I feel that The Rime of the Ancient Mariner relates to Rousseau's second impulse: compassion, don't kill for fun. I believe the Mariner killed the albatross for fun and he learned his lesson the hard way. He had to watch other innocent men die while he lived for the crime that he committed. It wasn't until this stanza that he learned that everything is beautiful and there is no need to kill something for his own pleasure.
O happy living things! no tongue
Thier beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I blessed them unaware:
Sure my kind saint took pity on me,
And I blessed them unaware.
Rousseau believes the world belonged to everyone including nature in which the Mariner interrupted. Also Voltaire believes human nature isn't perfect.In which we should not interrupt. What do you guys think?
-Courtney Lynch
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I agree with Courtney, that this poem does relate to Rosseau's idea "don't kill for fun." However, I don't like the use of the word fun in this situation. I believe (this connects to other threads by our classmates) that he killed the albatross because he was searching for self fulfillment, and a sense of worth. This along with with his impulse that the albatross was not bringing good fortune could be considered killing for fun, but I still believe there was more legitimate reason that just that. I think it has to do more with the the emotions towards the Mariner as a human being rather than his individual feelings.
ReplyDeleteYes, human nature is flawed - but what is considered interrupting nature? I think that by the Mariner shooting the albatross that too should be considered a part of nature. As corny as it may sound I'm looking at this from a "circle of life" approach.
Overall, I do not think that the Mariner shot the albatross simply for personal pleasure and fun. However, The Mariner is a human, and as we have discussed in class human nature is not perfect. But this imperfection creates nature - this is represented through the Mariner shooting the albatross.
Maddi Park
I think it is a lifes lesson like in candide. The mariner had to go thruogh a process before he could see the riches at the end. In Candide he had to suffer and see people die until he found piece through the lesson god was teaching him. You must work in the garden and be a family before you can reap what you sow.The mariner had to learn all god creatures are great and he needs to love them all. He had to go thruogh a simular process before he could prosper.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Courtney about the poem relating to the class. The Mariner did not think about his consiquences or punishments before he killed the Albatross. This same example is exhibited in Candide when Vanderdendour's ship is sunk & his crew perishes. Vanderdendour did not think of the punishment or consiquence & because of his actions, his whole crew suffered. Candide says it was his punishment for taking most of his fortune, but Martin asks why the whole crew had to die? Punishment is not fair and it is being shown in these works we are studying in class.
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