WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY MARINA WARNER & ILLUSTRATIONS BY MERVYN PEAKE Coleridge's celebrated poem was written at the suggestion of William Wordsworth in the early days of their friendship & published for the first time in 1798 It is the story of a nightmare voyage to the South Pole told by the sole survivor the bright-eyed ancient mariner whose wanton killing of an albatross a bird of good omen brought misfortune on the ship & all its crew The poem is brilliantly illustrated by Mervyn Peake His powerful arresting images perfectly express the qualities of the text its gothic atmosphere & supernatural terrors ultimately softened by pity & the hope of redemption