The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Part Five Summary

TLDRIn part five of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the Mariner falls asleep and wakes up to find it raining. A storm blows up, but the ship moves on without wind. The dead crew rise up and sail the ship. The Mariner believes it was the spirit of the albatross that caused the ship to move. The ship stops and the Mariner faints. He hears two voices discussing his fate and learns that he must serve his penance for killing the albatross. The natural world is in upheaval, marked by the violent storm that never reaches the ship. The dead sailors continue to sail the ship, possessed by angels called seraphs. The spirit from the South Pole guides the ship even after the angels disappear. All three supernatural forces unite to bring the Mariner home to save harbor. The voices the Mariner hears during his fit are left open to interpretation. The Mariner understands the extent of his penance, which seems to be never-ending.

Key insights

🌦️The ship moves on without wind, believed to be caused by the spirit of the albatross.

⚡The dead crew rise up and sail the ship, possessed by angels called seraphs.

🌀The violent storm never reaches the ship, but the natural world is in upheaval.

🌊The spirit from the South Pole guides the ship, even after the angels disappear.

🚢The ship is ultimately brought back home to save harbor through the supernatural forces.

Q&A

What causes the ship to move without wind?

—The Mariner believes it was the spirit of the albatross that caused the ship to move.

Who possesses the dead crew to sail the ship?

—The dead crew is possessed by angels called seraphs.

Why does the violent storm never reach the ship?

—The storm represents the upheaval in the natural world but never reaches the ship.

What guides the ship after the angels disappear?

—The spirit from the South Pole continues to guide the ship.

How is the ship ultimately brought back home?

—The supernatural forces, including the spirit and angels, unite to bring the ship back to save harbor.

Timestamped Summary

00:09The Mariner falls asleep and wakes up to find it raining.

00:17The ship moves on without wind, believed to be caused by the spirit of the albatross.

00:23The dead crew rise up and sail the ship, possessed by angels called seraphs.

00:36The violent storm never reaches the ship, but the natural world is in upheaval.

01:42The spirit from the South Pole guides the ship, even after the angels disappear.

01:45The ship is ultimately brought back home to save harbor through the supernatural forces.

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