learn it exactly as it is in the text. 123. Is "O Christ!" an oath or a prayer? 125 ff. Did these things actually occur, or did the ancient Mariner only imagine them? 128. What were these "death-fires"? 130. In what sense did the water burn? 131. Who are meant by "some"? 132. What "spirit" is meant? 139. "well-a-day " - a strong exclamation "Woe! Alas! Woe is me!" This word has no etymological connection with either "well" or "day." 141. Why should "the cross have been hung about the Mariner's neck? Why did they hang the Albatross instead? PART III What are the most interesting incidents in this Part? What questions come into mind in regard to the crew of the phantom ship? How is curiosity sustained at the close of this Part? 144. Why were their eyes "glazed"? How is the weariness of the time emphasized? Why was the time so weary? 148-152. What is the progression of the thought in these lines? 159. What is the force of "Through"? 158 ff. How is the suffering of the sailors made vivid? 164. "Gramercy' an exclamation of joy "great thanks!" What does "grin" express here? 165. What is the significance of this line? 170. Is it possible for a ship to sail naturally with "upright keel"? 177. straight. 178. Who is meant by "Heaven's Mother"? How are the Mariner's feelings now changed? Make note of all expressions similar to this, as you find them in the poem. What do they indicate in regard to the sailor's religious ideas? 179. Explain the two figures of speech. 181. Why did the Mariner's heart beat loud? 184. "Gossameres" are thin, delicate, filmy substances like the floating cobwebs often seen during what is called, in America, “Indian summer," a warm, balmy part of the autumn season. The word is incorrectly said to be a contraction of "God's summer.” It is derived |