Funkcioniranje i značenja epskih i dramskih elemenata u lirskoj baladi Samuela Taylora Coleridgea: Pjesma o starom mornaru kao pjesma o stvaranju i poeziji
The Functioning and Meanings of Epic and Dramatic Elements in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Lyrical Ballad: the Rime of the Ancient Mariner as a Poem on Creation and Poetry

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the epic and dramatic qualities and elements present in Coleridge's lyrical ballad "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", analyze their functioning and purpose and interpret the meanings they disseminate within the structure of the poem that serve to construct its main thematic aspects. Accordingly, the narrative characteristics of the poem have been also explained, its similarities to the epic, the dramatic relations between the characters, the elements of the medieval forms (morality and miracle play) present in it, as well as the complexity of Mariner's character and his transformation. Furthermore, this paper aims to analyze the ways in which Coleridge introduces the motives he draws from myths, other literary types and literary epochs, thus building the characteristic composition and atmosphere of the poem. Hence, the polysemy, allegorical features and selfreferentiality will be stressed with which "The Rime of the Ancient Mariners" abounds. The thematic aspects of the poem concerning religiosity as well as its semantic levels which communicate the Coleridge's idea of the poem as "an organic form developed by the power of individual imagination" and poetry as "the balance and reconciliation of opposite and discordant qualities" have been also discussed. Finally, this paper comes to a conclusion that "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is compositionally and thematically focused on the process of creation, the nature of poetry, the similarity between the poet and the Creator, and that in itself, it unites the universal concepts of truth, cognition, imagination, love and faith.

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