The Mythological/Supernatural in Coleridge and Lewis

One of the things that stands out most about "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and The Monk is the authors' blatant infusion of supernatural elements into their works. While the two authors handle this differently, both works are markedly changed by the inclusion of things out of the realm of human possibility.

Consistent throughout both pieces is the invocation of higher powers. Lewis' Matilda, it is revealed, has the ability to summon Satan to carry out certain grotesque rites, and Satan himself is enough of a presence to be able to mercilessly fling Ambrosio onto the rocks, resulting in his death. Noticeably absent from all of this is the presence of God. This seems to be a hallmark of Gothic literature--much of the misery that occurs affirms the existence of Satan, but any joys or successes are carried out through indomitable willpower, or (at the risk of sounding cliched) through "the triumph of the human spirit". While it is less tangible in Coleridge, the ancient mariner's repeated references to heaven and angels shows a degree of acceptance towards the idea of deities or greater forces.
Each of these works also has a vitally important female character who also happens to be spectral and terrifying. Lewis' bleeding nun, to me, shares a good number of characteristics with the Death-woman in the mariner's story.


Her lips were red, her looks were free,
Her locks were yellow as gold:
Her skin was as white as leprosy,
The Nightmare Life-in-Death was she,
Who thicks man's blood with cold.


Such is the description from Coleridge's poem. In what is perhaps an illustration of the misogyny that is also present in a lot of Gothic literature, I think the authors' uses of bewitching and powerful spectral women are so interesting because they play off of the notion that it is unsettling or unnatural for a woman to wield such terrible power. 

A final supernatural element that bridges these two works is that of human-animal interaction, and the implications these interactions have. The most blatant of these is Coleridge's albatross, the bane of the mariner's existence. I couldn't help but wonder while reading the poem, why shoot the albatross? All indications point to it having been a positive sign for the men aboard the ship, and no real explanation is given for its death. However, this incident and the ones that follow illustrate the idea of supernatural forces at work, as it suggests some otherworldly importance to the mysterious bird whose death brought so much retribution. It is less pronounced in Lewis' work, but I think the serpent shouldn't be overlooked either. The serpent doesn't play a huge role in the book other than its importance in setting up the first sexual tryst between Ambrosio and Matilda, but it does (through its action, attacking a holy man as he attempts to pick a flower) suggest agency given by the devil or some other force to begin creating mayhem and sinister deeds.