Battle of the Tortured Poets: Rime of the Ancient Mariner x The Albatross

[@meganmaclaine]

Gauging interest in writing workshops! ^.^ Let me know if you're game here: www.meganmaclaine.com/workshop-waitlist

[@allanaaron2281]

I would love to do this but at this time on my life I have so many things I am working on I don't think I could have the brain space to focus. I've always been a voracious ( I almost said "prolific" just for fun) reader and always wanted to write, but have never been able to figure out how to get started. The funny thing is, twice during sleep I have dreamed complete books, with unique characters and plot and story thru line that I never imagined while awake, but somehow I could not transfer it to written words. Anyway, sorry for the essay! I love when I have time and focus to watch and absorb your readings and analysis and enjoyment of language and story.

[@lahfjjd]

“Rose by any other name is a scandal” can also mean that it doesn’t matter who her boyfriend is, it will always be a scandal. Love your Taylor analysis!

[@abhiramp323]

'Liquor anoints you' relates to the scandal lyric, i think. Cuz liquor instead of oil is almost sacrilegious /scandalous, which she said earlier rose has to be rose, you can't just replace it with something else and assume it be the same.

[@meganmaclaine]

Oooh interesting!! Ima think more on this. That line really had me pondering :)

[@andreahan2266]

I keep joking that I’m gonna love the albatross once I figure out what the hell shes talking about lol Thank you! This was so helpful!

[@meganmaclaine]

Yayy!!! Haha this makes me so happy 😆

[@adrianneziri4522]

I love how you did a close reading. It was so interesting to see how intertwined these poems were. One of my favorite videos so far. Thank you for that :).

[@meganmaclaine]

Aw yay!! Thank you tons :')

[@enbrill]

This was exactly what I needed for this song. I love that Taylor did dig into her poetry bag for the tortured poets department. The literary references scattered throughout have been so fun to discover and go back to the original works she’s referencing and appreciate them all over again. This one as daunting though, it’s been a while since English class!! Thanks for jumping in on this one I feel like I appreciate it more now.

[@meganmaclaine]

I'm so glad!! Yayyy ^.^

[@icarocaua6005]

something that I find interesting is that since the album was released Taylor has been doing mashups of TTPD songs with other songs from her discography that connects lyrically to each other. a couple of weeks ago she sang the albatross with the song dancing with our hands tied from the reputation album, and there's a line in that song that to me really connects to the albatross "i loved you in spite of deep fears that the world would divide us" the world here would be the "wise men" trying to warn him to run away from her.

[@JeanettePagulayan]

'Rose by any other name is a scandal' might be referencing a line in another TS song (Maroon). The line goes “Carnations you had thought were roses, that's us.” Love your TS reactions!

[@VioletEmerald]

It's definitely a Shakespeare reference here though and maybe it's a subtle Romeo and Juliet reference in BOTH songs, in a way. A Rose by any other other would be as sweet but a carnation by any other name is still just a carnation. Doesn't matter if you call it a rose...

[@awesomari]

Makes so much sense to consider all the "she's gonna ruin you" discourse after her breakups and how the "danger" (the songs, the death (lol sure) of reputations, etc) only comes after the relationship ends (she's hurt/killed). The albatross, in the poem, is there to rescue and help, but it's only after she's killed that everything goes down and the tale is born. I LOVE the video, that's how you do a lyric analysis! haha. Thank you!

[@ed299]

I really love when you make videos like this, I always learn something new, thank you so much

[@meganmaclaine]

Thank YOU! Means a lot :)

[@jasazos]

Also, she recently mashed this song up on tour with Dancing With Our Hands Tied, which have interesting intertwined themes. She put them together for a reason for sure, you should listen to it :) and watch the live performance because it is beautiful!

[@sstrobeltriangle]

Megan, Welcome to Tortured Poets!! I love Taylor for her lyricism and your breakdowns help them shine. The Albatross reaction was your best TS explanation so far. From when this album was released, I've been curious how you were going to handle it. Seems right up your alley. Cross my thoughtful heart.

[@meganmaclaine]

Thank you 🥹 I put a lot into this one - really wanted to do the poem and the song justice. So glad you enjoyed it!!

[@Aldz__]

21:31 This line reminds me of her song _peace_ (I'm pretty sure you'll like that song as well) from her _evermore_ album. There's a line there: "But the rain is always gonna come if you're standing with me." That line and this line at 21:31 implies that choosing to be with her would also be choosing all the danger that comes along with her. It's a bittersweet thought, it's self-reflective and retrospective in a sense. This one is my top two from TTPD alongside The Black Dog, which you reacted a month ago. Thank you for analyzing this one and dedicating a whole video about it. 😊😊😊

[@MinervaLavender2371]

I was having a hard time relating to this song because I didn't understand what most of it really meant...Now I absolutely get it and I have a new poem that I love. Thank you so much!!! This might very well be my favorite reaction from you.

[@alexagolden9172]

This is one of my faves but I knew I was missing so much literally spice so thank you for walking me through it!

[@taylorpeterson2890]

Thank you for this in depth explanation! This song was I think the only one on TTPD where I really felt like I was missing a lot. I got the sort of surface level, the wide men warning her lover to stay away from her, but especially like the “wise men once said” lines I really didn’t understand how they connected. You should do Cassandra!

[@jasazos]

The albatross is my favorite song off TTPD, loved this analysis thank you!!

[@carolynnewcomb2153]

You’re so good at breaking down these lyrics! As Taylor has reached her thirties and mastered her writing skills, it seems like she craves more when creating lyrics as she continues to grow as an artist. She’s a pop artist, but she’s not going to let that stop her from flexing her poetry muscle and writing lyrics that keep her mind working and stretching all the time. Anything less and she won’t feel fulfilled is my guess.

[@abhiramp323]

I hope you'll see similarities between this song, poem and her other song Cassandra too

[@meganmaclaine]

I’m excited to take a listen!!

[@mallorymyers7525]

I've thought "only liquor annoints you" as he has no divine protection, and only has the shot of tequila he took for courage (or similar drink).

[@meganmaclaine]

Ooooh I like this idea!

[@C_mao]

Iron Maiden covered the poem in their song The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, on their Powerslave album. Peep the live version. Also try the studio version.

[@gaceofspades]

Lovely video as always! My take on the "rose by any other name would be a scandal line" is a little bit different, HOWEVER I am no literature scholar or anything, just a swiftie interested in disecting her lyrics lol. What im getting from that line, is a sense of "they are not warning you about me as a person, they call me this rose, but if there was a person in the same position as I am in, with the same fame and money etc. they would say the exact same thing about her." So say Taylor is the rose, but if there was a beautiful Orchid (say Beyonce, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA etc.) that held the same position as her in society, that you were interested in, they would warn you about her just as much. No critique of theirs, applies in any way to Taylor as a person with feelings, emotions, character traits etc. it's simply the fear of a woman with power. I read the song as kind of a sister to blank space through the lense of Evermore (if that makes any sense). Hope this description is in any way, shape or form logical lol

[@meganmaclaine]

love this!! thanks for adding it ^.^

[@lavieenlavande]

I really liked your analysis of the song and poem in this video. I remember reading the poem when I was in high school (or maybe junior high?) but I had forgotten the particulars until Swift’s album came out and I brushed up on it again. I love the song so much and have really enjoyed dissecting the various references that she uses. I find her music so interesting because she writes such complex lyrics if you really get into them. I wonder what you might think of another possible reference for the line where she says “one bad seed kills the garden, one less temptress…”It gives me biblical vibes related to Eve disobeying God and tempting Adam to eat the apple. So Eve is considered the bad seed for daring to go against the rules and seek knowledge for herself and Adam, ultimately causing them to be banished from paradise in Eden. So wise men in the song were warning against falling for the temptress’s wiles lest she ruin the man. There are some other songs with lyrics that allude to this comparison. Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve (WCS) comes to mind but there are more because it’s definitely a theme for her (with reason IMO). WCS starts with this (and it’s an excellent song if you’ve not heard it): If you would've blinked, then I would've Looked away at the first glance If you tasted poison, you could've Spit me out at the first chance If I was some paint, did it splatter On a promising grown man And if I was a child, did it matter If you got to wash your hands

[@bonXID]

I love the way you explain this so the song and the poem are both easy to understand. Thanks so much for taking the time to do it.

[@lubalethudube186]

I loved this break down!!

[@meganmaclaine]

I'm so glad!! I worked so hard on it T.T haha

[@angelyee5434]

You're the only channel that with all the intention I give a like. Love your videos and this one is great. Keep up the good job :D

[@meganmaclaine]

Aw, no way! That's too sweet. Thank you :')

[@jewelpoole9191]

I'm enlightened and understand the song better.

[@hannahknies5810]

I’ve always thought how it was so interesting that in her song, the perception of the “wise men” was that SHE was the cause of his destruction, the man a victim of her power. But in the poem, the albatross is a symbol of guilt; the mariner brought destruction upon himself by his bad deeds. In the poem, it is the albatross that is the victim and the mariner who must pay for his sins. So what I actually think Taylor is commenting on is that rarely are these men “destroyed” by her. They do bad things. She writes songs about them. They get cancelled. She’s calling out that misogyny.

[@meganmaclaine]

Love this!

[@NemesiaVicuna]

I'm so grateful I found your channel. I'm a writer and a swiftie and I've been craving more literary analyses of taylor's songs that don't just talk about which ex the song is about. You're amazing! I'm also learning so much about writing as I learn to analyse taylor's work more. Please upload more of these videos!

[@meganmaclaine]

Oh, this is my favorite thing to hear!! I'm so glad you found me ^.^ Yayyy!

[@jaylunzaga2926]

Learned something new today ❤ Love your reactions!!!

[@meganmaclaine]

Yayy :’)

[@dongminrodriguez]

I'm always enjoying these classes, thank you so much for uploading!!

[@meganmaclaine]

So, so glad you enjoy them :')

[@queeng508]

i hope you will do more videos like this one, in which you teach/show us about literature we might not know that you find to be connected with a piece of music you are going to analyze. it is a great way to expand our knowledge while also enjoying something we already were looking for. thank you for your videos! 🌿

[@meganmaclaine]

Yay! So glad you liked it. I'd love to do more like this :). Appreciate your comment!!

[@meganmaclaine]

What's your favorite line from TROTAM or lyric from The Albatross?

[@allanaaron2281]

I've never read TROTAM (now I plan to), but one of the lines from it is fascinating to me because of how he makes "thicks" plural and turns it into a verb. I've never seen that before. "Who thicks man's blood with cold" Edit because Autocorrect was autowrong and didn't take ino account that humans sometimes intentionally use words incorrectly, i.e. "thicks" is the word I meant to type, not "thinks"

[@mikedebruyn]

The most Swift line in the Rime is Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she, Who thicks man's blood with cold. But my favourite one is: Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. The first time that i heard of this rime was trough the same named Iron Maiden song that I listened to on a scorching hot day while biking home from my summer job. I could visualize that line totally then and there riding trough the fields. In the song So I crossed my thoughtless heart, Spread my wings like a parachute, I'm the albatross, I swept in at the rescue It is a way to tell people that you need to form your own opinions, get to know someone, and not always believe what others tell you because you might mis out. Which describes my journey into the Swift universe. I came in after she went to the Bears game and my timeline suddenly got flooded with Swifty things! Before that i knew Tim McGraw and Love Story that was it from her.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@mikedebruyn That's my favorite line from the Rime as well ^.^ and that's so cool! Love the connections you have with the poem and the song :)

[@meganmaclaine]

@@allanaaron2281 Oh, it's "thicks" haha! Like, she makes his blood thick with cold

[@allanaaron2281]

@@meganmaclaine Ah yes I mistyped that in my reply, and didn't catch it even though I reread it before I sent. Also I mistyped it once but correctly the other time. How treacherous our fingers (and eyes!) are sometimes...I wonder if any old poets' or writers' fingers betrayed them when writing with quill and ink, and their readers never knew, so they never got the actual meaning that was intended? Edit: I just reread it again and I did mistype both; or really what I suspect now is autocorrect also thought "no....thick is an adjective, not a verb, and it isn't supposed to be plural!...no,no,no, you want to use "thinks" instead! Here, I'll help you out!" P.S I still can't believe I never caught that it changed on me. I reread it at least twice before I sent it.

[@wangxiao2019]

I absolutely love your insights on this I learned so much and fell deeper in love with this song ❤

[@meganmaclaine]

Aw yay! I'm so glad ^.^

[@QuestionableLifeChoices]

taylor is only a bad omen to those who have hurt her or worked to tear her down so the albatross metaphor works on both fronts; her default tends to be friendly and helpful until you act against her, and then she's a bad omen

[@m.h.c.r_]

AHHH I'm so excited for this video! thank you!!!

[@meganmaclaine]

Thank YOU ^.^ Hope you like it

[@Loud_Nimai]

Great video!!! This is exactly what I wanted, and as soon as I heard it wanted to hear your break down

[@KatAdVictoriam]

I never thought I'd see Coleridge and Taylor Swift in the same sentence, much less compared. Coleridge has always been one of my favorites from the Romantic period. Not a Swift fan though. Watching this anyway. 😊

[@meganmaclaine]

Me neither 🤣. Thanks for watching anyway 🥹

[@KatAdVictoriam]

@@meganmaclaine I just realized how my comment probably sounded and I apologize. That wasn't my intent to come off snarky. I have enjoyed your channel and content for a while now. Definitely interesting to see the two works contrasted.

[@meganmaclaine]

@@KatAdVictoriam Oh thanks for saying that! I didn't take it that way at all, tbh, but I appreciate it all the same :)

[@josefinasoderholm6488]

Love your videos!! 🫶

[@meganmaclaine]

Thank you tons!!

[@ashleyadams5902]

I was curious after watching this if Lana Del Rey’s Mariners Apartment Complex could be dealing with the same ideology. Lana in that song also says she isn’t no candle in the wind. Idk just made me think of that. I love your breakdowns as a lover of English classes, poems and books. ❤

[@meganmaclaine]

👀 👀 👀 must investigate this further

[@meganmaclaine]

And I’m glad you enjoy them! :’)

[@icarocaua6005]

amazing amazing video love your explanation

[@anasatassi1758]

This whole video is a masterpiece - from your captivating breakdown of the poem to explaining Taylors song - you gave sooo much insight, thank you! Would absolutely LOVE for you to react to more songs of hers from the albums Midnights and Tortured Poets, like for example The Great War or How did it End? ❤

[@meganmaclaine]

Aw thank you tons! So many hours went into it XD. I'm glad you enjoyed it!!

[@derlis_whatever7033]

you should do Cassandra too!

[@ivaa3122]

thank you so much for the explanation of the poem and how it ties to the song. i finally understand the song

[@meganmaclaine]

Oh yay!! :D this makes me happy

[@peterjay6486]

i looove listening to this type of vlog. omg.

[@meganmaclaine]

Good to know!! :D

[@almeida5823]

Só amazing this class! ❤❤

[@PatrikLindenfors]

Phenomenal. More like this please!

[@meganmaclaine]

Yay thank youuu! You've got it ^.^

[@tinamardt7734]

I like this discussion thanks. I will point out that candle in the wind references Diana, she has a statue called the Albatross created for her and the episode of the Crown about the paparazzi and Diana is ‘persona non grata’. So I don’t think you were off the mark to also think of candle in the wind. I think the song is referencing being hounded by the media. Thinking your being hounded because of Taylor but then realising they can turn on you but she can save you by turning the narrative

[@meganmaclaine]

I'm SHOOK. Thank you so much for adding this!! Yes, the dangers (literal and figuratively) of the media YIKES. Love this connection (though it makes me sad, too!)

[@marianaflores6180]

i love this analysis because it made me tie it back to So High School when she says "Are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me? [...] I'm betting on all three for us two" and after hearing the poem and how the albatross from the story ended it seems like Taylor is continually suggesting that the possibility of the relationship she's alluding to "killing" her is something she acknowledges as highly likely, and yet in The Albatross she still consciously decides to "sweep in at the rescue" (even if she knows the rescuee might end up shooting her either way) and in So High School she ventures into it thinking the "marry" and "kiss" will be worth the "kill". idk if it makes sense but now these two songs will forever be tied together in my head. loved the video !!

[@user-mz2ne4yh2t]

She was just referencing a Travis Kelce old interview where he chose to kiss her lol it's no that deep

[@marianaflores6180]

@@user-mz2ne4yh2t this was just my interpretation of how cool a story or meaning you can get if you relate them it’s not that deep

[@user-mz2ne4yh2t]

@@marianaflores6180 you could link every single songs of hers if you wanted to, that doesn't make it true

[@coryharbour57]

Incredible.

[@samyvol.6]

I loved your analysis!! Thank you so much for sharing it, the albatross is my favorite song from the album and I’ve been watching and reading every theory and analysis on it lol, really really loved yours 💗

[@meganmaclaine]

Aww yay! Thank you ^.^

[@elainenjk]

This is amazing!! Thank you for sharing it with us ☺

[@jacknelson8640]

Eeeppp I do love Englishy things videos ! Taylor Swift is such a good writer 🤍 thank you !

[@themusiqfreak]

Liked this, I haven’t read Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, but I knew of the albatross connotations somehow. My take always from the song were very similar. Cassandra is one of my favourites from this album, I hope you consider a deep dive on that one too. How’s your Greek mythology?

[@ugeatimram]

Jusst wow!! To be honest, as someone who doesn't read a lot of poetry, the albatross was kind of a let down for me in the album as i really loved its sound but i just couldn't get the lyrics. With this context I feel like I can now appreciate the song better for what it is and what it wants to tell me. Thank you very much for this. ❤❤❤

[@meganmaclaine]

Yayy!! I'm so happy to hear this!! ^.^

[@biasampaio5899]

I’m starting to think you might have come into my house at some point and was spying on me cause see this, English is not my first language (it’s Portuguese actually) and I had never read this poem before, but it was recommended to me by a coworker just last week. When I was reading it, I realized that it was the first time in probably 18 years that I needed a dictionary to read something in English because of the way English was spoken/written back then. But after reading it, the first song I thought of was The Albatross and I kept thinking and questioning if there actually was any connection there. And now here you are, connecting all those dots I’ve been thinking about for days. That’s sorcery Megan, total witchcraft. That being said, I just NEED you to dissect Cassandra, because of the connection to the Greek mythology and the story about the Trojan Horse. And while you’re at it, you might find that there’s quite a lot of connection between that song and mad woman from Folklore, and maybe doing both would be good to see the similarities. Jesus, I talk too much. I’m gonna go.

[@meganmaclaine]

hahaha oh my XD

[@victoriarichieri6194]

please you HAVE to do the prophecy!!!!

[@NatalieMLove]

Please do Cassandra next!!!

[@eirinikomotini]

Wow that’s really interesting! I’m not a native speaker so my thinking may be totally wrong here, but the line “rose by any other name is a scandal” I always took to mean “rose given by any other person is a scandal” and I think it connects well with the Romeo and Juliet context, because a rose given to her by a person with any other name than Romeo’s would smell like a rose and that would not be a scandal… not sure if it makes sense (in my mind it makes sense considering the turn of events after her breakup with Joe, how quickly it all unraveled and everything people had to say about it) In general, I think Taylor relates to the albatross in a masterful way: she has the best intention (to save the ship), but because of how the people act around her (killing the bird) and the perception of her (the change of the meaning of the symbol after actions of no fault of its own) now she’s supposed to be the villain, even though she only reacted to the situation at hand… her writing is really impressive

[@mariasolabelenda218]

We can also read The albatross from Beaudelaire and think contections with this song. Sorry, my english writing it's no so good, I'm from argentina, but it is interesting anyway to do the effort, i like that poem too.

[@m.h.c.r_]

Could you do an analysis of Dear John and Would've, Could've, Should've please?! The second has several religious references, and they are related to each other. It would be super interesting to see your comments. 🙏

[@miizzou_]

I was doing this poem in school when ttpd came out 😂

[@meganmaclaine]

No way!!

[@huyquang639]

day 2 of asking for how did it end break down

[@allanaaron2281]

This may be complete nonsense, but "cross your thoughtless heart, only liquor anoints you" is perhaps saying "you thoughtlessly accept and take for granted my presence and love unless you are drinking, and then you get emotional and start committing and professong devotion to me. Since in religious connotation, anointing someone consecrates them to a belief and dedication (to God.) They've made a decision to be serious about their relationship with God. It's saying you arent serious about me or even thinking about owing a commitment to me until liquor makes you emotional and access your feelings.

[@starjumper9330]

Oh that's interesting! My mind always puts together thoughtless and liquor to mean that he is running into this situation drunk on "liquid courage".

[@allanaaron2281]

@@starjumper9330 I think we are both saying about the same thing, you just said it so much more concise and direct than I did. I really think it's a combination of all of these things. But of course that's just my opinion!

[@starjumper9330]

@@allanaaron2281 oh, I thought yours was deeper. Good thing we agree though!! Who hasn’t felt a little more brave under the influence! 😅

[@mm_A]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@mm_A]

@onwriting. I’m trying to wait sooooo patiently, but are you going to be doing more of TTPD? Or do I just need to put those hopes to sleep 😂

[@philpascali4070]

Hello megan , how are you ?

[@lubalethudube186]

Wait did you say devils roll the dice?! That’s another Taylor Swift Song!

[@meganmaclaine]

Haha yes I know!! But it's literally in the poem, too: "Is that a DEATH? and are there two? Is DEATH that woman's mate? Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she, Who thicks man's blood with cold. The naked hulk alongside came, *And the twain were casting dice;* 'The game is done! I've won! I've won!' Quoth she, and whistles thrice."

[@BeckyLStoutWriter]

Hi! I just found your channel and it's pretty good. I'm happy to support it, because we poets need to stick together. 😊 And if you ever get a P.O. Box for fan mail, I'll send you one of my books. 😌

[@meganmaclaine]

Thanks Becky!!