Alberto

Bosco Reread Dover beach by Matthew Arnold. Explore the ways in which Arnold vividly conveys his state of mind in this poem.
Matthew Arnold wrote this poem in the 19th century, during the affirmation of poets such Wordsworth who lived at a time of great change. Nature was slowly being destroyed by mans industrial advance and analogously religion was losing support due to the rise of theories such as evolutionism, which proved that man was not a project of God, descending form absolute perfection but was posing great doubts in the religious society of the time. Consequently, Arnolds fickle and dubious ideas make him agnostic and arise throughout the poem, in which every aspect of nature seems ever changing, as life seems meaningless without religion. This poetic eulogy is striking as Arnold conveys a poignant lamentation imagining the future of mankind proved of spirituality. The view of the white cliffs of Dover offers him an instant of ecstasy that rapidly declines into an ominous melancholia of the mind, as he understands that none of his feelings are real before the infinity of nature. Firstly, the beginning of the poem shows no stability within his ideas, if to believe in religion or not, compared to the coming and ceasing of the sea waves. Analogously the different lengths of the lines suggest the attempt to emphasize the meaning of the changing sea and resemble the motion of the shoreline. The landscape of the English Channel is seen through the window of his cottage, during the honeymoon with his wife. Firstly, the attention is caught by the alliteration of Gleams and is gone, referring to the lights of the French coast. Further repetition of sounds is given with Glimmering and vast symbolising the rhythm of waves. The tone is initially contemplative and tranquil. However, the tone changes in the second stanza when the Author interrupts the rhythm, Listen followed by grating roar, which suggests a powerful image and the idea of the waves coming and ceasing, is an endless and constant motion. On the other hand, the description of the tremulous cadence, is an oxymoron comparing a vibration to the balanced movement of the waves that resembles an ever existing melancholy, that exposes the poets fickle thoughts as he conveys our insignificance in comparison to the boundless and unpredictable sea. Furthermore, the third stanza is a clear reference to Sophocles Greek tragedy, who believed in the sea as inspiring. However, this mythical idea blurs into Arnolds turbid mind, whose piteous misfortune involving human misery foreshadows the mood of the following stanza. In addition to this, Sea of faith is a representation of religion, which once encircled the earth as a belt, influencing the peoples view heavily. This girdle may be intended as a divine appearance, that is slowly but inexorably vanishing, leaving the mind with a sense of depression, as we are not protected anymore by a godly figure. Faith plays a pivotal role in Dover Beach, as Arnolds mind is contended between the certainty and disbelief in Religion, this inconsistent state awareness, finds an answer in the last stanza supported by his wife. God is not necessarily there, this is a metaphor as a dark plain. Without a perfect existence, everything is ambiguous and there is no salvation and protection, just darkness. There is now more mystery, the only thing he can rely upon is his wife, and he can only believe her the world lies before us, let us be true to each other. Let us be true to one another, the poet refers to his beloved wife, with who he is on honeymoon. The world, which lies before them, seems so diverse and beautiful yet new and indecisive. The anaphora nor love, nor light [] emphasizes the feeling that Arnold seeks to convey: without certainty, the world is an empty plain of obscurity for it has no definite answer to his enquiries. Metaphorically, this turbid idea of the world with no truth, as we also do not respect nature enough, implies an existence with no God, no religion; giving no clues of his existence and leaving in the authors mind, an endless pit with no answers to his prayers. Lastly, ignorant armies clash, is an allusion to the meaningless conflicts between bellicose men that have continuously dictated our subsistence and permanently affected nature around us. Time may be compared to Clarkes Lament as a poetic eulogy symbolizing the death of truth, exposing the pain in the human vulnerable nature. The Cliffs of Dover are to Arnold, his manna, poisoning his creativity as he feeds it. Arnolds modern sensibility depicts the beauty of the Cliffs of Dover as a transitory elation, which rapidly falls into a menacing melancholia. In his present state of mind, relief may be found in the only certain belief: his wifes emotional support, in a demeaning world with no true significance him.

Andrea Beggio