Analysis Of Matthew Arnold s Dover Beach - 1264 Words

(Not) Alone in the ‘Sea of Faith’ Published in 1867, Matthew Arnold’s Dover Beach is short lyrical elegy that depicts a couple overlooking the English Channel, questioning the gradual, steady loss of faith of the time. Set against this backdrop of a society’s crisis of faith, Arnold artfully uses a range of literary techniques to reinforce the central theme of the poem, leading some to argue that Dover Beach was one of the first ‘free-verse’ poems of the language. Indeed, the structure and content of the poem goes against all traditional romantic love sonnets of the day with a decidedly more melancholic and darker tone. Whilst respected critic Stefan Collini explores the notion that Arnold’s poem is too focused on the poet’s own melancholic mindset, I will endeavour to provide an alternative viewpoint which will reason that Arnold successfully delivered a wider commentary about the crisis of faith that resonated not only with Arnold himself, but with the audience. The poetic techniques that Arnold employs through shifts in metre, rhythm and form serve to reinforce the change in human condition that Arnold is depicting in the poem. This is perhaps best illustrated through examining the meter of Dover Beach, which for all its apparent minimalism and ease, is subtler than one might think. The poem is comprised of four stanzas, which - while differing in length - appear to retain a loose semblance of iambic rhythm. If we examine Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor lightShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Matthew Arnold s Dover Beach 947 Words   |  4 PagesMatthew Arnold was born in the early 19th century in England and began his career as a poet who earned acclaim very quickly at his school, Rugby School. As he grew older he became a teacher at his alma mater and as the years passed, his passion for education and knowledge paved the way into what Arnold became most well-known for, critical essays and poetry. In this time he wrote some of his best w orks which earned him a teaching position at Oxford as a teacher of poetry. From that point on, his careerRead MoreDover Beach and Farenheit 4511461 Words   |  6 Pages English 2342 20 April 2011 Dover Beach and Fahrenheit 451 The classic poem, Dover Beach, written by Matthew Arnold, is a statement about losing faith as a result of enlightenment. In an emotionally charged scene in Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, fireman Guy Montag reads the poem aloud to his wife and her friends. Bradbury could have chosen any piece of literature for Montag to read as a means of unveiling his collection of hoarded books and his newfound interest in reading them. BradburyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Dover Beach By Matthew Arnold1139 Words   |  5 PagesMonelle Shuman English Lit 202 K. Morefield December 1, 2014 An Analysis of â€Å"Dover Beach† by Matthew Arnold Dover Beach is thought to be one of the best representations of the Victorian Period all together. It portrays the mood and tone of what the people experienced and felt at that time. Around the same time it was written, London had just experienced a massive boom in their population, growing from 2 to 6 million citizens. At the same time, London was becoming one of the first in the countryRead MoreLove And Loss : Happy Endings By Margaret Atwood3620 Words   |  15 PagesWhen people think of love and loss many thoughts can enter one s mind. Love and loss can be seen as painful, unfortunate, depressing. Most people would relate love and loss to romantic relationships that ended in breakups; on the contrary, â€Å"Confession Day† allows people to confess the pain they have felt through any of their losses. In the poems â€Å"She Walks in Beauty† by Lord Byron, â€Å"Dover Beach† by Matthew Arnold and in the short story â€Å"Happy Endings† by Margaret Atwood , it is noticed that loveRead MoreAnalysis of Dover Beach and The Buried Life by Matthew Arnold 1960 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of Dover Beach and The Buried Life by Matthew Arnold Matthew Arnold is one of the many famous and prolific writers from the nineteenth century. Two of his best known works are entitled #61505;Dover Beach#61504; and #61505;The Buried Life.#61504; Although the exact date of composition is unknown, clearly they were both written in the early 1850s. The two poems have in common various characteristics, such as the theme and style. The feelings of the speakers of the poem alsoRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslamentable. Taken together, the key themes and processes that have been selected as the focus for each of the eight essays provide a way to conceptualize the twentieth century as a coherent unit for teaching, as well as for written narrative and analysis. Though they do not exhaust the crucial strands of historical development that tie the century together—one could add, for example, nationalism and decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate