Question

Justify the statement 'The sailors are fickle-minded' with reference to the poem 'The Rime of ancient Mariner'.

Answer 1

The sailors were fickle minded as their opinion changed with the weather. At first they criticized the Mariner for his sin. But after the weather changed and the ship started moving they were happy that the bird was killed. But again when the ship was struck and they were hopeless, they again criticised him

Answer 2

In the beginning the other mariners were infuriated since the ancient mariner killed the noble albatross. They condemned him as they had considered the bird a good omen who made the breeze blow. However, when the mist lifted and the sun came out, they sang a different tune. They concluded that the mariner was right in shooting the bird since it had brought with itself the mist and fog that made their journey difficult. Interestingly, when the ship stopped moving and the crew faced a scarcity of water, they went back to blaming the mariner again. This proves that the sailors were fickle minded and unsure.

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