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“He prayeth best, who loveth best / All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us, / He made and loveth all.”
Acting Out Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner": If you do this right, you will not only be able to act out this epic poem in it's entirety (if you have at least a 45 minute class period) - you will also have a few moments to talk about it. Perhaps one of the most fast moving and exciting lessons of the year - this activity gets all of the students involved in acting out the story of the poem - and as always - by acting it out, they will come to a deeper understanding of Coleridge's verse. The students should have read the poem before you begin - though I often hold off on the quiz (though they THINK that it's going to be given today) because of the time constraints of making sure you can finish the entire poem. You also have to break one of my fundamental rules in "reading aloud" and not having random readers. First, I choose the narrator for the day - or at least pick from students who volunteer. You need someone who is loud, quick on their feet, and that can focus. I let the rest of the students (with one exception) choose their roles but you have to do a lot of balancing and you may end up choosing for them if it is taking too long. As for that one role that they don't get to choose - I let the class choose who they want to play the Albatross (as long as it's ok with that person). It is all part of the tremendous fun to be had today.
Lesson Overview
Lesson Overview
No Quiz today
No Quiz today
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is a HUGE reading and the students will probably need at least two days to read it. I usually do - and say that the entire reading is due today (it helps when they are acting it out) - BUT there is no time for a quiz today, except perhaps a one question, anyone can answer - regardless if they read, kind of quiz. By giving such a quiz, and making it worth 200 points - you'll be able to keep track of who was in class today for such an important lesson. I give the real quiz before the next class (a Group Work on the text) or completely skip the actual content quiz as we've already acted out the entire poem (and they've been given credit).
Choosing your Actors
Choosing your Actors
You need to know your students and their talents. When I did this activity it was towards the end of the year - and we had done Macbeth Day - so I knew who enjoyed acting; who could think quickly on their feet; and who had a voice that could carry. I only chose one actor for the lesson - The Ancient Mariner. And - I always did that first. It's a demanding role - they will speak about 4/5's of the entire text and they will be running from the "ship" to the "wedding" and they will need to be loud and clear enough for the rest of the class (usually in an open space like a lunchroom) to hear them.
Next, I allowed the entire class to choose the Albatross - with that person's consent. In the 25 years or so that we did this - I never had this turn "mean-spirited". And the class usually chose the class joker or free spirit to hang around the Ancient Mariner's neck. If there is more than one student in the running for the Albatross (btw students would visit me 20 years later and remember who played the Albatross), I would give that other student who didn't get it the wonderful part of The Wedding Guest. This can also be done if there is more than one student up for the Ancient Mariner.
The Sun/Moon role is a lot of fun and I usually asked for someone who had dancing or creative expression skills to play the part. They will need to think fast and be very creative.
Then I would ask for volunteers to play the various roles (remember they've read the play before today's activity - though this can work even if they haven't). Usually students who have been good friends together in the class for the year will pair up for parts like the Spectre Man & Woman as they will for Spirit Demon 1 & Spirit Demon 2. There are also larger groups like the Sea Snakes, the Slimy Things (which can be combined with the Sea Snakes if you have a small class).
Go through all of the parts (see the scripts below) and make sure you have someone playing each part (The Hermit, The Pilot, The Pilot's Boy).
Finally - anyone who is left will be a Mariner - the sailors who work the doomed ship. Here are some of the instructions from their script for the Mariners: "Mariners, you don’t have any lines but you are the HEART & SOUL (literally) of this production. YOU WILL NEED TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE NARRATION (USUALLY FROM THE ANCIENT MARINER). LISTEN – You will pantomime (pretend with no sound) that you are sailing this ship. You will have to work together – you will have to have elaborate gestures."
Unlike the other characters (for the most part), the Mariners will not have a script with lines (they have none - other than a groan or sigh) but they need to be constantly moving (except when they're dead) and they need to listen carefully to what's going on.
Following their lines
Following their lines
I've spent more time on preparing this lesson for publishing here - than any other lesson that I've done. Each script has the lines that the students will read for their respective parts in RED. Their stage directions are in BLUE. Each part has the pages with their pertinent lines - and I have tried to keep the pagination close to that of the Teacher's Script (yes you will have a few lines, mostly at the beginning and the end of the poem). By keeping the pagination close it will help all of the actors to know when they come on. And there are stage directions and more for each part. You may want to give the students a few minutes to look over their scripts before you actually begin. As the teacher, you are also the director and will be "herding" the actors - making sure they are in the right place - making sure they are constantly engaged.
The Audience
The Audience
The audience is anyone who is not currently (or about to be) acting. Remind them that they are to pay close attention - not only because it is the polite and right thing to do but also so they know when to come on - and to see how the poem comes alive with new meaning for them by watching it being acted out.
Choosing Your Location
Choosing Your Location
For most of my 32 years teaching, I was extremely lucky to have a place to act out "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner". There is a bridge that connects the Academic Building with the Arts Building at my old school. It was perfect! But I also used empty lunchrooms, hallways - whereever we had room to perform and not disturb other classes.
Discussing the Poem
Discussing the Poem
Due to time constraints there is usually no time to talk about the poem as you are performing it. There is one exception to that (and you'll see this in your Teacher Script. There is one point where the Ancient Mariner prays (without thinking of it) and blesses the Sea Snakes. In that moment, the Albatross falls from their neck. It is worth taking a minute to point this out and talk about why.
Above All
Above All
Have fun! Students will remember this lesson and they will get so much out of it. Look over the scripts before the lesson so that you feel confident. Print them out (you'll need a color printer - but you can keep them for the next year) - and print out enough for each of the parts. Look over the video that I've included below to see how one teacher and one class did it. I can tell you we had a ball!
rimeancientmariner2021AllBlur1.mp4Acting out "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" Video
Acting out "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" Video
I have both blurred this video and put an opaque "scrim" in front of it to protect my former students' privacy. And yet - you should still be able to see the incredible enthusiasm and creativity that the students bring to acting out Coleridge's poem - as well as the lasting impact that it has on any student who has done it - or seen it. We watched this video during the Pandemic when we couldn't act it out ourselves - which of course was a great way to go over the previous lesson - "This Lime Tree Bower My Prison". A lesson about being unable to take part in what others have done.
Scripts for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Scripts for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
See above in the Lesson Overview for more on the various parts... In order for the students to see their lines and stage directions, you'll either need access to a Color Printer (but these can be used year after year - I used my scripts for 30 years - or have electonic devices that show the colors for lines and stage directions for the various parts. How many you print will depend on the size of your classes - small class may get away with 1 slimy thing - large classes may have 3.
The script that contains pretty much everyone's part and every part's stage directions (in blue). If I forgot something or you want to change or add something - this is the script to do it with.
Some directions and help for the teacher AND their lines. You don't have many - mostlly at the beginning and the end - you will be busy enough directing everyone around.
The guy with the Albartross - a giant part - see above for more on choosing (the only one you will) the student to play this part. It takes a lot - but in 30 years, I was never let down.
The Mariner needs someone to talk to right - this is that person. Really - very little to do except pay attention to this incredible tale.
As long as your students can be kind-hearted about this - let them pick (in conjunction with the choosee) who will play the Albatross. It is usually the class joker, clown, etc.
Wow! You need a free spirit with a lot of fun, energy, and creativity for this part. I usually picked volunteers who had dance background. They will need to switch back and forth from Sun to Moon and visa versa in seconds.
Every work of art needs some humor - and these Slimy Things can do it. Print as many as you need - but remember you should have at least 6 Mariners (sailors).
Oooo we get to the scary parts. Usually the two spectres and the two demons are played by students who have been friends for the year.
Usually the two spectres and the two demons are played by students who have been friends for the year.
They play Spirits, Angels, and anything else that needs play.
The incredible Sea Snakes that lead to the climax of the story and the Albatross falling off the Mariner's neck. In a pinch with a small class - these can be played by the Slimy Things - but the two scenes are very close together.
Usually the two spectres and the two demons are played by students who have been friends for the year.
Usually the two spectres and the two demons are played by students who have been friends for the year.
This character is super important - humor helps - they appear at the end.
This character is super important - humor helps - they appear at the end. They have to be able to do a loud very unhinged laugh!
This character is super important - humor helps - they appear at the end. And their character blesses the Ancient Mariner.
The backbone of the acting out - they will have to work the ship, faint, sing, jeer, play with the Albatross, act like Zombies and so much more. Unlike the other scripts - this is just some instructions on Listening Carefully - so they know what to do when. The teacher may have to (I often did) give them verbal instructions and get them to be more dramatic and "over-the-top". One of these sailors will need to pull a rope with the Ancient Mariner at one point.
Most Recent Quiz
Most Recent Quiz
ONLY one question that anyone (read it or not) can answer. Why give it? Well, the main reason is today is going to be crazy and I want to make sure that every student that was there gets credit for having acted out the poem - and because I think the activity is so important for the class as a whole. If they miss today - I used to make them watch a video of our lesson - and give them an oral quiz on. The next class - with Group Work on "The Ancient Mariner" will have a real quiz. Again, they have just acted it out - so they should get 100% - if they don't - well that tells you something too.
Remote Enhancements
Remote Enhancements
During the Pandemic - when we were remote - we watched a video of the students rehearsing and performing this exercise. It was not only a wonderful lesson in itself - but it gave us an opportunity to talk about the previous lesson - also on a poem by Coleridge - on "This Lime Tree Bower my Prison". A lesson about not being able to take part - and to only watch and contemplate.
Now that the students have acted out poem - this lesson has them work in small groups to make even more sense of it. If my mantra throughout the year is literal before figurative - well, in the previous class, while acting out the verse, they have mastered the literal. Now it's time to look at its deeper meaning. I do that by having them look closely at the text (with all of the group members) and putting it all together - including connecting to earlier works that we've studied like Grendel and more recently, Wordsworth's "The World is too Much With Us" and getting them to see - as the Mariner did the importance of love, kindness, and being in the moment. Not a bad lesson for all of us.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Thoughts on the Lesson
Thoughts on the Lesson
As I said somewhere up above - students would come back 20 years after doing this lesson - and not only remember it - but remember which of their classmates played the Albatross. The idea that we "pray" or care best when we become less conscious of the act - is such a valuable lesson for our students to learn. One of the most fun (and exhausting for the teacher) activities all year.
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