Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Extract based questions and answers

Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow :

1 “He holds him with his glittering eye

   The wedding guest stood still

   And listens like a three-year old child :

   The mariner hath his will”.

(a)  Why did the mariner hold the wedding guest ?

Ans. The mariner held the wedding guest to narrate his story to him.

(b)  Why was the guest unable to move ?

Ans. The guest was unable to move because he was completely under the control of     
        the glittering eyes of the ancient mariner.

(c)  Name the poetic device in the above stanza ? Explain it.

Ans. The poetic device is simile. It means that the wedding guest stood helplessly like a  

        child and listened to the story of the ancient mariner.

2.   And now the storm-blast came, and he

      was tyrannous and strong

      He struck with his O’ertaking wings

      And chased us south along.

a)    Name the poetic device in line 1.

Ans. The poetic device used is personification. The storm blast has been personified. It 
        has been given the qualities of being cruel/harsh and strong.

b)    Explain ‘O’ertaking wings’.

Ans The storm has been personified as a huge bird and the enormous waves of the 
       ocean during the storm have been compared to its ‘O’ertaking  wings.   

c)    What effect did it have on the ship?

Ans. The ship was pushed in the southward direction.

3. And I had done a hellish thing,

    it would work' em woe ;
    For all averred, I had killed the bird

    That made the breeze to blow.
    Ah wretch ! said they, the bird to slay,

    That made the breeze to blow !

    (a) ‘I’ in the above lines is the Ancient Mariner.

    (b) The figure of speech used in the second line is Alliteration

    (c) What hellish thing had the speaker done ?

    Ans. The ancient mariner had shot the innocent albatross with his cross bow.

4. And some in dreams assured were

    Of the spirit that plagued us so;
    Nine fathom deep he had followed us

    From the land of mist and snow

   (a) Some in the above lines refers to the other sailors on the ship.

   (b) The mariners felt that the ship was being followed by the spirit of the albatross

   (c) Why was the spirit following them?

   Ans. It was following them to avenge its death.

5. In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,

    It perched for vespers nine
    Whiles all the night through fog-smoke white,

    Glimmered the white Moon-shine.

    (a) Who is it in the above lines?

    Ans. ‘It’ in the above lines is the albatross.

    (b) Vespers nine refers to the fixed time at which the albatross appeared everyday

    (c) It was a boon for the sailors because after its arrival the weather conditions changed            and the ship was able to move out of the area.

6.  At length did come an albatross,

    Through the fog it came,

    As if it had been a Christian soul,

    We hailed it in God’s name.

(a)  Why were the mariners relieved to see the albatross?

Ans. The mariners had been stuck in the ice for a long period of time and had not seen any living creature. It was the first sign of life and therefore gave them hope that they might survive.

(b)  Identify the figure of speech in the above stanza.

Ans. Simile – As if it had been a Christian soul

© How did the mariner react at the sight of the albatross?

Ans. They considered it to be a good omen and welcomed it .

7. Day after day, day after day,

    We stuck nor breath nor motion;

    As idle as a painted ship

    Upon a painted ocean.

(a)  Who was stuck and where?

Ans. The Ancient Mariners and the other sailors were stuck in the middle of the sea.

(b)  What is the effect of the repetition in the first line?
Ans. The repetition emphasizes that the ship had been stuck for a long period in the     
         middle of the sea. There was no movement at all.

      © How does the narrator communicate the idea of being becalmed?

      Ans. The idea of being becalmed is communicated by comparing the ship and the sea to               a painting of the ship and the sea.

8. With sloping masts and dipping prow’

    As who pursued with yell and blow

   Still treads the shadow of his foe,

   And forwards bends the head,

   The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,

   Southwards aye we fled.

(a)  What is the storm described as? What is the ship personified as?

Ans. The storm is described as an enemy who is very powerful. The ship is personified as a man running away from his enemy who is pursuing him.

(b)  Explain: ‘Still treads the shadow of his foe’

Ans. Walks in the shadow of his enemy and cannot get away from from him. The ship             was in the shadow of the storm unable to get away from it.

© Explain: ‘Dipping prow’

Ans. Prow is the front part of the ship . It was submerged in the water as the ship was              bent forward.
9. Ah! well a-day! what evil looks

Had I from old and young!

Instead of the cross, the Albatross

About my neck was hung.

     a)    Who are ‘old’ and ‘young’?

     Ans. The sailors on the ship.

     b)    Why are the people casting evil looks?

     Ans. They are casting evil looks on the ancient mariner because they hold him responsible for all their miseries.

c)    Why is the ‘cross’ removed from the mariner’s neck? What does it indicate?

Ans. Punishment

     d)     Why is the dead Albatross hung around the sailor’s neck? What does it indicate?

Ans. Eternal damnation. A constant reminder of evil deed the ancient had committed by

        by killing the albatross.