The poem
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 Ægæan, 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.
this poem is a great poem because the poet explain how the modren life exploits us and he emphasizes that true love is a voluable thing.
This poem is featured in Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" from a poetry book that the fireman Montag saved from burning. The country is constantly at war and this poem fits that sense.
Although I have read this poem countless times, the book, Fahrenheit 451 used the poem in such a way as to illustrate the notion that the world is a place of gigantic and meaningless conflict. That conflict, of course, occurs between nations and political institutions, but there also seems to be an intense antagonism existing between people within a single society. I think Arnold wants to hold on to what he might…
Read the whole commentAlthough I have read this poem countless times, the book, Fahrenheit 451 used the poem in such a way as to illustrate the notion that the world is a place of gigantic and meaningless conflict. That conflict, of course, occurs between nations and political institutions, but there also seems to be an intense antagonism existing between people within a single society. I think Arnold wants to hold on to what he might have felt to be only an illusion of security and comradery, because in the end he reminds us that the world may not, in the end, be a place of harmony and love, rather it is a viscous place where brute force, ignorance and the more destructive passions reign. Old Mr. Arnold was a literary naturalist before naturalism was cool.
From a distance, the world looks beautiful and peaceful. Any storm, if you get far enough away from it, will become nothing but a beautiful swirl of clouds. (think Jupiter's great red spot.) But the closer you get to conflict, the more you see and hear and feel it. It tosses you around and roars in your ears. "Ah, love, let us be true to one another" is surprising, for in spite of saying the world "hath really…
Read the whole commentFrom a distance, the world looks beautiful and peaceful. Any storm, if you get far enough away from it, will become nothing but a beautiful swirl of clouds. (think Jupiter's great red spot.) But the closer you get to conflict, the more you see and hear and feel it. It tosses you around and roars in your ears. "Ah, love, let us be true to one another" is surprising, for in spite of saying the world "hath really neither joy, nor love", he seems to think he has it. Perhaps, even when we are in the middle of it all, we can find an eye in the storm and cling to one sweet thing close to home. Perhaps the world is lost, but two lovers can find hope in one another, and together find their own peace, putting no trust in the world.
The poem, Dover Beach describes a man's simple experience of visiting Dover Beach, and then thinking of the larger issues in life like the power of love and the loss of religious faith in the world.
"The Sea of Faith was once, too, at the full...but now i only hear it's melancholy, long withdrawing roar."
The poem suggests the idea that the ages when faith once held the world together, and gods brought the world comfort, has ended, and has left humankind vulnerable and 'naked'.
He suggests that religious 'faith' has been replaced by love, that love is the 'new' faith, and that only love for one another will hold us together.
can someone please give a link to a good website with free notes on dover beach? i have an exam in an hour! i just want to skim over some key points
Dover Beach is a very fantastic poem by Arnold.I think this is his best output that gives the perfect idea to the reader of the victorian age comprising its hesitating movement,loss of faith on God,and overall depression in the human mind.However, it is written in very easy and comfortable language.But carries a very high mood.I have read the poem for uncountable times.But my interest with it is going much higher and higher day by day.
This is a poem in which the first verse can easily stand alone. It paints a vivid picture of that part of the country that the English can understand and relate to, especially at a time on having to leave these shores.
hmm. thank you )
ehh. luv this style :)
hm... thank you )
i'm gonna make my own post about it
Dover beach
Dover beach is a poem with a mournful tone of an elegy.The poem is in free verse.The first stanza talks bout d sea n a positive way,negativity is sensed in poem startn 4rm line 7.The end sets in a pleadn tone with d reader 2 realize dat notn is stable and reliable.
Dover Beach
Why would Matthew Arnold want to write a poem on his honeymoon?