Never mind. It turns out "an albatross on (or around) your neck" is synonymous with "a cross to bear" as an English idiom. I guess I've never heard this expression before.
The albatross line is a reference to Coleridge's "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner." The idiomatic expression also arose from this poem. In the poem, most of which takes place on a ship at sea, the ship is followed by an albatross, a large seabird. The albatross is held to be good luck by sailors. The ancient mariner kills it, and the rest of the crew turns on him when their luck runs foul. He is forced to wear it around his neck in retribution. There you have it, in a nutshell.
The albatross line is a reference to Coleridge's "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner." The idiomatic expression also arose from this poem. In the poem, most of which takes place on a ship at sea, the ship is followed by an albatross, a large seabird. The albatross is held to be good luck by sailors. The ancient mariner kills it, and the rest of the crew turns on him when their luck runs foul. He is forced to wear it around his neck in retribution. There you have it, in a nutshell.
Another relevant reference to the albatross around your neck comes from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. it's a poem about a man who kills an albatross (the albatross was seen as good luck, so killing one was bad juju) and the horrible journey that follows. The crew turn on him when things go bad and literally make him wear the dead albatross around his neck. It has been 20 years since I read it, so forgive me any mistakes in my recollection. That's the gist of it, though.
Another relevant reference to the albatross around your neck comes from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. it's a poem about a man who kills an albatross (the albatross was seen as good luck, so killing one was bad juju) and the horrible journey that follows. The crew turn on him when things go bad and literally make him wear the dead albatross around his neck. It has been 20 years since I read it, so forgive me any mistakes in my recollection. That's the gist of it, though.
Never mind. It turns out "an albatross on (or around) your neck" is synonymous with "a cross to bear" as an English idiom. I guess I've never heard this expression before.
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/albatross+around+your+neck.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albatross_(metaphor)
The albatross line is a reference to Coleridge's "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner." The idiomatic expression also arose from this poem. In the poem, most of which takes place on a ship at sea, the ship is followed by an albatross, a large seabird. The albatross is held to be good luck by sailors. The ancient mariner kills it, and the rest of the crew turns on him when their luck runs foul. He is forced to wear it around his neck in retribution. There you have it, in a nutshell.
The albatross line is a reference to Coleridge's "The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner." The idiomatic expression also arose from this poem. In the poem, most of which takes place on a ship at sea, the ship is followed by an albatross, a large seabird. The albatross is held to be good luck by sailors. The ancient mariner kills it, and the rest of the crew turns on him when their luck runs foul. He is forced to wear it around his neck in retribution. There you have it, in a nutshell.
Another relevant reference to the albatross around your neck comes from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. it's a poem about a man who kills an albatross (the albatross was seen as good luck, so killing one was bad juju) and the horrible journey that follows. The crew turn on him when things go bad and literally make him wear the dead albatross around his neck. It has been 20 years since I read it, so forgive me any mistakes in my recollection. That's the gist of it, though.
Another relevant reference to the albatross around your neck comes from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. it's a poem about a man who kills an albatross (the albatross was seen as good luck, so killing one was bad juju) and the horrible journey that follows. The crew turn on him when things go bad and literally make him wear the dead albatross around his neck. It has been 20 years since I read it, so forgive me any mistakes in my recollection. That's the gist of it, though.
It is likely the source of the idiom.
It is likely the source of the idiom.
Guess I should've read christco's reply before I wrote mine. :)
Guess I should've read christco's reply before I wrote mine. :)