Practice Questions: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner | Practice Questions with Solutions for Class 10 PDF Download

Q1: How did the mariners enjoy the arrival of the albatross?
Ans: The mariners enjoyed the arrival of albatross because its arrival was marked by the beginning of good south wind which helped them by cracking of the icebergs and making a way out for them from the land of ice. It helped their ship move to the right path.

Q2: Why were the mariners angry with the Ancient Mariner ?
Ans: The mariners were angry with the Ancient Mariner as he had killed the bird of good omen. He had killed the bird whom the mariner’s hailed in the name of Christ. The bird had helped them steer clear out of the land of ice and snow.

Q3: You are one of the crew on the ship. After the mariner kills the Albatross, you have to suffer and there is no hope of survival. Write a diary entry describing your feelings at this point of time.
Ans:

Dear Diary,

I am fed up with being stuck into the slimy water of the sea for days. I don’t know what came into the mariner’s mind that he killed the albatross. I believe that the albatross was a holy spirit sent to help us. If we defy the orders of God it leads to disastrous results. I don’t think I will ever be able to see the land again. I will die of hunger and thirst or the evil spirits in the form of these creatures would kill me. I think we all are partners in Mariner’s crime as we also lauded him for killing the Albatross. May God forgive me for my sins so that I am able to reach my home and family.

Q4: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

He holds him with his glittering eye
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years’ child:
The Mariner hath his will.

• Why did the mariner hold back the wedding guest?
• Why was the wedding guest unable to move?
• What does the word, ‘glittering’ mean?

Ans:

• The mariner held back the wedding guest as he had to confess his guilt of killing an innocent bird.
• The mariner had hypnotised the wedding guest using his magic which he had learnt for this purpose.
• The word ‘glittering’ means ‘shining’.

Q5: Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

“In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white moonshine. ”

• Where were the mariners?
• Who is the ‘It’ referred to in these lines?
• What does ‘vespers nine’ mean?

Ans:

• The mariners were in the south sea. Their ship was now moving as the ice had begun to melt.
• In these lines ‘It’ refers to the albatross.
• ‘Vespers nine’ means ‘a fixed time every day (the evening church service)’

Q6: How did the mariners reach the land of ice and snow?
Ans: The mariners were going towards the south. All of a sudden, there came a storm. It was very powerful and tyrannous. It took the ship for away in the sea. The mariners began to cry out of fear that their ship was about to sink in the sea. Then the temperature went down. It was a wonderous cold and sea water began to freeze. The ship was surrounded by icebergs from all sides and the mariners found themselves in the land of ice and snow.

Q7: Why was the Albatross considered as a ‘Christian Soul’?
Ans: After the storm there was a drastic change in the condition of the weather and the sea water froze. The ship was surrounded by icebergs from all sides. The life of the mariners was at stake. They had no hope of survival. Piercing the fog and smoke, an albatross came there. They thought that it was a Christian soul that had come to save them. A true Christian soul is supposed to help the needy. The arrival of the albatross proved auspicious and ice began to melt.

Q8: Why did the mariners blame the Ancient Mariner for their plight?
Ans: The arrival of the albatross proved so auspiciops for the mariners. They saw a ray of hope. They were hopeful that they would return home safely. But the Ancient Mariner killed the albatross. After that the wind came to a stop. The ship appeared to be a painted ship in the painted ocean. Death fire began to dance at night. The mariners dreamt that the spirit of the albatross was taking revenge and they blamed the Ancient Mariner for their plight.

Q9: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

He holds him with his skinny hand,
“There was a ship, ” quoth he.

• Who does ‘He’ refer to in the above extract?
• What do we know about the speaker’s feelings?
• Why is his hand called ‘skinny’?

Ans:

• ‘He’ here refers to the ancient mariner.
• The speaker was repenting. Hence he wanted to confess his guilt.
• He is very old and his pouch of skin is hanging .

Q10: How did the mariners reach the land of ice and snow?
Ans: The mariners commenced their voyage in a very fine weather. When their ship was in the middle of the sea, there came a storm. It was very powerful and tyrannous. It took the ship in its grip and took it to the south. Then there was a sudden change in weather. The sea water turned into ice and the ship was surrounded from all sides by iceberg.

Q11: Why does the Ancient Mariner compel the wedding guest to listen to his story?
Ans: The Ancient Mariner had committed a sinful act by killing an innocent bird without any provocation. He was atoning and lamenting for his crime. He was of the view that if he confessed his guilt God would reduce his sin. Nobody was interested in listening to him. So he compels the wedding guest to listen to his confession.

Q12: Respect for all forms of life is an essential value. Unmindful destruction of nature and its creatures deserves just punishment. Write in 80-100 words this essential value as brought out in the poem, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’.
Ans: After the storm, the temperature went down abruptly and the water began to freeze. The ship was unable to move and the lives of the mariners were at stake. Piercing the fog and mist, an Albatross appeared. All the mariners welcomed it considering it to be a Christian soul. They gave it the best food they had and began to play with it. As a creature of God it was welcomed, God became happy and the ice began to melt. .The sailors found the situation favourable to move their ship. But when the Ancient Mariner killed the albatross without any provocation God became angry and the wind came to a stop. The mariners found that death fire was dancing before them. Then they took a judicious decision of punishing the culprit. They hung the , dead body of the albatross around the neck of the culprit to convey the message that killing any creature of God is a crime. It is our pious duty to love all the creatures made by God.

Q13: What was the crime committed by the mariner?
Ans: When the ship was unable to move owing to icebergs, the mariners were afraid of death. All of a sudden an albatross appeared there. Its arrival proved to be auspicious and ice began to melt. The ship began to move. The albatross was following the ship. Unprecedentedly, evil sense prevailed on the Ancient Mariner and he killed the albatross using his crossbow without and provocation. It was indeed a very sinful act.

Q14: How were the mariners saved from the land of ice and snow?
Ans: When the sea water froze and the ship was surrounded by icebergs from all sides, the mariners lost their hope of survival. They thought that they would die of starvation and thirst after consuming their limited food and water. All of a sudden, there came an albatross piercing the fog and the mist. Its arrival proved auspicious and ice began to melt. Their crewmen started steering the ship and the mariners were saved.

Q15: Why did the wedding guest beat his breast?
Ans: The wedding guest was a very close relative of the bridegroom. He had extreme desire to attend the wedding ceremony. Being a close relative he knew that his presence was indispensable. But the ancient mariner compelled him to listen to his story. The wedding guest was unable to free himself from the magical effect of the ancient mariner. So, his helplessness made him beat his breast.