English Literature / Unit 12 ENL 1132 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Captions available
The idea
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which opened Lyrical Ballads, tells how a mariner holds a Wedding-Guest "with his glittering eye" and recounts his voyage: "With my cross-bow / I shot the ALBATROSS," and the becalmed ship has "Water, water, every where."
In practice
A guest held, a bird shot.
Where people slip
The listener cannot choose but hear.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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