Dover Beach

A detailed Summary of Dover Beach

How can life or anything be so wonderful, but at times seem

so unbearable? This is a question that Matthew Arnold may

have asked himself one day, while writing "Dover Beach".

This is a poem about a sea and a beach that is truly beautiful,

but hold much deeper meaning than what meets the eye. The

poem is written in free verse with no particular meter or

rhyme scheme, although some of the words do rhyme.

Arnold is the speaker speaking to someone he loves. As the

poem progresses, the reader sees why Arnold poses the

question stated above, and why life seems to be the way it

is. During the first part of the poem Arnold states, "The Sea

is calm tonight" and in line 7, "Only, from the long line of

spray". In this way, Arnold is setting the mood or scene so

the reader can understand the point he is trying to portray. In

lines 1-6 he is talking about a very peaceful night on the ever

so calm sea, with the moonlight shining so intensely on the

Beach". In line 3 - "...on the French coast the light" - the

and where there is happiness there is sadness. "We are here

nothing is certain, because where there is light there is dark

Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach", one realizes that there is

Approximate Word count = 656
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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