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The poem 'Dover Beach' is essentially a lamentation and reflection of the loss of the religious and moral faith
in the Modern Industrialised and globalised age. With the retreat of religion causing a crisis of spiritual faith
in the Victorian era, the speaker finds that the world is left abandoned. There is utter chaos, hopelessness and
helplessness in the modern world. The need of an anchor, a support system makes the speaker turn to love as
an answer for the loss of God. Perhaps, the poem suggests, love between people can compensate for the loss
of the connection between God and mankind. But the poem only argues that love has the possibility of
creating the certainty that religion once did.

Written in the form of dramatic monologue we know that there is an off-stage listener. Given that the beach
scene inspires melancholy in the speaker, the speaker's attempt to share the experience is an argument for
intimacy between people. Such intimacy demonstrates the possible restoration of a different kind of faith-in
love. But the poem does not end on an optimistic note, casting doubt on the idea that love will save the day.
Love shows up in only a few brief moments, leaving its meaning far from certain. The poem can't say for sure
that love will be able to make life meaningful, and perhaps even suggests that it ultimately can't-but it is
presented as the best option, and worth trying.

2. How does Arnold use the allusion of Sophocles to link the past and the present?

In the poem 'Dover Beach', while referring to the vision of the tranquility of the night and the harsh sound of
the waves on the coast of England, Arnold makes an allusion to ancient Greek playwright of tragedies,
Sophocles. This allusion is crucial for the universal theme of modern suffering and pain presented in the poem
not only because of its inner quality of sadness but also as it highlights the quality possessed by the great
poetic minds, herein both Arnold and Sophocles, that had passed the test of time.

Both Sophocles and Arnold listen to the same sound of the sea and find the reality of humanity to be full of
sufferings. The ocean makes them think of human tragedies and unhappiness which is consistent throughout
centuries, linking the poets across the dimensions of time and space. The past and the present then seem to be
connected with similarities as well as dissimilarities. Further, the allusion functions to point out that Arnold
mixes the new modern thinking to the great tradition of literary past.

3. How does the atmosphere depicted in the poem suddenly undergo a change?

One of the most celebrated poems by Matthew Arnold 'Dover Beach' starts off with a very tranquil and
peaceful representation of the night. The night is calm and full of simplicity. We know that the poet is
standing at the coast of England and looking out towards the long, still and calm ocean. The moon is shining
and the poet can see past the English Channel towards the coast of France. Up until now, the first few lines of
the poem, just like the sea, the tone is calm. The visual imagery is pleasing and tranquil and even the air
smells sweet.

However, almost instantly as if the poet's attention falls upon a point, the poet shifts the whole scene from the
beauty of Dover cliff shining in moonlight to a specific point at the edge of the water where the sea meets the
land. While looking at the point, the poet cannot see the vision but hear the unpleasant 'grating sound' which
fills him with sorrow. The specific point reminds him of human predicament of pains and suffering which
cannot be avoided. He realises that reality is not the world of beauty and relaxation but it is like the grating
 unpleasant sound of the pebbles. There is no hope in the real world as it lays bare, vulnerable and full of
suffering.

4. Dover Beach brings out the loss of faith in the modern world. Do you agree?

'Dover Beach' by Matthew Amold bears clearly on the conflict between traditional faith in religion and
science in the Victorian society. The Victorian age in which the poem was written, is essentially an age of fast
scientific development, industrialisation and globalisation. The very basis of religion had started to erode as
people started questioning its authority and power. The result was a conflict in people's mind wherein people
wavered in their faith.

In 'Dover Beach', Amold gives expression to this conflict and the loss of traditional faith that he had been
experiencing. The lament of loss is so profound that even the scenic picturesque of the Dover cliff on the coast
of English Channel is filled with sorrow. The sound of the sea becomes grating and the melancholic note of
the sea reminds the poet of human misery. The unhappiness of man he traces to his loss of religious faith.

He understands that there was a time when the whole world was full of strong religious belief. But now, belief
is fast declining. Without faith the world is hollow and uncertain, devoid of all peace and happiness. The
vulnerability of the world brings out confusions, doubts and uncertainties of man in the new world. For the
poet, this world and the people on this earth are no better than two opposing armies fighting each other in total
darkness, and thus not knowing whether they are hurting and killing friends or their enemies.

5. Mathew Arnold has created a beautiful picture in his poem only to shatter it. Discuss.

Dover Beach is a dramatic monologue by Matthew Arnold and is probably his best known poem. It was
inspired by his visits with his wife to the south coast of England, where the white cliffs of Dover stand, just
twenty two miles from the coast of France. The poem begins on a very peaceful note with an almost
romanticising of the natural landscape.

The poet begins with a description of the natural scene-of a calm sea, full tide, the moon shining, and of
glimmering cliffs. He then calls his companion, probably his beloved, to come to the window and join him.
The night air is 'sweet' and he watches the moon-blanched' beach, looking white in the moonlight.

Suddenly, there is a shift in the tone as he draws our attention to the 'grating roar of the pebbles which are
flung back by the waves. The movement of the waves goes on in a never-ending cycle. Their quivering
rhythm brings in an 'eternal note of sadness’.

The poet alludes to Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright of tragedies, and says that he must have also
heard the same note of sadness in the Aegean Sea, centuries ago. Sophocles was reminded of the human
misery and suffering in the ebb and flow of the waves in the Aegean Sea. The poet says that they were no
different in hearing the note of sadness in the rhythm of the waves.

Amold then mentions the most important metaphor in the poem-of the 'Sea of Faith. He compares religious
faith with the sea and says that the sea of faith once circled the earth like a "bright girdle furled' but now had
withdrawn. The Victorian era had seen two very powerful forces shaping the world-the Industrial Revolution
and Darwin's theory of evolution. Darwin's theory shook the very basis of faith and science came in direct
conflict with religion. Arnold laments the loss of religious faith, saying that the withdrawal of the Sea of Faith
had left mankind exposed, like 'naked shingles.' The poet expresses the view that the despair, hopelessness
and frustration in the world is due to decline of religious faith.
 Arnold, at the end of the poem, destroys the peaceful scene totally when he says that the 'world which seems
to lie before us like a land of dreams' is not what it seems. Through the use of anaphora, Arnold says what the
world really was-one which has 'neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain’.

Comparing the world to a battlefield, Arnold says that they were on a 'darkling plain' which was swept with
confused alarms of struggle and fight' where ignorant armies clash by night, thus shattering all sense of peace.

6. Arnold brings out the conflict of religion and science in Dover Beach.

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) was an English poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools.
Amold's best known works include Empedocles on Etna, Sohrab and Rustom, Dover Beach and The Scholar
Gypsy. Amold's poetry often deals with problems of psychological isolation. Dover Beach, links the problem
of isolation with the dwindling faith of his time. Amold's arguments, for a renewed religious faith and
embracing classical aesthetics and morals, are particularly representative of the concerns in the Victorian era.
Dover Beach is a dramatic monologue by Matthew Arnold and is probably his best known poem. It was
inspired by his visits with his wife to the south coast of England, where the white cliffs of Dover stand, just
twenty two miles from the coast of France.

The poem begins on a very peaceful note with almost romanticizing the natural landscape. The poet begins
with a description of the natural scene-of a calm sea, full tide, the moon shining, and of glimmering cliffs. He
then calls his companion, probably his beloved, to come to the window and join him. The night air is 'sweet'
and he watches the "moon blanched' beach, looking white in the moonlight.

Suddenly, there is a shift in the tone as he draws our attention to the grating roar of the pebbles which the
waves 'draw back, and fling. The movement of the waves goes on in a never ending cycle. Their quivering
rhythm brings in an 'eternal note of sadness. The poet alludes to Sophocles, the ancient Greek playwright of
tragedies, and says that he must have also heard the same note of sadness in the Aegean Sea, centuries ago.
Sophocles was reminded of the human misery and suffering in the ebb and flow of the waves in the Aegean
Sea. The poet says that they were no different in hearing the note of sadness in the rhythm of the waves.

Dover Beach is a reflection of the conflict between religion and science in the Victorian era. The Victorian era
had seen two very powerful forces shaping the world-the Industrial Revolution and Darwin's theory of
evolution. Darwin's theory of evolution shook the bedrock of religion and of society. It questioned the
religious belief of creation of man in God's image. Religion played an essential role in binding society
together and that had come loose. Various scientific and technological developments led man to question dior
and doubt everything connected with religion.

Arnold uses the sea as a powerful metaphor in the 'Sea of Faith’. The sea of faith, once full, protected people
from self doubt. He compares religious faith with the sea and says that the sea of faith once circled the earth
like a "bright girdle furled' but now had withdrawn. Arnold laments the loss of religious faith, saying that the
withdrawal of the Sea of Faith had left mankind exposed, like 'naked shingles. What was left behind was only
sadness. Arnold has used images of erosion to convey the erosion of faith: the white cliffs of limestone erode
fast; the light on the French coast 'gleams and is gone', suggesting the flickering of faith.

The poet expresses the view that the despair, hopelessness and frustration in the world is due to decline of
religious faith. He says that the 'world which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams' is not what it seems.
Through the use of anaphora, Arnold says what the world really was-one which has 'neither joy, nor love, nor
light, nor certitude, donor peace, nor help for pain'. Comparing the world to a battlefield, Arnold says that they
were on a 'darkling plain' which was 'swept with confused alarms of struggle and an be fight' where 'ignorant
armies clash by night.

SOME IMPORTANT QUOTES

Sophocles long ago

The Sea of Faith

Retreating, to the breath

And we are here as on a darkling plain

Give Reasons

1) The poet asks the listener to come to the window because ______
2) The grating roar can be heard because ______
3) The eternal note of sadness is brought in because ______
4) Sophocles has been mentioned because ______
5) The ebb and flow has been called turbid because _______
6) The Sea of Faith has been compared to the folds of a bright girdle because ______
7) The naked shingles are coming out because _______
8) The poet asks his beloved to be true to one another because __________
9) The landscape has been compare to darkling plain because ________
10) The poet is talking about the interplay of doubt and faith because _________