Dover Beach -By Matthew Arnold

Dover Beach

-By Matthew Arnold

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 Ægean, 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.

Bengali Translation:

 

আজ রাতে সমুদ্র বড় শান্ত।

পরিপূর্ণ তরঙ্গরাশি, স্বচ্ছ চাঁদ

ভাসমান জলের উপর; ওপারে ফরাসি উপকুলে

আলোছায়ার খেলা; এপারে ইংলন্ডে খাড়া পাহাড়চুড়া,

নিষ্প্রভ বিপুল, এই বিস্তৃত প্রশান্ত সাগরপাড় ।

এসো-এসো এই জানালার পাশে, কি মিষ্টি এই রাতের বাতাস!

শুধু, ঢেউ থেকে ছিটকে আসা অসংখ্য জলকণা

যেখানে জল আর সাদা জ্যোৎস্না মিলেমিশে একাকার মাটির সাথে,

কান পাত! শুনতে পাবে গোঙ্গানি সেখানে

ঐ তরঙ্গস্রোতে টেনে আনা, আছড়ে পড়া শিলাখন্ডের,

নুড়িগুলো আবার ফিরে এসে, এই উঁচু সৈকতে,

একবার, দুইবার, বারবার,

ধীর লয়ে আস্পস্ট ছন্দস্পন্দে রচে চলে

এক অন্তহীন করুণ আবহ ।

সফোক্লিস শুনেছিল সেই সংগীত

বহু-বহুদিন আগে ইজিয়ন সাগরে, আর সেই শুর

তার মনের গভীরে ফেলেছিল

মানুষের নিমজ্জন আর অবক্ষয়ের ছায়া;

আজ আমাদেরও মাঝে,

সেই শুরধ্বনি ভাসিয়ে আনে অশুভ এক চিন্তাস্রোত,

এই সুদূর সুমেরু-সমুদ্র পাড়ে।

বিশ্বাসের অতল সাগর ছিল

এক দিন, পরিপূর্ণ, পৃথিবীর সৈকত জুড়ে

বেষ্ঠনির মতো সুদৃঢ় সংবদ্ধ।

কিন্তু এখন আমি শুধু শুনি

তার বিষণ্ণ প্রলম্বিত হতাশা, পরাজিত আর্তচিৎকার,

আত্মসমর্পণের দীর্ঘশ্বাস,

রাতের বাতাসে-বাতাসে, প্রসারিত প্রান্তরে, মলিন

এই পৃথিবীর প্রতিটি নগ্ন শিলাখন্ডে।

আহ, প্রেম, এস দুজনে-দুজনার কাছে

বিশ্বস্ত হই! কারণ

দিগন্ত জুড়ে প্রসারিত এই বিশ্ব তো

আসলে এক স্বপ্ন ঘেরা ভুবন,

নানারূপে, নানাবর্ণে, নবনব ছন্দে ছড়ান-ছেটান,

এখন তো সবই গেছে হারিয়ে

নাই আনন্দ, নাই প্রেম, নাই প্রভা,

নিশ্চিয়তা নেই, না কোন প্রশান্তি, কিম্বা বেদনার উপশম;

আমাদের এক আঁধার ঘেরা প্রান্তরে বসবাস আজ

যেখানে শুধু বিভ্রান্তিকর লড়ায়ের সংকেত,

যেখানে অজ্ঞান সেনাদের রাতভর সংঘাত ।

A. Answer the following questions.                                                                                          2×5=10

(i) What is the significance the poem?

(ii) How does the poet explore the theme of religious uncertainty in the poem?

(iii) What role does the imagery play in conveying the poem’s theme?

(iv) How does the poem reflect poet’s personal experiences?

(v) How does the poem reflect on the nature of love?

B. Read the poem again, and identify 3 metaphors and 2 similes used in the poem. Then explain the purpose of their uses.  2×5=10

C. Read the poem again and express your feelings. 10

Answer:

(i) The metaphor “the turbid ebb and flow / Of human misery” signifies the constant and unpredictable nature of human suffering, comparing it to the chaotic movement of the sea. It refers to the universality and inescapability of pain and sorrow in human existence.

(ii) The theme of religious uncertainty is explored through the image of the “Sea of Faith” retreating, suggesting a loss of spiritual belief and the absence of divine guidance in a modern and embittered world. This reflects the Victorian crisis of faith, where traditional religious assurances were waning in the face of scientific progress and doubt.

(iii) The imagery in the poem plays an important role in conveying the themes. The tranquil yet ominous sea, the fading moonlight, and the grating roar of the pebbles symbolize the impermanence and the underlying sadness of life, while the cliffs represent steadfastness amidst change. These vivid descriptions create a gloomy atmosphere that reflects the poem’s philosophical concerns.

(iv) The poem does not explicitly describe the poet’s personal experiences, but it is known that Matthew Arnold wrote “Dover Beach” during a time of personal turmoil and in the context of his own religious doubts. The poem can be seen as an expression of his own feelings of disillusionment and the search for meaning in a changing world.

(v) “Dover Beach” reflects on the nature of love as a beacon of hope and truth in a world devoid of certainty and joy. The speaker’s call to his beloved to be true to one another emphasizes the importance of human connection and loyalty amidst the chaos and darkness, suggesting that love can offer some solace in the face of existential despair.

b. Identifying literary figures

Metaphors:

(i) “The eternal note of sadness”

Explanation: This metaphor compares the sound of the pebbles to a persistent melody of sorrow, suggesting the universal and timeless nature of human suffering. It emphasizes the bleakness of the scene and the emotional connection between the natural world and human experience.

(ii) “The turbid ebb and flow / Of human misery”

Explanation: This metaphor illustrates the constant and chaotic movement of human suffering, comparing it to the murky and unpredictable waves of the sea, reflecting the poem’s theme of the world’s loss of faith and the pervasive sadness in human life.

(iii) “The Sea of Faith”

Explanation: This metaphor describes faith as a vast and powerful entity, similar to the sea. By describing it as It as receding. Arnold conveys the decline of religious belief in the face of modern doubt and scientific inquiry. It serves to highlight the poem’s theme of loss and the search for meaning in a world where traditional beliefs are eroding.

Similes:

(i) “Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled”

Explanation: This simile is to visually describe the moonlit sea’s calmness and orderliness, drawing a comparison to the neat and shimmering layers of a rolled-up sash or belt, thus creating a serene and beautiful imagery that contrasts with the poem’s underlying themes of disillusionment and the chaotic human condition.

(ii) “To lie before us like a land of dreams”-

Explanation: This simile is to visually represent the calm and serene sea and the coast as a peaceful, idealized place that exists only in imagination or aspirations, emphasizing the contrast with the harsh realities and existential anxieties the speaker feels in the poem.

D. Writing expressions

The poem “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold presents a serene nightscape of the English Channel, but it’s not just about the beauty of nature. It’s a metaphor for the human condition and the decline of religious faith. The “Sea of Faith” is a symbol for the vastness and depth of belief, which is now retreating, leaving the world desolate and uncertain. The poem expresses a sense of sadness and desperation, urging the importance of personal connections and truth in the face of an indifferent and changing world. The grating roar of the pebbles echoes the unending human suffering and the poem’s final stanza suggests a call for love and loyalty amidst the chaos. It’s a powerful reminder of the need for compassion and understanding in a world devoid of certainty.

Summary:

In “Dover Beach,” Matthew Arnold employs several literary devices, including vivid imagery and allusions. He uses imagery to evoke the serene yet melancholic seascape, such as the “grating roar” of the pebbles. Allusions to ancient Greece and the “Sea of Faith” suggest a loss of religious certainty. These elements together underscore the poem’s themes of change and uncertainty.

Extra Questions.

1.What does the sea symbolize in “Dover Beach”?

Answer: The sea in “Dover Beach” symbolizes religious faith, which Arnold shows to be receding from people’s lives.

2. Why is Sophocles mentioned in “Dover Beach”?

Answer: Sophocles is mentioned in “Dover Beach” because his plays show that tragedy is an eternal element in human life. His work is also relevant to Arnold in its use of tidal metaphors and its portrayals of losses of faith.

3. Is “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold a dramatic monologue?

Answer: “Dover Beach” is a dramatic monologue because the speaker is addressing a companion who is part of the scene but does not answer back. Lines that cue us to the presence of this beloved companion include “Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!”

4. What is your critical appreciation of “Dover Beach”?

Answer: “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold reflects Victorian themes of loss and regret over outdated beliefs amidst technological progress. The poem contrasts the serene English Channel with the harsh reality of conflict, highlighting a lack of global peace. Arnold’s tone suggests a decline in religious faith and older values, offering nature’s beauty as a superficial comfort in a world devoid of true joy and certainty.

5. What does “ebb and flow” mean in the context of “Dover Beach”?

Answer: In “Dover Beach,” the “ebb and flow” refer to the movement of the tides. Matthew Arnold compares this movement with the sadness of the human condition.

6. The structure and rhyme scheme of “Dover Beach”

Answer: “Dover Beach” features an irregular structure and rhyme scheme. The poem is divided into four unequal stanzas with varying line lengths and no consistent pattern. The rhyme scheme also changes throughout, reflecting the shifting moods and themes of the poem. This irregularity enhances the poem’s contemplative and melancholic tone.

 

7. What is the rhyme scheme of “Dover Beach”?

Answer: When we discuss the “rhyme scheme” of a poem, we are referring to a fixed pattern of how the words at the end of each line rhyme (called “end rhyme”). To be considered a fixed rhyme scheme, end rhymes must follow a specific pattern, which the end rhymes in”

 

8. The tone change throughout “Dover Beach”

Answer: The tone of “Dover Beach” shifts from calm and serene in the beginning to melancholic and contemplative as the poem progresses. Initially, the speaker describes the tranquil sea and peaceful night. However, as the poem moves forward, the imagery and language become more somber, reflecting the speaker’s sense of loss and uncertainty about the world.

 

9. “Dover Beach” Analysis and Interpretation

Answer: “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold explores the themes of faith, love, and human misery. The poem’s central idea is the loss of religious faith, which once provided comfort, leaving humanity vulnerable to despair. The speaker, possibly Arnold himself, addresses his beloved, urging mutual fidelity as a solace in a faithless world. The poem contrasts serene sea imagery with a bleak reality, symbolizing the withdrawal of faith. Ultimately, it highlights the importance of love as a refuge against the existential emptiness of modern life.

 

10. Analysis of Metaphor and Simile in “Dover Beach” Stanza Three

Answer: In the third stanza of Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach,” the sea is used as an extended metaphor for faith, specifically the “Sea of Faith,” which once enveloped the world like a protective girdle. This metaphor, alongside a simile comparing faith to a bright girdle, illustrates the decline of religious belief due to secularization and scientific advancements. The imagery conveys a somber mood, highlighting Arnold’s lament over the retreat of faith, which leaves the world exposed and devoid of meaning.

11. The significance of Sophocles and the Aegean Sea in Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach.”

Answer: The significance of Sophocles and the Aegean Sea in Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach” lies in their symbolic representation of human suffering and the eternal struggles of humanity. Arnold references Sophocles to draw a parallel between the ancient world’s recognition of life’s misery and the modern sense of desolation. The Aegean Sea symbolizes the timeless, unchanging nature of this suffering.