The title, locale and subject of the poem’s descriptive opening lines is the shore of the English ferry port of Dover, in Kent, facing Calais, in France, at the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part (21 miles (34 km)) of the English Channel, where Arnold spent his honeymoon in 1851.
Why is the poem called Dover Beach?
Arnold’s poem is titled “Dover Beach” because the setting is very important for the trajectory of the poem. The poem is based on Matthew Arnold’s honeymoon trip to Dover, and his imagined speaker is indeed addressing a lover as they stand at a window near the seashore.
What is the poem titled Dover Beach?
Dover Beach, poem by Matthew Arnold, published in New Poems in 1867. The most celebrated of the author’s works, this poem of 39 lines addresses the decline of religious faith in the modern world and offers the fidelity of affection as its successor.
When was the poem Dover Beach written?
Dover Beach is a ‘honeymoon’ poem. Written in 1851, shortly after Matthew Arnold’s marriage to Frances Lucy Wightman, it evokes quite literally the “sweetness and light” which Arnold famously found in the classical world, in whose image he formed his ideals of English culture.
Is Dover Beach a real place?
Dover Beach is located on Barbados’ South Coast in the parish of Christ Church, with the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary, Accra Beach and Needham’s Point Lighthouse to the west, and Maxwell Beach, Welches Beach and Oistins to the east. Situated at the southern end of the popular tourist area of St.
Why is Dover Beach famous?
Published in New Poems in 1867, “Dover Beach” is one of Matthew Arnold’s most famous poems. Many critics believe that Arnold wrote his best poetry in the 1840s and 1850s and that “Dover Beach” was actually composed during this earlier period.
What type of poem is Dover Beach?
“Dover Beach” is a lyric poem by the English poet Matthew Arnold. It was first published in 1867 in the collection New Poems; however, surviving notes indicate its composition may have begun as early as 1849. The most likely date is 1851.
What is the message in the end of the poem Dover Beach?
1 Answer. The social message of the poem which the poet aims to convey is that love can regain all faith. It is through love, no matter how momentary it is, that people can find trust and believe in each other and in religion. The ignorant armies fighting without a cause are not going to find a solution but love can.
What is the mood of Dover Beach poem?
Matthew Arnold’s 1867 lyric poem ”Dover Beach” predominately imparts a mood of somber, reflective melancholy. This mood is conveyed through Arnold’s use of diction.
What is theme of Dover Beach?
The Waning Influence of Christian Faith
A key theme in “Dover Beach” relates to the waning influence of Christianity.
What is the irony in Dover Beach?
The irony in this poem is the main plot of the poem. A man has taken a woman to a beautiful beach in France. There they look over the cliffs at the beautiful ocean, the moon is full and bright, and the night-air is calm and peaceful. She thinks that she is going to this romantic place to be wooed by this man.
What is the lesson of Dover Beach?
‘ Dover Beach subtly communicates this feeling, that the world is a kind of shared delusion that he can’t quite participate in.
Is Dover Beach an elegy?
Matthew Arnold’s (1822-1888) best-known poem, Dover Beach (1867) is a masterpiece of mood , both a love poem and an elegy. Though published in his 1867 volume New Poems, Dover Beach may have been composed as early as 1851, when Arnold honeymooned at Dover.
Who is the speaker in Dover Beach?
Summary. “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold is a dramatic monologue lamenting the loss of true Christian faith in England during the mid-1800s as science captured the minds of the public. The poet’s speaker, considered to be Matthew Arnold himself, begins by describing a calm and quiet sea out in the English Channel.
What is the Dover?
Definition of Dover
a strait between England and France, connecting the English Channel and the North Sea: least width 20 miles (32 km).
What is the central theme of the poem?
The central theme of a poem represents its controlling idea. This idea is crafted and developed throughout the poem and can be identified by assessing the poem’s rhythm, setting, tone, mood, diction and, occasionally, title.
Where is Dover Beach set?
This poem is set at the beach in Dover, on the southeastern coast of England.
What is the main conflict in Dover Beach?
1 Answer. The main conflict in the poem is between faith and despair. The poem marks a distinction between the time when people had faith in religion and over one another and to the present times, where the unforeseeable future leads to the loss of faith in humanity.
What is the imagery in Dover Beach?
Dover Beach poem contains Visual Imagery, Olfactory Imagery, Auditory Imagery, Kinesthetic Imagery, and Organic Imagery. In Dover Beach poem are found some of psychoanalytic aspects such as unconscious and the id, ego, and superego in Dover Beach poem.
What is the meaning of the last stanza in Dover Beach?
In the last stanza, the speaker tells his companion to be true to each other; “Ah, love, let us be true/To one another.” The speaker wants to convey the message that if everyone remains true to each other and love each other, faith can be restored.
What tone is used in Dover Beach?
The tone of “Dover Beach” is at once existential and pessimistic. Both aspects emerge clearly through the speaker’s thoughts, which progress inescapably from nature’s tranquility to the world’s brutality.