The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is the longest major poem by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1797–98. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner relates the events experienced by a mariner who has returned from a long sea voyage. Despite initial good fortune, the ship is driven south off course by a storm and eventually reaches Antarctica. Lost in Antarctica the ship in lead out by a near by albatross, Mariner precedes to kills it. After leaving they encountered a ghostly ship full of Skeletons, who are playing with dice for the souls of the crew. With a roll of the dice, Death wins the lives of the crew members and Life-in-Death takes the life of the Mariner, a prize she considers more valuable. He will endure a fate worse than death as punishment for his killing of the albatross. Samuel Coleridge was an English poet, romantic, literary critic and philosopher. Along with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England in the 18th century. He helped introduce German idealist philosophy to English-speaking culture. Samuel Taylor Coleridge pioneered early 18th century English literature and after living a full life and career he passed at the age of 61 in 1834.