Isolation in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples" Chloe Marshall 11th Grade

Amongst the ideas presented in the poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples, the theme of isolation is prominent. Although Coleridge’s poem departs from Romantic stylistic tendencies, it exemplifies many of the ideas which defined the era, while Shelley uses a more typical Spenserian stanza form, manipulating this to enhance a sense of isolation throughout the poem. Both poets explore isolation in different ways throughout their poems – specifically, Shelley uses the theme of ‘dejection’, referenced in the title, to present his feelings of sadness as something he experiences very much alone.

Stanzas written in Dejection, near Naples is written in first person, again emphasizing Shelley’s feeling of isolation – he is the only one present in his poem – otherwise, there is only the nature that surrounds him. For example, he begins the poem by describing an idyllic scene by the sea – ‘The sun is warm, the sky is clear,/The waves are dancing fast and bright’, and only in the second stanza does he introduce himself into the poem. Similarly, much of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is written in first person while he is telling his story, so we are able to get just his (the Mariner’s) version...