From the poems 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'The Snake', discuss how the characters, the albatross and the snake view human attitude and perspective towards creatures.
In both 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'The Snake', humans view creatures through a lens of dominance, fear, or unprovoked violence. The Mariner kills the Albatross—a bird that brought good luck—for no reason, representing a human attitude of thoughtless destruction. Similarly, the speaker in 'The Snake' strikes a peaceful, regal snake because his 'voices of education' told him to kill it, showing how social conditioning replaces natural respect with fear.
Both creatures are portrayed as innocent or majestic beings that highlight the 'pettiness' of human perspectives. Ultimately, both poems lead to profound regret. The Mariner must suffer to learn that all creatures deserve love. The speaker in 'The Snake' feels immediate shame for his 'paltry' act, recognizing the snake as a 'king in exile'. The creatures thus view human attitude as irrational, violent, and lacking in true reverence for life.
Marking Scheme
- 14 marks for content: equal analysis of both poems, identification of human attitudes (thoughtless violence, social conditioning), discussion of the creatures' innocence, and the theme of regret.
- 24 marks for expression: coherent structure, proper comparisons between the two poems, use of textual evidence, and sophisticated vocabulary.
Hint
Consider both creatures as innocent beings. What do their encounters with humans reveal about how people treat the natural world, and what emotion follows the violence?
Quick Oral Answer
Both poems show humans harming innocent creatures out of impulse or social conditioning. The Mariner kills the albatross without reason, and the speaker attacks the snake due to learned fear. Both feel deep regret afterward.
Analysis & Explanation
This 8-mark long-answer question requires a comparative analysis of two poems, testing the student's ability to identify thematic parallels, analyze character perspectives, and construct a coherent argument. The question asks students to discuss how the creatures (albatross and snake) 'view' human attitude, which is an imaginative exercise requiring students to consider the animals' perspective. In 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner', the albatross arrives as a friendly, innocent creature that helps the sailors by bringing favourable winds. The Mariner's killing of it is entirely unprovoked, representing the human tendency toward thoughtless destruction of nature. The albatross, from its perspective, trusted humans and was rewarded with death. In 'The Snake', the snake comes peacefully to drink water and is described in regal terms as a 'king in exile'. The speaker's initial reaction is admiration and respect, but the 'voices of education' override this natural response and drive him to attack the snake with a log. From the snake's perspective, it was simply going about its natural business when a human irrationally attacked it. Both creatures would view human attitude as violent, irrational, and driven by either thoughtless impulse (Mariner) or misguided social conditioning (speaker in Snake). The critical comparison lies in the aftermath: both human characters experience deep regret, suggesting that humans instinctively know their violence against nature is wrong. For full marks, students must discuss both poems equally, draw clear comparisons, and analyze the theme of regret and learning. The marking scheme awards 4 marks for content and 4 for expression, so coherent structure and sophisticated vocabulary are essential.
Common Mistakes
- 1Summarizing the plots of both poems instead of analyzing the 'attitude and perspective towards creatures' as the question specifically asks. Students must focus on themes, not narrative retelling.
- 2Discussing only one poem in detail and giving superficial treatment to the other, which will cost marks since both poems must be analyzed equally for full marks.
- 3Failing to draw comparisons between the two poems. A comparative question requires explicit linking statements showing how the poems are similar or different in their treatment of the human-nature theme.
Interesting Facts
Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' in 1797-1798 as part of the 'Lyrical Ballads' collection with William Wordsworth, which is considered the founding text of the English Romantic movement.
D.H. Lawrence wrote 'Snake' in 1923 based on a real experience at his home in Taormina, Sicily, where he encountered a golden-brown snake at his water trough. The poem is considered one of the finest animal poems in the English language.
The albatross in Coleridge's poem has become such a powerful symbol that the phrase 'an albatross around one's neck' is now an English idiom meaning a heavy burden of guilt. Real albatrosses can have wingspans exceeding 3.5 metres, making them the largest flying birds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Mariner kill the Albatross in 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'?
The poem never provides a clear reason for the killing, which is precisely the point. The Mariner's act is one of thoughtless, motiveless cruelty, representing how humans often harm nature without rational cause, driven by impulse or indifference.
What are the 'voices of education' that the speaker mentions in 'The Snake'?
The 'voices of education' refer to the social conditioning and cultural teachings that tell people snakes are dangerous and must be killed. D.H. Lawrence contrasts these learned prejudices with the speaker's natural instinct, which tells him the snake is beautiful and harmless.
How do both poems end with the theme of regret?
The Mariner is cursed to wander and retell his story forever as penance, and he learns to love all creatures. The speaker in 'The Snake' immediately regrets throwing a log at the snake, calling his act 'paltry' and 'vulgar', and wishes the snake would return.