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Elements Of Supernaturalism In The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

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Coleridge was well acquainted with the Gothic novels of horror where the supernatural imagery was simply external machinery, part of the medieval setting. It was thrilling but not artistic. Coleridge himself has not been able to avoid it completely in his first characteristic poem, ‘The Rime of The Ancient Mariner’, where we have such sensational touches as the hundred companions of ‘The Ancient Mariner’ falling down suddenly like lifeless lumps, each with a fixed stare on the sinner, who saw this curse seven days and nights but could not die: or the picture of the spectre bark with Death-in-life, gambling intently for the possession of the Mariner.
But in ‘Christabel’, the element of the supernatural Imagery is infused in the atmosphere and the nature of the daemonic force is unfolded gradually through a number of suggestive details which build up the suspense till the full force of its potency is reached in the transformation of the poor victim into the likeness of the Evil one.
Coleridge knew how to handle that type of the supernatural imagery whose essence is entirely psychological. Coleridge’s imagery of supernaturalism is at once refined and suggestive. It is very …show more content…

Coleridge is a born story-teller. He knows the art of telling a story in verse. As a narrator he is superior to Wordsworth. He possesses considerable narrative skill and power of producing great imagery by himself. His narrative poems have a quick movement. Contrasted with ‘Christabel’, Wordsworth’s Michael moves very slowly and leisurely. In ‘Christabel’ one event follows another with breathless rapidity. He avoids unnecessary details; Coleridge avoids all necessary details in ‘Christabel’. Every detail in this poem either carries the story forward or helps in creating the imagery of mystery and horror. There are neither unnecessary character nor events in

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