3。1 The background of the poem in Victorian Period

First and foremost, we introduce it from its background。 The British Bourgeois Revolution in the late half of the 17th century turns the capitalist class and new nobility into the ruling class and clears the way for English colonial expansion and the development for capitalism。 As well as the industrial revolution in the 18th century improved the fundamental changes from agriculture society to industrial society。 British, a trade capitalist country, peaked in Victorian era。 The huge market of overseas colonial expansion and the technology progress of the industrial revolution quickly turns the UK into the “the world factory” and the world’s first industrial power。 But behind the back of the scene of the industrial economy and material wealth, the poet is focused on the problem of the crisis of faith in Britain society。 Matthew Arnold wrote Dover Beach in 1851 when visiting the Dover Beach of southeastern with his wife。 They married in June of that year。 The poem is filled with sadness。 So Arnold presents his sorrow with the historical allusion when the gradual process hurts him because people are caught unaware of the change taking place and even do not think it is sinful。 The sadness results from the mankind turning away from religious beliefs。 Before the development of science and technology, people had truly believed in the religion and thought that they were in total control of god。 But at that time, the human beings were turning down the religious beliefs。 Thus, Arnold pointed out that, without faith, humans are naked and have no protection。

3。2 The interpretation of the the poem

After discussing the background of the poem, we can also analyze it from its interpretation。 Dover Beach is filled with a sense of sadness, expressing the poet’s bitter disappointment over modern civilization in which meaningless wars are fought for meaningless causes。 As a central image of this poem, the sea appears first as the straits, then the Aegean, and finally the sea of the faith。 The sea symbolizes the conventional beliefs and the land symbolizes the desolate world。 The conflict between the two is that between the conventional beliefs and the new spring-up theories。 When the waves begin and cease, and then begin again, the author’s feeling rises up and down。 Then the tide fade away, leaving the only the drear and naked pebbles which is a symbol of untruthfulness。

At the beginning of the poem, the poet has designed the poem with a sorrowful and mournful tone。 Particularly the last two line can embodies the point--“Listen。 you ear the grating roar。。。At their return up the high strand”。 The sadness is obvious。来,自,优.尔:论;文*网www.chuibin.com +QQ752018766-

Next, the poet mentions the ancient Greek tragedy poet Sophocles, that is to say, the Arnold bears witness that people’s life from one generation to next generation with decreasing faith。 “turbid ebb” is a symbol of human misery。

When read the third stanzas, we find out that “night wind”, “roar” reveal the background of that time。 The theory of evolution which leads to the fess and blindness of human beings’ life value。