Samuel Coleridge wrote during a time period where gothic styling influenced many writers. This trend by writers of the era rises to the surface prominently inThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner?. Coleridge uses gothic elements here to determine the existence and fate of the Mariner's faulty spirit and so perpetuate his punishment.
             Throughout the poem the Mariner's faults draw themselves to the surface through the usage of gothic themes. The first and most significant part of the mariner's tale begins when he explains how without warning, he ruthlessly kills the albatross. He displays no immediate remorse or explanation for his deadly actions, but simply continues his tale as if he remains unaware hehad done an hellish thing? out of feelings of hate he cannot explain. After the death of his shipmates he appears penitent for his own actions as helooked to heaven, and tried to pray; But or ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came? that made his heartas dry as dust.? At this point however, any prayers offered come forth out of fear for the dead shipmates, not from repentance for his sin of killing the Albatross. His inner spirit contains flaws poignantly displayed through dark themes, and his fate in the poem lies at the discretion of the spirits.
             The mysterious spirits inThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner? serve as captains on the ship of the Mariner's fate, utilizing death and other macabre occurrences to draw fear and repentance from his own spirit while simultaneously determining its fate. The game
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             of dice between Death and Life-In-Death for possession of the Mariner's soul prominently displays how his fate is left to the grotesque. The ghastly nightmare Life-In-Death has skinas white as leprosy? and wins out over death for possession of the Mariner's spirit, in order to draw out his suffering e...