Dover Beach

Dover Beach
by 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.

Summary of Dover Beach
Popularity of "Dover Beach": Matthew Arnold, a famous poet and critic, wrote Dover Beach, a famous dramatic monologue. It was first published in 1867. The poem describes a clear clash between religion and the modern world. illustrates how the beauty of the world is corroded by loss of faith.
"Dover Beach" World Critic: The poem presents two things: the reality of the new world and the loss of faith. The poet maintains that the world is not more beautiful as it used to be. At first, standing on the cliffs of Dover Beach, he records his feelings about the calm sea. He also calls the love of him to enjoy this majesty of nature, resplendent lighthouse, famous white cliffs of Dover and the sound of the waves hitting the seashore. This charming scene reminds you of Greek dramaturgy, Sophocles, and his tragic plays. He claims that in the past people had faith in the past and the world was a good place. But now it has become hollow with no joy, happiness or faith. Humans cannot differentiate between reality and illusion either. So faith disappears. The poem conveys the message that only through love can humans find the lost faith.
Most important themes in “Dover Beach”: The human being, the natural world and the loss of faith are the main themes of the poem. He deplores the loss of faith in the world with the resulting cruelty, insecurity and violence. Though the world appears as a land of fascinating dreams, in reality humanity is on the verge of chaos. Confused inside, confused and empty. Therefore, he urges his beloved and himself to remain true to one another in order to survive in this land.
Analysis of literary devices in “Dover Beach”
Literary devices play a crucial role in the design of a literary work. The author uses them to keep the simple To give texts uniqueness and depth. Mathew Arnold used some literary means to add depth to this poem. Analysis of some of the literary means used in this poem has been discussed below.

Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel tones on the same line as the sound of / e / and / o / in "Really Has No Joy, Love, or Light. "
Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds on the same line as the sound of / l / in “Ahead of Us Lying Like a Land of Dreams.”
Enjambment: It is defined as a thought or verse that does not end on a line break but extends over the next line moved. For example
"And we are here like on a dark level
Swept with confused alarms of fight and flight. “

Allusion: Allusion is a belief and an indirect reference of a person, place, thing or idea of ​​historical, cultural, political or literary importance. This poem contains allusions as in the second stanza. For example, "Sophocles' refers to the great Greek playwright and I. In the third stanza," Sea of ​​Faith "refers to the world of religions.
Pathic error: it is a phrase in which objects are ascribed to human emotions. For example, "Listen! You hear the grating roar, Of pebbles that the waves drag and throw" and "eternal note of sadness". Human beings experience these feelings attributed to pebbles.
Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from literal meanings. Similarly, "sea of faith" symbolizes faith in god and Tide leaving the shore "is the symbol of lost faith.
Simile: It is a rhetorical figure used to compare something with something else so that readers understand what it is For example, the world is compared to the land of dreams in the following lines
“Each other! For the world, which seems to be before us as a land of dreams.”

Images: Images are used to make readers perceive things that engage their five senses. Such as, "The tide is full, the moon is beautiful"; "Of pebbles that the waves remove and throw" and "Where the sea meets the land bleached by the moon."
Analysis shows that this poem, although it seems like a simple description of natural beauty, has a deceptive appeal to charm the reader. .

Analysis of Poetic Devices in Dover Beach
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but some are only used in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

Strophe: A stanza is a poetic form of a few lines. There are four stanzas in this poem, each with a different length. Verse 1 has 14 lines, verse 2 has 6 lines, verse 3 has 8 lines and the last stanza has 9 lines.
Iambic pentameter: It's a kind of meter with The poem follows an irregular iambic pentameter like “Really has neither joy nor love nor Light. ”
Rhyming Scheme: There is no specific rhyming scheme in this poem.
Quotes to be used
The following lines can be used when describing a personal experience where you get a fascinating glimpse of the peaceful sea.

“ The sea is today Night quiet.
The tide is full, the moon is beautiful
On the strait; on the French coast the light
is shimmering and gone; The cliffs of England are shimmering and far out in the calm bay.
Digging Dulce et Decorum Est