Why did Wordsworth and Coleridge both write about possession in lyrical ballads? Wordsworth and Coleridge explore the theme of possession in these two poems by looking at the relationship between man and nature. This essay analyzes the concept of possession in the “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” by Coleridge, and “Nutting,” by Wordsworth. The poems tell stories about man’s need to possess and control nature, and man’s need for power. Nature creates this need because nature is a pure force. This force ignites passion and compels man to try to control and tame nature. The main argument is that man has an internal conflict with possession because it is both free and abundant in nature and conversely, it is acquired by action. Wordsworth and Coleridge show these two perspectives of possession as the main characters interact with nature. Both protagonists in these poems experience the internal conflict between the desire for material possession and nature’s abundance of free possession. Both poems illustrate possession as a right that must be exercised by action. This is a material form of possession that causes people to want to control other people and nature. An example of this material possession is when the Mariner encounters the albatross. The Mariner talks about the right to take the life of the bird, he convinces himself that it is acceptable to shoot the bird when he says, “And I had done an hellish thing and it would work ‘em woe: For all averred, I had kill'd the Bird that made the Breeze to blow” (Coleridge 55). The white albatross is part of nature’s beauty and seems to provide the ship with strong wind and good luck. Also, Coleridge uses repetition and personification in this line because it helps to personify the seas unwavering and angered seas to mimic the Mariners troubled state of mind. The Mariner’s state of mind is also questioned when he denies the water to the sailors on board by saying “ Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink” (Coleridge 60). The sailors despise him once they see that his materialistic possession takes over his better judgment, considering that sailors need water to survive; it just highlights that the Mariner would kill his own crew to keep his possession. Nevertheless, the Mariner’s ignorance and desire for power and possession cause him to shoot the albatross. "God save thee, ancient Mariner! From the fie