Dover Beach : Key info
Dover Beach is a notable literary work by Matthew Arnold. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Dover Beach.
Key info
Key Facts
Author: Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
Title of the Author:
The Melancholy Voice of the Victorian Age
Pessimistic poet of the Victorian Age.
Professor of Poetry at Oxford
Full Title: Dover Beach
Total Lines: 37 lines
Stanza: 4 stanzas of varying lengths
Genre: Dramatic Monologue / Lyric Poem
Published Date: 1867 (in the collection New Poems)
Written Date: Around 1851 (during Arnold’s honeymoon)
Form: Free-form lyric; no fixed stanza pattern
Meter: Mostly iambic, but irregular in places
Tone: Sad, reflective, and philosophical
Point of View: First-person (the speaker is likely Arnold himself)
Setting:
Time Setting: A quiet night (with moonlight)
Place Setting: The shore of Dover Beach, overlooking the English Channel, facing France
Key Notes
- Dover Beach: Dover Beach is a deeply philosophical and emotional poem। Here, the poet reflects on the uncertainty of human life, the decline of religious faith, and the idea that love is our only refuge. It is believed that Arnold addressed this poem to his wife.
- Sea Imagery: The sea is a powerful symbol in the poem. The poet uses the sound and motion of the waves to represent human sorrow and confusion—especially in the line “the eternal note of sadness.”
- Faith and Doubt: A major theme is the collapse of religious faith and the resulting emotional crisis. In the line “Sea of Faith,” Arnold shows that faith was once full and strong, but now it has withdrawn.
- Love and Companionship: In the final part, the poet turns to love as the only hope. Amid life’s uncertainties, the unity between lovers is presented as the only source of peace and security.
- Victorian Crisis: This poem reflects the religious and social crises of the Victorian Age. Along with personal emotion, Arnold expresses the widespread anxiety and doubt of an entire generation.
“Dover Beach” was likely written by Matthew Arnold in 1851 during his honeymoon at the southern coast of England, in the town of Dover. The poem presents a deeply philosophical and emotional reflection, using the sight and sound of the sea as a symbol of inner sadness and spiritual doubt.
“Dover Beach” is not just a love poem; it is also a powerful expression of the crisis of its age. During the Victorian era, rapid progress in science, industry, and rational thought began to shake people’s religious faith. Through the famous image of the “Sea of Faith,” Arnold expresses how religious belief once surrounded and supported the world like the sea surrounds the shore—but now that faith is retreating, leaving behind uncertainty and spiritual emptiness.
In the poem, Arnold presents love as the only source of stability and hope. In a world full of confusion and chaos, the sincere love between two people is portrayed as the only real comfort. With its rich use of sound, metaphor, and symbolism, Dover Beach captures both the personal emotions of the poet and the broader spiritual crisis of the Victorian age.