Who is the Mariner now after everything? Is he still human? Is he cursed or redeemed?

The description of Life-in-Death is erotically beautiful and horrifying at the same time. The contrast between seductive features and leprous skin is pure genius. It makes death feel alluring and repulsive simultaneously which is so unsettling.

This simple and cheerful personification of the sun feels almost childlike at first. It is bright and friendly. But knowing what’s coming, the innocence of this line becomes devastating. It’s the last moment of normal, happy nature before everything turns horrible. The contrast is crazy.

This is like the eternal curse of the teller. The Mariner is condemned to relive and retell his guilt forever. This is a metaphor for trauma and the need to confess.

The souls of the dead crew fly past him with the same sound as the arrow that killed the bird. This is a devastating loop where his act is parallel with deaths.

This is the moment perception shifts. This reversal is the when the Mariner sees intrinsic value in what he once despised.

This is a huge turning point in the poem. Salvation is seen as a gift instead of an achievement.

The repetition almost makes it feel like physical loneliness. It also feels haunting.

This seems like the poems moral core. It means that love is real connection to god.

The Albatross is a somewhat parody of Christ's cross, the burden of sin and inflicted curse. It is also known for purity.

Literally considered the most iconic couplet ever. It captures the irony and torment so well. It talks about human suffering and limits to the material world.