Season 3 Podcast 34 The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Pts V, VI, & VII
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Pts 5, 6 & 7
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is about sin and redemption and the steps of repentance necessary to receive redemption. In Podcast One of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the mariner leaves the harbor among cheers. However, they travel on strange seas and are lost and the mariner commits a terrible sin. He shoots an innocent albatross which brings bad luck to the ship. The other mariners hang the albatross around the mariner’s neck for punishment. In Podcast Two of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, they see the death ship. The mariner survives but all other members of the crew die of thirst. The mariner is not only cursed by the other crew members as they die, he is also cursed for his sin by being plunged into a kind of living hell. Finally, redemption begins to come to the Mariner, and angels help him drive the ship toward his own country. The stanzas bring to mind the time the Savior calmed the seas.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:37-41)
The mariner falls into a trance, and the Mariner hears two voices, one critical of the Mariner’s behavior, the other sympathetic. The voice critical of the mariner asks the softer voice what is driving the ship. While still in the trance, the mariner overhears the conversation and is led to understand that the ship is driven by supernatural means The voices are discussing the fate of the Ancient Mariner. This, the final podcast on The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, opens as the two heavenly voices continue speaking.
FIRST VOICE.
But tell me, tell me! speak again,
Thy soft response renewing--
What makes that ship drive on so fast?
What is the OCEAN doing?
SECOND VOICE.
Still as a slave before his lord,
The OCEAN hath no blast;
His great bright eye most silently
Up to the Moon is cast--
If he may know which way to go;
For she guides him smooth or grim
See, brother, see! how graciously
She looketh down on him.
FIRST VOICE.
But why drives on that ship so fast,
Without or wave or wind?
SECOND VOICE.
The air is cut away before,
And closes from behind.
Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high
Or we shall be belated:
For slow and slow that ship will go,
When the Mariner's trance is abated.
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