Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1834)
poetryfoundation.org
poetryfoundation.org
In my accent (I'm British, with a classic 'semi-posh'[1] accent) and I say 'Marin-err' however when reading the poem, it seems to me that it supposed to be 'Marin-ear' so as to rhyme with 'hear'.
Back in 19th century, did people pronounce it differently, or is Coleridge bending the pronunciation to force the rhyme?
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[1] Home Counties, for you other brits.
Not every rhyme in the poem is a full (aka "perfect") rhyme; there are a few half rhymes (cold/emerald, thus/albatross). So there's at least an argument that Coleridge didn't intend a full rhyme here.
See https://books.google.com/books?id=z3kKAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA451#v=on... and https://books.google.com/books?id=EXEUPL_Jv2MC&lpg=PA61&ots=...
"As printed the [hear/Mariner] rhyme is defective. In the original edition the spelling is Marinere wherever the word occurs."[0]
An archaism I suppose, like eftsoons etc. And about
How loudly his sweet voice he rears!
He loves to talk with marineres
That come from a far countree.
And the -ear sound is better for rhyming! e.g.
Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud)
How fast she nears and nears!
Are those her sails that glance in the Sun,
Like restless gossameres?
What loud uproar bursts from that door!
The wedding-guests are there:
But in the garden-bower the bride
And bride-maids singing are:
And hark the little vesper bell,
Which biddeth me to prayer!
[Sometimes all little birds that are,
How they seemed to fill the sea and air]
Finally,
"The pronunciation of [Coleridge] is indicated by Coleridge himself in the following couplet :
Could you stand upon Skiddaw, you would not from its whole ridge
See a man who so loves you as your fond S. T. Coleridge."
FIRST VOICE
But why drives on that ship so fast, Without or wave or wind?'
SECOND VOICE
'The air is cut away before, And closes from behind.
When I was memorizing this poem with my friends in high-school this was a high point. All as one, we'd say "And closes from BEE-HIHND," rhyming it with "wind" and then breaking up in gales of laughter.
With sloping masts and dipping prow,
As who pursued with yell and blow
"prow, the Classical equivalent of the Teutonic bow, rimes with blow only to the eye. Such are called printers' rhymes."
Did you manage to memorize it?? It's long! I chose Kubla Khan, more sensibly.
About the spelling rime he says
"Rime. — This word has during the last three centuries been usually but improperly spelt rhyme, probably through confusion with rhythm"
which seems right e.g.
Having said that, 'Rhod Gilbert Welsh' (in my head anyway) isn't that far off rhyming with 'mariner' itself.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_and_imperfect_rhymes#I...
Suddenly I startled awake with the awareness that I had fallen asleep and had been riding while asleep (presumably just for a second or two). What shocked me awake was realizing that these lines of Coleridge's poem had been playing in my head:
Softly and smoothly went the ship,
Moved onward from beneath.
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
I guess having the power to delete unwanted child comments would be too much, but moments like these it's a power I'd really like to have.
The question wasn't a real question. It seemed some kind of showing off. If you really want to know the answer you'd google it. If you ask in public like that it seems something else.
The comment felt like "Drugs! Rock'n'Roll! I'm Cool!" and little else. I'm not into opiates or rock'n'roll (or fake questions), so it was 100% turn-off.
Why, what value do you think the comment had?
I can't speak for the op, but I found it an interesting bit of trivia. Sure, they could have googled it, but if they had, I wouldn't know about the origins of this poem. And thanks to the replies, I now know what a 'person from Porlock' means. Reading that comment was a win for me. If the person was jostling for status (and I don't see a reason to think that), well, I still benefitted.
Something being turn-off for you is not a sound reason for advocating censorship. Also, not all the comments that are written to your posts are direct questions to You. "Fake questions" are usually known as rhetoric questions, and you surely know that. Don't you?
Ancient spoiler: it's a plot point in a Douglas Adams novel.
Here's one of my favorite bands live, Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio on vocals:
I think the placement at the wedding is to contrast the horrowing nature of the tale. Setting a story at a wedding would instantly evoke a specific feeling in an audience similar to setting an event at a house party might instantly evoke a feeling in a modern reader (not the same emotions obviously).
Is it really necessary to try to "explain" what Iron Maiden is? They are worldwide famous, and the least famous part of Iron Maiden is that they may be British.
It's like saying: "this device is produced by an American phone manufacturer - Apple".
[0] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-09-11/-who-is-u...