To compare, Anthony Hecht’s poem “The Dover Bitch" to Matthew Arnold's poem "Dover Beach," the irony lies in the comparison. While "Dover Beach" is mournful and serious, "The Dover Bitch" is to the point, straight forward and facetious. The narrator in "The Dover Bitch" is a friend or acquaintance of Matthew Arnold and he uses "The Dover Bitch" to provide explanation on Arnold, as well as the woman Arnold speaks to in "Dover Beach."
In "Dover Beach," Arnold mourns the fact that the world is no longer united by the practice of religion. In contrast "The Dover Bitch," the speaker is not nearly as serious and almost mocks Arnold.
Both poems are criticisms of life. While "The Dover Bitch" seems to be nothing more than a mockery of "Dover Beach,"
In "Dover Beach," Arnold mourns the fact that the world is no longer united by the practice of religion. In contrast "The Dover Bitch," the speaker is not nearly as serious and almost mocks Arnold.
Both poems are criticisms of life. While "The Dover Bitch" seems to be nothing more than a mockery of "Dover Beach,"