The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

1. Browse through the Ancient Mariner Big Read, which pairs readings of the text (performed by various actors, singers, and even a descendent of Coleridge) with visual art. Partner with a classmate and choose four stanzas for one of you to perform (and record) aloud while the other creates an accompanying visual. Then switch roles. Afterward, discuss the differences between your interpretations (audio and visual).

2. Coleridge wrote “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” during the early days of European polar exploration, likely drawing on accounts of voyages beyond both the Arctic and Antarctic circles. In fact, the polar regions feature prominently in multiple Romantic and Gothic works (a closely related genre), including Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein and Edgar Allan Poe’s 1838 novella The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym. Using these three works as reference points, research the history of polar exploration in the 18th and 19th centuries and construct a timeline that includes both major historical events and the publication dates of literary works inspired by them.