The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Poem / Poetry Appreciation / Exercises on Poem / Question-Answer on Poem / Theme and Summary of Poem / Poem Analysis

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Farewell, farewell! but this I tell

To thee, thou Wedding-Guest!

He prayeth well, who loveth well

Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best, who loveth best

All things both great and small;

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all.

Theme: The theme of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge revolves around sin, repentance, and redemption. The mariner’s impulsive act of killing the albatross brings about severe punishment, symbolizing the consequences of disrupting nature’s harmony. Through suffering and the eventual recognition of the interconnectedness of all living things, the mariner learns the importance of respecting nature and seeks spiritual redemption by sharing his tale as a moral lesson.

Summary: In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, an old sailor recounts his harrowing sea voyage to a wedding guest. After he impulsively kills an albatross, a symbol of good fortune, the mariner and his crew face a series of supernatural punishments, including the deaths of his shipmates and being cursed to wander alone. Stricken with guilt, the mariner eventually realizes the sanctity of all living things and is freed from part of his curse after blessing sea creatures in an act of love and respect. He is condemned to share his tale forever, warning others of the consequences of disrespecting nature and seeking spiritual redemption.

Paraphrasing

• "Farewell, farewell! but this I tell to thee, thou Wedding-Guest!"

  • The Mariner says goodbye to the Wedding-Guest but feels compelled to share a crucial piece of advice before parting ways.

• "He prayeth well, who loveth well both man and bird and beast."

  • He explains that a person who genuinely loves all forms of life—humans, birds, and animals—prays in a meaningful and sincere manner.

• "He prayeth best, who loveth best all things both great and small;"

  • He goes further to say that the person who prays most effectively is the one who shows love and care for everything, regardless of its size, whether large or small.

• "For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all."

  • The Mariner concludes by explaining that the God who loves and cares for humans is the same God who created everything, and He loves all of His creations equally, regardless of their form or size.

Summary:

In this excerpt from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the Mariner bids farewell to the Wedding-Guest but first imparts an important lesson about love and prayer. He explains that a person who loves all living creatures—humans, animals, and birds—prays in a true and meaningful way. He emphasizes that those who love all things, big or small, are the ones who pray the best. The Mariner attributes this universal love to God, who created and loves all living beings. The message is clear: love for all creatures is integral to sincere prayer.

Theme:

The theme of this passage is the connection between love and spirituality. It suggests that true prayer comes from an all-encompassing love for every living being. It highlights the idea that loving all creatures—no matter how great or small—is a divine and righteous path, one that mirrors God's love for creation. This universal love is not just a moral ideal, but a form of connection to the divine.

Bangla Translation (Summary)

"দ্য রাইম অফ দ্য অ্যানসিয়েন্ট মেরিনার" থেকে এই অংশে, মেরিনার বিবাহের অতিথিকে বিদায় জানান কিন্তু প্রথমে প্রেম এবং প্রার্থনা সম্পর্কে একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ শিক্ষা দেন। তিনি ব্যাখ্যা করেন যে যে ব্যক্তি সমস্ত জীবন্ত প্রাণী - মানুষ, প্রাণী এবং পাখি - কে ভালোবাসে সে সত্য এবং অর্থপূর্ণ উপায়ে প্রার্থনা করে। তিনি জোর দিয়ে বলেন যে যারা ছোট বা বড় সকল জিনিসকে ভালোবাসে তারাই সবচেয়ে ভালো প্রার্থনা করে। মেরিনার এই সর্বজনীন প্রেমের জন্য ঈশ্বরকে দায়ী করেন, যিনি সমস্ত জীবকে সৃষ্টি করেছেন এবং ভালোবাসেন। বার্তাটি স্পষ্ট: সমস্ত প্রাণীর প্রতি ভালবাসা আন্তরিক প্রার্থনার অবিচ্ছেদ্য অংশ।

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