Dover Beach Analysis

A poet’s materials when writing a poem is only words. They must rely solely on words to express their thoughts and ideas to their reader. One might say that these words need to also come together to probe the depths of human thoughts, emotions, and empathy in order for the poem to be effective. How does one achieve such a task? Imagery. Images of sound and sight contribute highly to the effectiveness of a poem because it allows the poet to: truly connect with the reader, to be able to get his/her ideas and thoughts expressed clearly and fully, and, if these are accomplished, it will evoke some kind of emotion in the reader.

“Imagery is the use of vivid language to generate ideas and/or evoke mental images, not only of the visual sense, but of sensation and emotion as well” (Chaparral) Imagery can have a huge impact on a poem and either be able to have it click with the reader or lack the insight needed in order to do so. Imagery also allows the poet to get the reader to develop mental images in their minds when reading the poem and it allows the poet to give the words some sound. When adding sound to something that is written, meaning there is no pre-made audio, a poet can make his/her poem come alive. When you apply both of these to a poem correctly (imagery of sight and sound), it can provide a valuable and rich insight into the poem. This in-turn can make the poem be effective and have it click with the reader.

Mathew Arnold’s work of “Dover Beach” can be seen as one that masters the use of imagery. In this poem almost every other line is filled with some type of imagery. Either one that creates an image in the reader’s mind like line 8, “…the moon blanched sand.” Where, here, the reader can get an image of a beach that has just a little light shining down from the moon. It is a beach where there is not much light than that that sheds from this moon. Another type is one that gives the words a sound to them like “…you hear the grating roar!” (Arnold 9). A reader can now hear the waves to which Arnold is referencing to. The ocean is not calm; it has anger to it when its waters roar. By using these types of imagery, Arnold is able to connect with a reader of this time, which is said to be about 1867 by bringing fourth the topic of uncertainty when believing in England’s practiced religion. He uses imagery to describe what is happening and what he and many others are experiencing in order to gain that full connection with the reader. Arnold is also able to express his thoughts and ideas clearly and fully with the use of imagery. He uses it to express his thoughts about the doubts going on in his society and how troublesome it is to him. By connecting with the reader and expressing his ideas clearly, Arnold is able to bring out emotion in the reader. His choice of wording allows people to relate to his feelings that are those that go along side Sophocles concept of ‘human misery’ (credit here).