Poetry · Chapter
Strange Life Preserver explained
A sailor is swept overboard and, after being attacked by a great albatross, manages to kill the bird and use it as a floatation device, ultimately being rescued by his crewmates.
What happens
A sailor is swept overboard and, after being attacked by a great albatross, manages to kill the bird and use it as a floatation device, ultimately being rescued by his crewmates.
Themes in this chapter
Mortality and Loss
The sailor's near-death experience and the killing of the albatross highlight the fragility of life and the cost of survival.
Characters to notice
- Jack Smith
The sailor who is swept overboard and saved by killing the albatross.
- Edgar Allan Poe
Referenced indirectly through the albatross, which is called 'the Albatross' and linked to Poe's poem 'The Raven' or 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' via the albatross motif.
Key passages
“But while he on the waves did toss, He was seized by great Albatross, Who had been looking round in quest Of something whereon it could rest.”
While the sailor was being tossed by the waves, a large albatross grabbed him, having been searching for something to land on.
Describes the initial encounter with the albatross.
“But sailor seized it by the throat, And found with ease he then could float, So sailor’s life was saved by loss Of the life of the Albatross.”
The sailor grabbed the bird by the throat and discovered he could float more easily, thus saving his own life by killing the albatross.
Explains how the sailor used the albatross as a life preserver.