In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” a narrative poem set primarily at sea, Samuel Taylor Coleridge weaves a fantastic tale of sin and redemption. The poem’s narrator is a mysterious old sailor with a “glittering eye”—the titular ancient mariner himself—who is compelled to tell his story. The text features a series of dramatic, often eerie, supernatural events that require “the willing suspension of disbelief” as the plot unfolds. Coleridge’s poem is noted for its striking imagery, which is often created through his use of metaphor in describing the setting and the strange events at sea that change forever the old mariner’s life.

Skills: analysis, drawing inferences from text, close reading, identifying the relationship between words

About This Document

The Owl Eyes Analyzing Metaphor activity gives students an opportunity to practice examining and analyzing metaphors. Students will engage with specific selections of the text and work collaboratively to identify the vehicle, tenor, and implications of each metaphor. The main components include the following:

• A brief introduction to the text
• A detailed handout on metaphor types
• A step-by-step guide to activity procedure
• A detailed answer key for teachers

In completing this worksheet, students will learn to classify and analyze different kinds of metaphors in order to develop close reading skills and draw deeper inferences from the text.