Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold 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