In which of the following works is the character 'Ariel' an exclusion?

Correct option is D

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, does not feature a character named Ariel.

The poem follows an old sailor who recounts his harrowing voyage and the consequences of killing an albatross.

The characters involved are the Ancient Mariner, a wedding guest, a ship's crew, and various spirits and supernatural figures related to the sea and divine justice. The name Ariel does not appear among the cast of characters.

Information booster

Work: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Author: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Genre: Lyrical ballad, published in Lyrical Ballads (1798), a collection marking the beginning of British Romanticism. The poem utilizes a frame narrative, where the Ancient Mariner tells his story to a Wedding Guest.

The poem tells the story of an old mariner who stops a wedding guest to recount his extraordinary journey at sea. During the voyage, the mariner impulsively shoots an albatross, considered a bird of good omen by the crew. Following this act, the ship is plagued by misfortune, including a prolonged period of calm, and the crew dies one by one, leaving the mariner alone to face the consequences of his actions. He endures a supernatural punishment, experiencing a kind of "life-in-death". He ultimately finds redemption through appreciating the natural world, symbolized by the beauty of sea creatures. The mariner is then compelled to wander the earth, sharing his tale as a form of penance and warning others to love and respect all God's creatures.

Additional knowledge

A. The Tempest: Ariel is a central character in William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. He is a magical, airy spirit who is indentured to Prospero, the Duke of Milan and a powerful sorcerer. Ariel assists Prospero in his plans, performing tasks and using his abilities to influence events on the island where they reside. At the end of the play, Prospero grants Ariel his freedom. William Shakespeare was a renowned English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. His works include comedies, histories, tragedies, and romances. The Tempest is often classified as a romance or tragicomedy.

B. Paradise Lost: The name Ariel appears in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. He is mentioned as a fallen angel or demon who supports Satan in the rebellion against God. John Milton was an English poet and polemicist. His epic poem Paradise Lost retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man. It is considered one of the greatest works in English literature.

C. The Rape of the Lock: Ariel is a character in Alexander Pope's mock-heroic narrative poem The Rape of the Lock. Here, Ariel is the chief of the sylphs, which are airy spirits who act as guardian spirits for Belinda, the poem's protagonist. His role is to protect Belinda's beauty and honor, particularly her famed lock of hair. Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical and mock-heroic poems. The Rape of the Lock is a prime example of a mock-epic, satirizing the triviality of high society through the exaggerated portrayal of a conflict over a stolen lock of hair.