Ian McEwan chose Matthew Palmer’s “Dover Beach” because the poem mirrors Henry Perowne’s experiences during one fateful day. The poem is about a man who is grounded in religion and believes in the existence of god and the goodness of people. Religion speaks to tpoet because it provides him with meaning, and a sense of what is right and wrong. But, throughout the poem, Palmer begins to question his own faith and wonder if there really is a god. Henry Perowne, the protagonist in Saturday, finds his moral compass and perspective on what he perceives to be true about life and people, analytically. This stems from his firm belief in science and his profession as a neurosurgeon. Perowne’s belief in the decency of the world is tested by the events
…show more content…
At first glance, Dover Beach resembles an ideal world; a world of beauty, peace and serenity. “The sea is calm tonight, the tide is full, the moon lies fair upon the straights.” He furthers this thought through the use of sensory details, describing his surroundings as “glimmering,” “vast,” and “tranquil.” But, rather suddenly the mood changes from one of happiness to sadness, as Palmer describes nature as “tremulous” and “grating.” He indicates that the beautiful landscape hides the real darkness of the world. He says the world “hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain.” All these are basic human values, and if none of these truly exist, then nothing remains. With these lines, Palmer draws a very dreary view of the world in which he lives. Throughout the course of the book, Perowne’s outlook on the world also changes and he ends up echoing Palmer’s beliefs. Initially, Perowne is a very spirited and determined individual, but the events of one Saturday drain him of all of his energy. During the course of twenty four hours, Perowne escapes a beating, watches his daughter reveal her pregnancy while at knife point and performs a complicated and strenuous surgery. As a result, Perowne realizes how terrible life can really be. He learns that the world cannot offer any of the promises it makes as society is “swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight.” Like Palmer, Perowne loses faith in the beauty of the
At first glance, Dover Beach resembles an ideal world; a world of beauty, peace and serenity. “The sea is calm tonight, the tide is full, the moon lies fair upon the straights.” He furthers this thought through the use of sensory details, describing his surroundings as “glimmering,” “vast,” and “tranquil.” But, rather suddenly the mood changes from one of happiness to sadness, as Palmer describes nature as “tremulous” and “grating.” He indicates that the beautiful landscape hides the real darkness of the world. He says the world “hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain.” All these are basic human values, and if none of these truly exist, then nothing remains. With these lines, Palmer draws a very dreary view of the world in which he lives. Throughout the course of the book, Perowne’s outlook on the world also changes and he ends up echoing Palmer’s beliefs. Initially, Perowne is a very spirited and determined individual, but the events of one Saturday drain him of all of his energy. During the course of twenty four hours, Perowne escapes a beating, watches his daughter reveal her pregnancy while at knife point and performs a complicated and strenuous surgery. As a result, Perowne realizes how terrible life can really be. He learns that the world cannot offer any of the promises it makes as society is “swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight.” Like Palmer, Perowne loses faith in the beauty of the