‘Dover Beach’

Reference:

            This stanza has been selected from the poem “Dover Beach” composed by “Mathew Arnold”.

Context:

            The poet is not happy with the people of world. The poet says that this world is devoid of peace joy, love, light of wisdom. It looks beautiful outwardly. The people of this world are like ignorant soldiers who fight aimlessly. They can make no difference between friend and enemy.

Explanation/Central Idea :

            The poet is sad over the loss of human values and religious faith, so he asks his beloved to be sincere in love. The world looks outwardly beautiful and attractive but it has neither joy nor love, nor light of wisdom, nor peace, nor relief. The world is like a dreamland but there is no real joy in it. The poet compares the world with battle field and man of today with soldier. People of today are very selfish. They are like ignorant soldiers. They do not know whom they are fighting with. Nobody knows who is killing or being killed. They fight aimlessly. They are disoriented.