Losing Faith and a Gothic Tale

I do consider “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” to definitely be a gothic poem. Coleridge uses a fantastic story with a ghost ship navigated by “Death” and “Life in Death,” a ship being sailed by a dead crew without wind or sail, and man doomed to walk the earth as penance for the death of the “White Albatross.” But there is also an underlying religious theme. The “White Albatross” representing Christ/Christianity which leads the through the fog and mist and the crew must have faith the bird will guide them safely through this time of uncertainty. The “Ancient Mariner, “whose faith begins to waver and kills the “White Albatross,” is a representation of the doubt that people have within us. With the death of the “Albatross” the fog and mist clears as if it is an awakening to which doesn’t last long. Soon the wind stops as does the sea, “Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down, / ’Twas sad as sad could be; / And we did speak only to break / The silence of the sea!” In this part of the poem the tribulations begin with the ship beginning to rot and there is no fresh water to drink. As a punishment the crew forces the “Ancient Mariner” to wear the “Albatross” around his neck which I think has a correlation with the wearing of the crucifix. And along comes a ship with the hope of redemption. The “Mariner” realizes that the ship is moving without wind or wave and once in view sees the ship for what is truly is. With “Death” at the helm and “Life in Death” at his side, the “Ancient Mariner” realizes the end is near. But the two ghosts play a game to see who will get the souls of the ship. “Death” wins the souls of the crew and “Life in Death” wins the “Ancient Mariner’s” soul. And he is therefore forced to roam the land telling the story of his digressions, which is another use of a gothic literature theme” The Wandering Jew.”