I was going to go a different direction but my head was there to turn me around.
ex: what is albatross a metaphor for?
AI Overview
In literary contexts, an albatross is often used as a metaphor for a psychological burden, a heavy weight of guilt or shame, or a persistent obstacle to success. Wikipedia says. This meaning stems from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," where a sailor is cursed to wear a dead albatross around his neck as punishment for killing the bird.
The poem establishes the albatross as a symbol of:
- Sin and its consequences:
The sailor's act of killing the albatross brings misfortune to the ship and crew.
- Burden and regret:
The dead albatross around the sailor's neck represents the weight of his actions and the guilt he carries.
- A curse or hindrance:
The albatross becomes a symbol of something that prevents progress and brings misfortune.
Therefore, when someone says they have "an albatross around their neck," they are referring to a persistent burden, a source of guilt or shame, or something that is preventing them from moving forward.
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