In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," what might the albatross have symbolized in Coleridge's own life ?

This is a very interesting question. Clearly we cannot
know for sure if Coleridge was actually sharing some of his own experiences through this
marvellous poem, but perhaps we can speculate at some parallels that he may have
unwittingly created. Samuel Taylor Coleridge is famous not only for his poetry but also
for his addiction to opium, which of course helped inspire some of his work, most
famously "Kubla Khan." Because of his addiction, Coleridge, like the Mariner, was often
wracked with physical pain and spiritual guilt. In the letters that he wrote about his
addiction, Coleridge shows himself to be filled with shame and often hovers on the verge
of despair. However, he refused to give in to this despair as he believed that this
would be an even greater sin. Like the Mariner, he ultimately placed his faith in God to
preserve him.

The albatross seems to function in the poem
as a symbol of guilt, and so perhaps we are able to draw this parallel into the life of
the author of this poem. The "albatross" that Samuel Taylor Coleridge had hanging around
his neck is his own opium addiction. Unfortunately, it was not as easy for the author to
rid himself of his own albatross.