Does anyone know anything about the poet Matthew Arnold and/or his poem "Dover Beach"

[madonna's child]

I'm seeking help (well in more ways then one, but that's a different story...) Is anyone familiar with the poem "Dover Beach"? Do you know it's theme? I think it's loss of faith, but I'm not sure.

Can anyone help me?

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"A word I've always liked more than happiness is joy. Happiness is a mood that comes and goes, whereas joy is just there." -Bono

The CIRCLE only has one side.

MESH RULES!!!!!
(thanks to Bono's American Wife)

Love,
Emily

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[Bjork]

All I know is that it was used in one of Samuel Barber's symphonies. But that probably doesn't help you any.

 

[wannabe]

Is it the poem with the word "you too" near the end of each line. I SERIOUSLY was going to try and post this the other day. How coincidental.

I've heard of him. The poem he wrote with "you too" near the end of each line is incredible.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

I've never studied his poetry so I don't know what the "accepted" interpretation of the poem is, but to me it seemed like the idea of loss of faith was a central theme in it. Just my interpretation though.

And please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think as well as poetry, he wrote several essays about Christianity and suggesting poetry should be intended to serve people's moral needs. And he was writing in the mid nineteenth century, so that would fit in with the culture of that time.

Someone smarter than me (ie anyone

) please tell me if I'm barking up the wrong tree there

 

[madonna's child]

I think it's about a loss of faith, too. Thanks for opinion, it makes me feel a little better. I'm nervous about the presentation (next period!) because I couldn't find anything that supported my theory on the theme 100% but if you share that opinion, too, then maybe I'm right.

wannabe, "Dover Beach" is not the poem that contains you too. But I have to do a paper this weekend on another poem by Arnold, I'm going to look for that one. Thanks for the info.

------------------
"A word I've always liked more than happiness is joy. Happiness is a mood that comes and goes, whereas joy is just there." -Bono

The CIRCLE only has one side.

MESH RULES!!!!!
(thanks to Bono's American Wife)

Love,
Emily

Visit my webpage for U2 wallpapers:
www.geocities.com/springtime5348/index.html

 

[YellowKite]

Matthew Arnold was known to convey a deep sense of isolation in his work as a result of not only lack of and loss of faith but this loss and a result of the dawning industrial age and man's increasing distance from nature.

The sea is a constant metaphor for the ebb and flow of man's relationship to nature. as the tides continue to come in our hope rises and as the sea changes so does mankind.

Not bad for ten years out of univeristy, eh?

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You ain't nothin without a rhythm section.

"Who's to say what it is will break you."