(a) What ‘hellish thing’ had ‘I’ done? (b) What made the other mariners contradict themselves?

Question

Read the extract and answer the following questions briefly: 

And I had done a hellish thing, 

And it would work’em woe; 

For all averred, I had killed the bird 

That made the breeze to blow. 

(a) What ‘hellish thing’ had ‘I’ done? 

(b) What made the other mariners contradict themselves? 

(c) Explain the meaning of ‘averred’.

Answer 1

(a) ‘I’ had killed the innocent Albatross. 

(b) Earlier the sailors had criticized the mariner’s action of killing a helpful bird. Now they appreciated his action as they thought that the bird had brought the fog and mist. 

(c) It means said firmly.