Dover Beach By Matthew Arnold

The stanza derived from Matthew Arnold’s “Dover Beach” is representative and reflective of the loss of faith in 19th century, Victorian England. In the stanza, “The Sea of Faith” a metaphor for the retreat from religious ideologies. Throughout the stanza Arnold is referring to this metaphor, as when he states that it “was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore.” I think that the poet is claiming that the religious beliefs that he and others have had were once very important to them. The beliefs shaped how they viewed the world that they lived in, the world around them, and encompassed the many of the decisions that they made. Arnold similizes the sea of faith to a “bright girdle furled.” I think that he is claiming that like a girdle, …show more content…
Such as in “My Last Duchess” the first-person narrator is a Duke because he refers to his “nine-hundred-years-old name” (ln 33), and in “Jenny” the first-person narrative is a customer of a “fallen” woman. Furthermore, the dramatic monologue seems to be characterize with language that gives hints to the person’s character, their psychology, and the situation that they are in. I think that it is depicted with the narrator’s internal thoughts expressed like in “Jenny,” when he refers to her as “poor Jenny” (ln 18) or he “wonder[s] what [she’s] thinking of” (ln 59). These lines reveal that the narrator holds a curiosity with the women, but also maintains condescension throughout the poem. Showing that he does not quite respect her, but he is still maintaining an interest. Another way I think that the dramatic monologue depicts character is by the narrator talking to another person as shown in “My Last Duchess.” The Duke mentions things like how previous wife did not appreciate his “gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name” (ln 33) and how he “gave commands” (ln 45). Browning reveals an arrogance and possessive nature of the Duke. These characteristics leads the readers to believe that it has led to the downfall of his wife and the current situation of him looking for a new wife. Moreover, the themes that are found in these two poems seem to be a fascination and objectification of women. For example, in “Jenny” the male narrator states “If but a woman’s heart might see/Such erring heart unerringly/ For once! But that can never be” or how “Her pitiful heart, so prone to ache, Love roses better for its sake/Only that this can never be/ Even so unto her sex is she.” As in “Duchess” the