Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold | Matthew Arnold | Dover Beach | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Dover Beach
(Matthew Arnold)
The sea is calm tonight.
The tide is full, the moon lies fair
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!
Only, from the long line of spray
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,
Listen! you hear the grating roar
Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
At their return, up the high strand,
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring
The eternal note of sadness in.
Sophocles long ago
Heard it on the Ægean, and it brought
Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow
Of human misery; we
Find also in the sound a thought,
Hearing it by this distant northern sea.
The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.
Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.
line-by-line explanation of the poem
The sea is calm tonight.
The tide is full, the moon lies fair
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Explanation: “The sea is calm tonight. The tide is full, the moon lies fair Upon the straits”: The speaker begins by describing a calm and beautiful night at the sea. The tide is full, suggesting a sense of completeness or fulfillment, and the moon is shining brightly on the straits, adding to the serene atmosphere.
“on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone”: This could be a lighthouse on the French coast, its light gleaming momentarily before disappearing. This fleeting light could symbolize the transient nature of human life or experiences.
“the cliffs of England stand, Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay”: The cliffs of England are portrayed as stable and enduring, standing vast against the tranquil bay. They glimmer in the moonlight, adding to the peaceful and majestic scenery.
Imagery: The stanza is rich with visual imagery. The calm sea, the full tide, the fair moon, the gleaming light on the French coast, and the glimmering cliffs of England all serve to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.
Metaphor: The sea is used as a metaphor for the state of the world. Its calmness suggests a sense of peace and tranquility.
Personification: The moon is personified as lying fair upon the straits, adding a sense of beauty and serenity to the scene.
Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!
Only, from the long line of spray
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,
Explanation: “Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!”: The speaker invites someone (presumably a loved one) to come to the window and experience the sweet night air. This could be an invitation to share in the beauty of the scene, or perhaps an invitation to share in the speaker’s thoughts and feelings.
“Only, from the long line of spray Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land”: The speaker draws attention to the line of spray where the sea meets the land, which is illuminated by the moonlight (“moon-blanched”). This could symbolize the boundary between two worlds or states of being, such as the conscious and unconscious, reality and dreams, or perhaps the spiritual and physical realms.
Poetic Device
Imagery: The stanza uses sensory imagery to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The “sweet night-air” and the “long line of spray” where the sea meets the land are particularly evocative images.
Metaphor: The “long line of spray” where the sea meets the “moon-blanched land” serves as a metaphor for the boundary between two states or conditions, possibly symbolizing the boundary between reality and dreams, or consciousness and unconsciousness.
Personification: The land is personified as being “moon-blanched”, suggesting that it has been whitened or lightened by the moon. This adds a sense of beauty and serenity to the scene.
Listen! you hear the grating roar
Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
At their return, up the high strand,
Explanation: “Listen! you hear the grating roar Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling, At their return, up the high strand”: The speaker asks the listener to pay attention to the sound of the sea. The “grating roar” of the pebbles being drawn back and flung by the waves creates a powerful auditory image. This could symbolize the relentless cycle of nature, or perhaps the ebb and flow of human life and experiences.
Poetic Device
Imagery: The stanza uses auditory imagery to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The “grating roar” of the pebbles and the sound of the waves drawing back and flinging the pebbles up the high strand are particularly evocative images.
Metaphor: The “grating roar” of the pebbles could be seen as a metaphor for the harsh realities of life, which contrast with the serene and beautiful imagery of the earlier stanzas.
Personification: The waves are personified as they “draw back” the pebbles and “fling” them up the high strand. This gives the waves a sense of agency and power, enhancing the dynamic and forceful image of the sea.
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring
The eternal note of sadness in.
Explanation: “Begin, and cease, and then again begin, With tremulous cadence slow”: The speaker describes the repetitive motion of the waves, which begin, cease, and then begin again. The “tremulous cadence slow” suggests a rhythm that is uncertain or unsteady, perhaps reflecting the speaker’s own feelings of uncertainty or unease.
“and bring The eternal note of sadness in”: The speaker suggests that the sound of the waves brings with it an “eternal note of sadness”. This could symbolize the inherent sadness or suffering in life, which is as constant and unending as the motion of the waves.
Poetic Device
Metaphor: The “tremulous cadence slow” serves as a metaphor for the rhythm of life, which is often uncertain or unsteady. The “eternal note of sadness” could be seen as a metaphor for the inherent sadness or suffering in life, which is as constant and unending as the motion of the waves.
Personification: The waves are personified as they “bring The eternal note of sadness in”. This gives the waves a sense of agency, enhancing the image of the sea as a powerful and emotive force.
Sophocles long ago
Heard it on the Ægean, and it brought
Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow
Of human misery; we
Find also in the sound a thought,
Hearing it by this distant northern sea.
Explanation: “Sophocles long ago Heard it on the Ægean”: The speaker refers to Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright, who also heard the sound of the sea on the Ægean. This connects the speaker’s own experience to a broader historical and cultural context, suggesting that the feelings and thoughts evoked by the sea are universal and timeless.
“and it brought Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow Of human misery”: The speaker suggests that the sound of the sea brought to Sophocles’ mind the “turbid ebb and flow of human misery”. This could symbolize the constant cycle of suffering in human life, which is as relentless and unpredictable as the ebb and flow of the sea.
“we Find also in the sound a thought, Hearing it by this distant northern sea”: The speaker suggests that they, too, find a thought in the sound of the sea, even though they are hearing it by a distant northern sea, far from the Ægean where Sophocles once stood. This reinforces the idea that the sea, with its eternal rhythms and sounds, can evoke similar thoughts and feelings across different times and places.
Poetic Device
Allusion: The stanza begins with an allusion to Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright. This reference serves to connect the speaker’s contemporary world with the ancient world, suggesting a continuity of human experience across time.
Imagery: The “turbid ebb and flow Of human misery” is a powerful image that uses the movement of the sea as a metaphor for the ups and downs of human life.
Metaphor: The “Ægean” sea and the “distant northern sea” are used as metaphors for different periods in time. The Ægean sea represents the ancient past when Sophocles lived, while the distant northern sea represents the speaker’s present.
Personification: The sea is personified as it “brought Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow Of human misery”. This gives the sea a sense of agency, enhancing the image of the sea as a powerful and emotive force.
The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
Explanation: “The Sea of Faith Was once, too, at the full”: The “Sea of Faith” is a metaphor that Arnold uses to describe a time when religious faith was at its peak or “full”. This could be a reference to a time in history when religion played a central role in society and provided a sense of certainty and purpose.
“and round earth’s shore Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled”: The speaker describes the “Sea of Faith” as encircling the earth’s shore like the folds of a bright girdle that’s been furled or rolled up. This could symbolize the protective and unifying role that faith once played, wrapping around the world like a bright, protective belt.
Poetic Device
Metaphor: The “Sea of Faith” is a metaphor for religious faith. The speaker uses this metaphor to describe a time when faith was at its peak, or “full”. This could be a reference to a time in history when religion played a central role in society and provided a sense of certainty and purpose.
Simile: The phrase “Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled” uses a simile to compare the Sea of Faith to a bright girdle that’s been furled or rolled up. This could symbolize the protective and unifying role that faith once played, wrapping around the world like a bright, protective belt.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.
Explanation: “But now I only hear Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar”: The speaker now hears only the melancholy, long, withdrawing roar of the “Sea of Faith”. This could symbolize the decline or withdrawal of religious faith in the modern world, which is experienced as a melancholy or sorrowful sound.
“Retreating, to the breath Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear And naked shingles of the world”: The “Sea of Faith” is described as retreating to the breath of the night-wind, down the vast, dreary edges and naked shingles of the world. This could symbolize the retreat of faith from the world, leaving it exposed or “naked”. The “night-wind” could symbolize the cold, harsh reality of a world without faith.
Poetic Device
Imagery: The stanza uses auditory imagery to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar” and the “vast edges drear And naked shingles of the world” are particularly evocative images.
Metaphor: The “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar” serves as a metaphor for the decline or withdrawal of religious faith in the modern world, which is experienced as a melancholy or sorrowful sound.
Personification: The “Sea of Faith” is personified as it retreats to the breath of the night-wind, down the vast edges and naked shingles of the world. This gives the sea a sense of agency, enhancing the image of the sea as a powerful and emotive force.
Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
Explanation: “Ah, love, let us be true To one another!”: The speaker addresses a loved one, imploring them to remain true to each other. This could be a plea for honesty, loyalty, or authenticity in their relationship.
“for the world, which seems To lie before us like a land of dreams, So various, so beautiful, so new”: The speaker describes the world as appearing like a land of dreams, full of variety, beauty, and novelty. This could symbolize the allure and deception of worldly life, which can seem appealing and promising on the surface.
“Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain”: The speaker asserts that the world, despite its apparent allure, ultimately offers no real joy, love, light, certainty, peace, or relief from pain. This could reflect a disillusionment with worldly life, or perhaps a realization of the transient and unsatisfactory nature of worldly pleasures and achievements.
Poetic Device
Apostrophe: The speaker uses apostrophe, a figure of speech in which the speaker directly addresses someone or something that isn’t present in the poem. In this case, the speaker is addressing a loved one, imploring them to be true to each other.
Imagery: The stanza uses sensory imagery to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The world is described as a “land of dreams”, “so various, so beautiful, so new”, creating a sense of wonder and beauty.
Metaphor: The world is compared to a “land of dreams”, suggesting that it is full of possibilities and potential. However, the speaker then reveals that the world “Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain”, suggesting that these dreams are illusory or unattainable.
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.
Explanation: “And we are here as on a darkling plain Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight”: The speaker describes their current state as being on a “darkling plain”, a dark, vast, and uncertain landscape swept with “confused alarms of struggle and flight”. This could symbolize the confusion, struggle, and uncertainty of life in a world without the guiding light of faith.
“Where ignorant armies clash by night”: The speaker ends the poem with a powerful image of “ignorant armies” clashing by night. This could symbolize the senseless conflicts and struggles that arise in a world where people are “in the dark”, lacking the guidance and understanding that faith once provided.
Poetic Device
Imagery: The stanza uses visual and auditory imagery to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The “darkling plain”, the “confused alarms of struggle and flight”, and the “ignorant armies clashing by night” are particularly evocative images.
Metaphor: The “darkling plain” serves as a metaphor for the uncertain and confusing landscape of the modern world. The “ignorant armies” could symbolize the senseless conflicts and struggles that arise in a world where people are “in the dark”, lacking the guidance and understanding that faith once provided.
Summary
“Dover Beach” is a lyric poem by the English poet Matthew Arnold. It was first published in 1867 in the collection “New Poems”. It’s a reflection on the changing world during the mid-Victorian era, using the sea and the shore as metaphors for the ebb and flow of human history and individual human experience.
The poem starts with a calm and peaceful scene at the beach, with the moon shining on the straits and the cliffs of England standing vast in the tranquil bay. The speaker invites someone to come to the window and enjoy the sweet night air, where the sea meets the moon-blanched land.
The speaker then draws attention to the grating roar of pebbles which the waves draw back and fling, creating an eternal note of sadness. This sound reminds the speaker of the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, who also heard the sound of the sea and was reminded of human misery.
The “Sea of Faith” was once full, wrapping the earth like a bright girdle. But now, the speaker only hears its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar as it retreats down the vast edges of the world.
In the end, the speaker implores his love to be true to one another, for the world, which seems so beautiful and new, is actually devoid of joy, love, light, certitude, peace, or help for pain. They are here as on a darkling plain, swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, where ignorant armies clash by night.
This poem is a poignant commentary on the loss of faith and certainty in the modern world, and the resulting confusion and struggle. It’s a call for love and truth in a world that often seems devoid of these values. It’s a powerful piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today.
Key Points
Author Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator.
Form (Rhyme Scheme) “Dover Beach” is written in free verse, which means it does not have a consistent rhyme scheme or meter. However, Arnold uses a variety of poetic techniques such as alliteration, assonance, and consonance to create rhythm and musicality within the poem.
Speaker The speaker of the poem is likely a persona of the poet himself, reflecting on the scene before him and expressing his thoughts and feelings about the world.
Setting The poem is set on the English coast, with the speaker looking out over the English Channel towards the French coast. The setting shifts from a peaceful nighttime beach scene to a more turbulent and chaotic scene as the poem progresses.
Theme: The main theme of “Dover Beach” is the loss of faith and the resulting uncertainty and chaos in the world.
Plot The poem begins with a peaceful scene at the beach at night, with the speaker inviting someone to share in the beauty of the scene. The speaker then reflects on the sound of the waves and the ebb and flow of human life and experiences. The poem ends with a plea for love and truth in a world that often seems devoid of these values.
Tone The tone of the poem shifts from serene and contemplative in the beginning to more somber and melancholic as the poem progresses. The final tone is one of longing and desperation.
Style Arnold’s style in “Dover Beach” is characterized by his use of detailed and evocative imagery, allusion, metaphor, and free verse. His language is relatively straightforward and unadorned, but his ideas are complex and thought-provoking.
Message The message of “Dover Beach” is a reflection on the changing world during the mid-Victorian era. Arnold uses the sea and the shore as metaphors for the ebb and flow of human history and individual human experience. The poem is a poignant commentary on the loss of faith and certainty in the modern world, and the resulting confusion and struggle. It’s a call for love and truth in a world that often seems devoid of these values.
Matthew Arnold
Birth and Early Life
Matthew Arnold was born on December 24, 1822, in Laleham, Middlesex, England.
He was the eldest son of Thomas Arnold, the headmaster of Rugby School.
His brothers were Tom Arnold, a literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, a novelist and colonial administrator.
Education
Arnold was tutored by his clerical uncle, John Buckland, in Laleham.
He attended Rugby School and later Winchester College.
He graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, with second-class honours in 1844.
During his time at Oxford, he won the Newdigate Prize with his poem “Cromwell”.
Career
Arnold worked as Her Majesty’s Inspector of Schools for thirty-five years.
He was also an English poet and cultural critic.
His work remains amongst the best known of 19th-century British poetry.
He wrote on a variety of subjects, but he is best known for his themes of nature, modern society, and moral instruction.
He has been characterized as a sage writer, a type of writer who chastises and instructs the reader on contemporary social issues.
Notable Works
Some of Arnold’s notable works include “Dover Beach”, “The Scholar-Gipsy”, “Thyrsis”, “Culture and Anarchy”, “Literature and Dogma”, and “The Study of Poetry”.
Death
Matthew Arnold died in Liverpool on April 15, 1888.
Word Meaning
| Tough Word | Meaning in English | Meaning in Hindi |
| Tide | The regular rise and fall of the sea level | ज्वार-भाटा |
| Straits | Narrow passages of water between two land masses | संकीर्ण जलमार्ग |
| Coast | The part of the land near the sea; the edge of the land | तट |
| Gleams | Shines brightly | चमक |
| Cliffs | Steep rock faces, especially at the edge of the sea | चट्टान |
| Glimmering | Shining faintly with a wavering light | टिमटिमाना |
| Tranquil bay | A calm and peaceful inlet of the sea | शांत खाड़ी |
| Spray | Water or other liquid broken up into small drops | बौछार |
| Moon-blanched land | Land whitened by the light of the moon | चाँदनी से सफेद भूमि |
| Grating roar | Harsh, unpleasant sound | कर्कश गर्जना |
| Pebbles | Small, smooth stones found on beaches | कंकड़ |
| Fling | Throw forcefully | फेंकना |
| High strand | Elevated shoreline | ऊंचा किनारा |
| Tremulous | Shaking or quivering slightly | कांपता हुआ |
| Cadence | Rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words | लय |
| Eternal | Lasting forever | शाश्वत |
| Sophocles | An ancient Greek tragedian | यूनानी नाटककार सोफोक्ल्स |
| Ægean | Related to the Aegean Sea or the region around it | एजेयन सागर से संबंधित |
| Turbid ebb | Murky, receding water | गंदला उतार |
| Misery | A state of great distress or discomfort | दुख |
| Shore | The land along the edge of a sea, lake, or other large body of water | किनारा |
| Girdle | Encircle or surround | घेरना |
| Furled | Rolled up and secured | लिपटा हुआ |
| Melancholy | A deep, persistent sadness | उदासी |
| Roar | A loud, deep sound | गर्जना |
| Retreating | Moving back or withdrawing | पीछे हटना |
| Drear | Dreary, bleak, or dismal | उदास |
| Shingles | Small, round stones or pebbles on a beach | छोटे गोल पत्थर या कंकड़ |
| Hath | An old-fashioned third person singular form of “has” | है (पुराना रूप) |
| Certitude | Absolute certainty or conviction | निश्चितता |
| Darkling plain | A dark and shadowy area | अंधकारमय मैदान |
Very Short Answer Questions
Q: Who is the author of “Dover Beach”?
A: The author of “Dover Beach” is Matthew Arnold.
Q: What is the setting of “Dover Beach”?
A: The setting of “Dover Beach” is the English Channel near Dover.
Q: What is the mood of “Dover Beach”?
A: The mood of “Dover Beach” is contemplative and melancholic.
Q: What does the sea symbolize in “Dover Beach”?
A: In “Dover Beach”, the sea symbolizes the ebb and flow of faith in the world.
Q: What does the speaker hear in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker hears the grating roar of pebbles which the waves draw back and fling.
Q: Who is the speaker in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker in “Dover Beach” is an unnamed person, possibly the poet himself.
Q: What does the speaker ask his beloved to do in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker asks his beloved to come to the window and listen to the sound of the sea.
Q: What does the “Sea of Faith” represent in “Dover Beach”?
A: The “Sea of Faith” represents a time when faith was strong and widespread.
Q: What is the speaker’s plea to his beloved in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker’s plea to his beloved is to be true to one another.
Q: What does the world seem like to the speaker in “Dover Beach”?
A: The world seems to the speaker like a land of dreams that lacks joy, love, light, certitude, peace, and help for pain.
Q: What is the speaker’s view of the world in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker views the world as a place of struggle and confusion where ignorant armies clash by night.
Q: What does the moon symbolize in “Dover Beach”?
A: The moon symbolizes change and transition in “Dover Beach”.
Q: What does the light on the French coast symbolize in “Dover Beach”?
A: The light on the French coast symbolizes fleeting moments or opportunities in “Dover Beach”.
Q: What does the phrase “the world, which seems To lie before us like a land of dreams” mean in “Dover Beach”?
A: This phrase means that the world appears to be full of possibilities and beauty, but it is actually filled with uncertainty and lacks joy, love, light, certitude, peace, and help for pain.
Q: What does the phrase “And we are here as on a darkling plain Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight” mean in “Dover Beach”?
A: This phrase means that we are in a world full of confusion, struggle, and uncertainty, much like a dark, desolate plain.
Q: What does the phrase “Where ignorant armies clash by night” mean in “Dover Beach”?
A: This phrase means that conflicts and struggles in the world often arise out of ignorance and occur without clear understanding or purpose.
Q: What does the speaker find in the sound of the sea in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker finds an eternal note of sadness in the sound of the sea.
Q: What does the speaker recall about Sophocles in “Dover Beach”?
A: The speaker recalls that Sophocles heard the same sound of the sea and it brought to his mind the ebb and flow of human misery.
Q: What is the main theme of “Dover Beach”?
A: The main theme of “Dover Beach” is the loss of faith and the resulting uncertainty and chaos in the world.
Short Answer Questions
Q: How does the speaker in “Dover Beach” describe the sea and what does it symbolize?
A: The speaker describes the sea as calm with a full tide under the fair moon. The sea in “Dover Beach” symbolizes the ebb and flow of faith in the world. The constant movement of the waves represents the cyclical nature of faith, which waxes and wanes over time.
Q: What is the significance of the reference to Sophocles in “Dover Beach”?
A: The reference to Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright, suggests that the ebb and flow of human misery, represented by the sound of the sea, is a timeless and universal concept. It connects the speaker’s contemporary world with the ancient world, emphasizing the enduring nature of human suffering.
Q: How does the speaker in “Dover Beach” view the world and how does this view contrast with the initial serene setting of the poem?
A: The speaker views the world as a place of struggle, confusion, and uncertainty, where conflicts arise out of ignorance. This view contrasts sharply with the initial serene setting of the poem, which depicts a calm sea and a peaceful night. This contrast reflects the speaker’s feelings of disillusionment and despair about the state of the world.
Q: What plea does the speaker make to his beloved in “Dover Beach” and why?
A: The speaker pleads with his beloved to be true to one another. In a world that lacks joy, love, light, certitude, peace, and help for pain, the speaker finds solace in the personal love he shares with his beloved. This plea underscores the theme of finding personal meaning and connection in a chaotic and uncertain world.
Q: What is the “Sea of Faith” and what does its “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar” represent in “Dover Beach”?
A: The “Sea of Faith” represents a time when faith was strong and widespread. Its “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar” symbolizes the decline of faith in the world. The speaker laments this loss of faith and the resulting uncertainty and chaos it brings.
Q: How does the imagery in “Dover Beach” contribute to the poem’s themes?
A: The imagery in “Dover Beach”, particularly the serene sea and the chaotic battlefield, serves to contrast the beauty and calmness of nature with the confusion and struggle of the human world. This contrast underscores the poem’s themes of loss of faith, love, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Q: What does the phrase “And we are here as on a darkling plain Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, Where ignorant armies clash by night” mean in “Dover Beach”?
A: This phrase means that we are in a world full of confusion, struggle, and uncertainty, much like a dark, desolate plain. The “ignorant armies” that “clash by night” represent conflicts and struggles that arise out of ignorance and occur without clear understanding or purpose.
Q: How does the speaker in “Dover Beach” use sound to convey his thoughts and feelings?
A: The speaker uses the sound of the sea, specifically the grating roar of the pebbles which the waves draw back and fling, to convey his thoughts and feelings about the ebb and flow of human misery. The sound brings an eternal note of sadness and serves as a reminder of the enduring nature of human suffering.
Q: What is the tone of “Dover Beach” and how does it change throughout the poem?
A: The tone of “Dover Beach” starts off as serene and peaceful, reflecting the calm sea and tranquil night. However, as the poem progresses, the tone becomes more melancholic and despairing, mirroring the speaker’s feelings of disillusionment and despair about the state of the world.
Q: How does “Dover Beach” reflect Matthew Arnold’s concerns about the Victorian era?
A: “Dover Beach” reflects Arnold’s concerns about the decline of faith and the erosion of traditional values in the face of a changing world, which were common concerns during the Victorian era. The poem expresses a crisis of faith, with the speaker acknowledging the diminished standing of Christianity, which the speaker sees as being unable to withstand the rising tide of scientific discovery.
Essay Type Questions
Write the critical appreciation of the poem.
Introduction
“Dover Beach” is a lyric poem by the English poet Matthew Arnold. It was first published in 1867, but the date of its actual composition is uncertain. The poem is a dramatic monologue spoken by a person standing by the window of a house overlooking the English Channel near Dover.
Central Idea
The central idea of “Dover Beach” is the critical examination of faith in the world and the impact of its loss on the human condition. The speaker contemplates the ebb and flow of human misery, symbolized by the sea, and laments the decline of faith, symbolized by the withdrawing Sea of Faith.
Structure & Rhyme Scheme
“Dover Beach” is composed of 37 lines divided into four uneven stanzas. The poem does not follow a consistent rhyme scheme, which contributes to the sense of unease and uncertainty that pervades the poem. The lack of a fixed rhyme scheme also allows Arnold to vary the poem’s rhythm and pacing to suit its themes and mood.
Theme
Loss of Faith: One of the central themes of “Dover Beach” is the loss of faith, symbolized by the ebbing “Sea of Faith”. The speaker laments the decline of religious faith in the world, which he perceives as leading to a state of confusion, struggle, and uncertainty. This theme reflects the crisis of faith experienced by many during the Victorian era, a time of significant scientific discovery and societal change.
Love and Human Connection: Despite the despair and confusion caused by the loss of faith, the speaker finds solace in the personal love he shares with his beloved. He implores his beloved to be true to one another, suggesting that love and human connection can provide some comfort and certainty in an otherwise chaotic world.
The Power of Nature: The poem uses vivid imagery of the natural world, particularly the sea, to explore its themes. The sea, with its ebb and flow, serves as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of faith and human experience. The peaceful and serene imagery of the sea contrasts with the chaotic and confusing world of human life, underscoring the poem’s themes of loss of faith and the search for meaning.
The Human Condition: “Dover Beach” is a meditation on the human condition. It explores the ebb and flow of human misery, the enduring nature of human suffering, and the struggle to find meaning and certainty in a world that seems increasingly chaotic and uncertain. The speaker’s reflections on the sound of the sea and its reminder of the “turbid ebb and flow of human misery” highlight this theme.
The Transience of Life: The fleeting light on the French coast, the withdrawing roar of the Sea of Faith, and the shifting pebbles on the shore all symbolize the transience and impermanence of life. This theme is intertwined with the speaker’s contemplation of faith, love, and the nature of reality.
Conflict and Struggle: The final lines of the poem depict a world of “confused alarms of struggle and flight, where ignorant armies clash by night”. This presents a theme of conflict and struggle, both literal and metaphorical, reflecting the speaker’s view of a world in turmoil.
Style
“Dover Beach” is written in a contemplative and melancholic style. The language is rich and evocative, filled with vivid imagery and powerful metaphors. The tone shifts from peaceful and serene to melancholic and despairing, mirroring the speaker’s feelings and the poem’s themes.
Poetic Devices
Arnold employs a range of poetic devices in “Dover Beach”, including imagery, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, personification, symbolism, enjambment, and internal rhyme. These devices enhance the themes of the poem and make it a powerful expression of the speaker’s contemplation of faith, love, and the nature of reality in a world that seems increasingly chaotic and uncertain.
Message
The message of “Dover Beach” is a poignant commentary on the challenges and uncertainties of life. Despite the despair and confusion caused by the loss of faith, the speaker finds solace in the personal love he shares with his beloved. This suggests that love and human connection can provide some comfort and certainty in an otherwise chaotic world.
Conclusion
“Dover Beach” is a profound and moving poem that explores the human condition in a world of uncertainty and change. Its powerful imagery, thoughtful themes, and emotive language make it a timeless piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today. Despite its melancholic tone, the poem ultimately affirms the value of love and human connection in a world that often seems devoid of meaning and certainty.
