“Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold
Introduction:
“Dover Beach” is one of the most famous poems by Matthew Arnold, first published in 1867. The poem reflects Arnold’s disillusionment with the modern world, particularly in the context of religious doubt and the loss of faith. He contrasts the serene beauty of nature with the inner turmoil and instability of human existence. Through the setting of Dover, the poem explores the tension between appearance and reality, offering a bleak view of the human condition.
Summary of the Poem:
The poem begins with a calm, picturesque description of the sea at night. The moonlight illuminates the sea and the cliffs of England, and the speaker invites the reader to come closer and experience the beauty of the night. However, as the poem progresses, this tranquil image is disrupted by the sound of the waves, which bring a “grating roar” of sadness. The speaker then references Sophocles, who, upon hearing a similar sound in ancient Greece, associated it with the eternal suffering of humanity. The poem then shifts to a metaphorical exploration of the “Sea of Faith,” a once-full ocean of religious belief that has now receded, leaving the world barren and desolate. In the final stanza, the speaker calls for love and loyalty between individuals, as the world outside offers no comfort or certainty. The poem ends with a powerful metaphor of the world as a dark, chaotic battlefield where humans are locked in struggle, with no peace or hope in sight.
Literary Devices in “Dover Beach”:
- Imagery: The poem is rich with vivid imagery, particularly in the descriptions of the sea and the landscape. For example, “The sea is calm tonight,” and “the moon lies fair / Upon the straits” creates a serene, tranquil image of the scene. However, the “grating roar” of the waves introduces a sense of disturbance.
- Metaphor: The “Sea of Faith” is a central metaphor in the poem. Arnold likens faith to a sea that once encircled the world but is now receding, representing the loss of spiritual belief in the modern world.
- Allusion: The reference to Sophocles is an allusion to the ancient Greek playwright, who is said to have associated the sound of the sea with the “turbid ebb and flow / Of human misery.” This allusion connects the poem to the long history of human suffering and the search for meaning.
- Symbolism: The sea symbolizes the eternal, while the retreating “Sea of Faith” symbolizes the loss of spiritual certainty. The “darkling plain” at the end symbolizes the modern world, full of confusion and conflict.
- Personification: The sea is personified in the line “the sea meets the moon-blanched land,” as if the sea and land are engaged in an intimate relationship. The sea is also given human-like qualities in its “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.”
- Rhetorical Questions: The speaker’s question, “Ah, love, let us be true / To one another!” is a rhetorical question that emphasizes the need for fidelity in a world that offers no certainty or comfort.
- Alliteration: The repeated use of “s” sounds in phrases like “sweet is the night-air” and “strange / Strength” creates a soothing, melodic effect, mimicking the sound of the sea.
Themes in “Dover Beach”:
- The Decline of Faith: One of the key themes in the poem is the decline of religious faith in the modern world. The “Sea of Faith” once surrounded the earth but is now retreating, leaving humanity exposed and vulnerable. This loss of faith contributes to the sense of despair and confusion in the world.
- Human Suffering and Misery: The poem acknowledges the eternal nature of human suffering, symbolized by the sound of the sea. The reference to Sophocles highlights the timelessness of this theme, showing that human misery has been present throughout history.
- The Uncertainty of Life: The poem emphasizes the uncertainty and instability of human existence. The world, once “beautiful” and “new,” is revealed to be devoid of meaning or comfort. The final stanza introduces the image of a “darkling plain,” symbolizing a world in chaos, where “ignorant armies clash by night.”
- The Importance of Personal Connection: Despite the bleak view of the world, the speaker urges personal loyalty and love. In a world full of confusion and struggle, human connection becomes a source of solace and meaning.
- Nature’s Dual Nature: While the poem begins with a peaceful description of nature, it quickly shifts to show how nature reflects the sadness and uncertainty of human existence. The sea’s “grating roar” symbolizes the tension between nature’s beauty and the sorrow that accompanies it.
Conclusion:
“Dover Beach” is a poignant exploration of the human condition, dealing with themes of faith, suffering, and the search for meaning in an uncertain world. Arnold’s vivid imagery and metaphors create a sense of melancholy and despair, yet the poem ends with a call for love and loyalty as a means of enduring in a world full of strife. Through this dual exploration of nature and human emotion, Arnold reflects on the loss of spiritual certainty and the difficult realities of life in the modern world.
Stanza 1:
Text: 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.
Explanation:
- The poet describes a calm sea at night, with the tide at its fullest and the moon shining on the water. The French coastline is visible with a fleeting light, and the cliffs of England stand grand and majestic.
- The poet invites someone (perhaps a lover) to come to the window and experience the “sweet night air” and the sound of the waves.
- The poet hears the sound of pebbles being moved by the waves as they crash and retreat along the shore. The sound of the waves has a slow, tremulous rhythm, which brings about a sense of sadness.
- Words Meaning:
- Straits: Narrow water passages between two landmasses.
- Blanched: Made pale or white (the land, reflecting the moonlight).
- Grating roar: A harsh, unpleasant sound (the sound of the waves against the pebbles).
- Tremulous cadence: A shaking rhythm, creating a feeling of melancholy.
- Eternal note of sadness: The timeless, sorrowful sound that the waves seem to embody.
Stanza 2:
Text: 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:
- The poet references the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, who is said to have heard the same sound on the Aegean Sea and associated it with the “turbid ebb and flow” (the turbulent rise and fall) of human suffering.
- Arnold then connects this ancient reflection to his own experience of hearing the sound by the northern English sea, suggesting that this universal truth about human misery still resonates.
- Words Meaning:
- Ægean: The Aegean Sea, located between Greece and Turkey.
- Turbid: Clouded or muddy, used here to describe the tumultuous and unclear nature of human suffering.
- Ebb and flow: The rising and falling movement of the sea, symbolizing the cycle of human joy and misery.
Stanza 3:
Text: 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.
Explanation:
- Arnold metaphorically refers to religious faith as the “Sea of Faith”, once full and encompassing the world, like a protective “girdle” (belt). In the past, faith surrounded the earth, offering comfort and certainty.
- However, faith has now receded, and the poet only hears its “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,” suggesting a loss of belief and spiritual security in the modern world.
- The retreating faith is described as being carried away by the night wind, leaving the world desolate and barren, symbolized by the “naked shingles” (bare pebbles or stones on the shore).
- Words Meaning:
- Girdle: A belt or waistband, symbolizing something that once encircled or protected.
- Withdrawing roar: The fading sound of retreating waves, symbolizing the loss of faith.
- Shingles: Pebble-covered beaches, symbolizing desolation.
Stanza 4:
Text: 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.
Explanation:
- The poet turns to his love, urging them to remain true to each other, as the world around them offers no real comfort or meaning.
- Despite appearing to be full of beauty and potential (“a land of dreams”), the world lacks true joy, love, light, certainty, peace, or relief from suffering.
- The world is depicted as a “darkling plain,” a bleak and uncertain place, filled with confusion, conflict, and strife. Arnold compares humanity’s situation to that of “ignorant armies” fighting in the dark, unaware of their true purpose.
- Words Meaning:
- True: Loyal or faithful, particularly in the context of love and companionship.
- Darkling plain: A metaphor for the uncertain and dark world, where confusion reigns.
- Confused alarms: The sounds of fear and turmoil, indicating chaos.
- Ignorant armies: A symbol for humanity, fighting aimlessly without understanding or direction.
Conclusion:
In “Dover Beach,” Matthew Arnold uses the sea and its sounds as metaphors to reflect on the decline of faith, human suffering, and the confusion of the modern world. The retreat of the “Sea of Faith” represents the loss of spiritual certainty, while the “darkling plain” at the end emphasizes the chaos and confusion in the world. The poem ends with a call for personal loyalty and love, suggesting that these are the only sources of meaning in an otherwise uncertain and troubled world.
