Why exactly did the mariner kill the bird?

Question

why did the acient mariner kill the alvatros in the rime of the acient mariner

Answer 1

because he was greedy..i think..its not clear.check out www.poeminfo.com

Answer 2

I've never thought he had much of a motive. Some people (especially ones with Y chromosomes) just can't see a wild creature without wanting to kill it. I think we're meant to understand that the Mariner was simply young and thoughtless--and that he learned a very harsh lesson. Remember what happens that causes the albatross to fall off his neck and enables him to pray again?

Answer 3

At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came ;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.

It ate the food it ne'er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit ;
The helmsman steered us through !

And a good south wind sprung up behind ;
The Albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariner's hollo !

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine ;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white Moon-shine.'

'God save thee, ancient Mariner !
From the fiends, that plague thee thus !--
Why look'st thou so ?'--With my cross-bow
I shot the ALBATROSS.

I don't see a clear message of why he did it in that passage, but later on in the poem when the spell breaks, he seems to have learned some lesson. The best I can say is that he shot the bird out of a sense of annoyance from seeing it so much or to dispel the crew's notion of it being anything more than a bird following them for the food they tossed at it.
If I remember correctly, a lot of scholars view this poem as Christian allegory for Original Sin, so the Mariner shooting the bird would be like Adam eating the apple: simple curiosity.

Answer 4

I believe it supposed to show his lack of respect for all creatures. It is simply because he didn't "loveth well both man and bird and beast."

That is one of the morals of the poem.

Answer 5

I don't think anyone really knows the answer. Check link below about it.