Albatross (metaphor) Albatross (metaphor) The word albatross is sometimes used metaphorically to mean a psychological burden that feels like a curse. It is an allusion to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (1798). In the poem, an albatross starts to follow a ship — being followed by an albatross was generally considered a sign of good luck. However, the titular mariner shoots the albatross with a crossbow, which is regarded as an act that will curse the ship (which indeed suffers terrible mishaps). Even when they are too thirsty to speak, the ship's crew let the mariner know
The Pardoner's Tale roam the Earth until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. One may compare this notion to the symbol and character of the Old Man in "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. "The Pardoner's Tale" finds itself widely debated among those in the literary world. The question of Chaucer's motivation in writing the tale, as well as potential social comments made within it, have been the subject of controversy concerning "The Canterbury Tales". Gregory W. Gross, as dictated in Modern Language Studies, concludes that The Pardoner finds himself publicly shamed by the Host's reprimand at the end