Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold
Stanza 1:
The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.
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There was a time when faith in God was strong and comforting. This faith wrapped
itself around us, protecting us from doubt and despair, as the sea wraps itself
around the continents and islands of the world. Now, however, the sea of faith has
become a sea of doubt. Science challenges the precepts of theology and religion;
human misery makes people feel abandoned, lonely. People place their faith in
material things.
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In the third stanza, the sea is turned into the "Sea of Faith" (l.21), which is a
metaphor for a time (probably the Middle Ages) when religion could still be
experienced without the doubt that the modern (Victorian) age brought about
through Darwinism, the Industrial revolution, Imperialism, a crisis in religion, etc.)
Arnold illustrates this by using an image of clothes ('Kleidervergleich'). When
religion was still intact, the world was dressed ("like the folds of a bright girdle
furled" (l. 23)). Now that this faith is gone, the world lies there stripped naked and
bleak. ("the vast edges drear/ And naked shingles of the world"
Stanza 2:
Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! For the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as one a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.
Stanza 2:
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Let us at least be true to each other in our marriage, in our moral standards, in the
way we think; for the world will not be true to us. Although it presents itself to us as
a dreamland, it is a sham. It offers nothing to ease our journey through life.
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The fourth and final stanza begins with a dramatic pledge by the lyrical self. He asks
his love to be "true" (l.29), meaning faithful, to him. ("Ah, love, let us be true /To one
another!" (ll. 29-30)). For the beautiful scenery that presents itself to them ("for the
world, which seems/ To lie before us like a land of dreams,/ So various, so beautiful,
so new" (ll.30-32)) is really not what it seems to be. On the contrary, as he
accentuates with a series of denials, this world does not contain any basic human
values. These have disappeared, along with the light and religion and left humanity
in darkness. "We" (l.35) could just refer to the lyrical self and his love, but it could
also be...
The Dover Bitch by Anthony Hecht
So there stood Matthew Arnold and this girl
With the cliffs of England crumbling away behind them,
And he said to her, 'Try to be true to me,
And I'll do the same for you, for things are bad
All over, etc., etc.'
Well now, I knew this girl. It's true she had read
Sophocles in a fairly good translation
And caught that bitter allusion to the sea,
But all the time he was talking she had in mind
The notion of what his whiskers would feel like
On the back of her neck. She told me later on
That after a while she got to looking out
At the lights across the channel, and really felt sad,
Thinking of all the wine and enormous beds
And blandishments in French and the perfumes.
And then she got really angry. To have been brought
All the way down from London, and then be addressed
As a sort of mournful cosmic last resort
Is really tough on a girl, and she was pretty
Anyway, she watched him pace the room
And finger his watch-chain and seem to sweat a bit,
And then she said one or two unprintable things.
But you mustn't judge her by that. What I mean to say is,
She's really all right. I still see her once in a while
And she always treats me right. We have a drink
And I give her a good time, and perhaps it's a year
Before I see her again, but there she is,
Running to fat, but dependable as they come.
And sometimes I bring her a bottle of Nuit d' Amour.
The Dover Beach vs. the Dover Bitch
It seems too obvious a notion that “The Dover Bitch” by Anthony Hecht served the purpose
of mocking the idea inspired in “Dover Beach” written by Matthew Arnold. But that's
exactly as it appears. Dover Beach serves to present the idea that in the midst of societal
downfalls, religious contradictions, and world hypocrisy, all that we have to hold onto and
have faith in is humanity’s love or lover’s love. Hecht, as do I, seems to believe otherwise –
that a lover isn’t always faithful especially in the neediest of times. And of course, as we see
throughout “The Dover Bitch,” that is exactly the course of events. Hecht illustrates this
through a series of comical and mildly satirical lines throughout his poem.
Now, Dover Beach presents the story of a man and his lover, possibly a wife or girlfriend,
who reside in location somewhere along Dover Beach between England and France. The
two countries appear to be in the midst of war. And while the sight of the Dover waves at
first appear comforting, the speaker soon takes on an epiphanic tone. He realizes that while
the sight may be beautiful, not everything that glitters is gold. In fact, aforementioned,
England and France are two nations engaged in war. The speaker then takes into account
feigns of a different sea he also once perceived a beautiful truth – that of religion. The “Sea
of Faith,” as he called it, once “lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled,” implying that
religion was fitted to propriety and present in abundance in society. But now religion has
left her faithful humanity to rot. And now all that man has to believe is in himself. It is this
factor that leads the speaker to believe that humanity can have faith only in itself. And this
is also the point that Arnold wants to get across.
But Hecht assumes a different perspective – that even man cannot be our idol of faith. In
“The Dover Bitch” Hecht says that while Matthew Arnold (as he refers to the speaker of
Dover Beach) is lamenting to his lover, she is preoccupied with the audacity of Arnold’s
designating her as a “sort of mournful cosmic last resort.” She considers intimacy with
Arnold in her thoughts and is jealous the French living in luxury just miles away. The
audience can assume that Hecht gave the poem the title “Dover Bitch” as the woman pays
little attention to the Arnold’s lament. It seems, to, that Hecht, or the speaker in Hecht’s
poem, is “the other man”; perhaps he is engaged in an affair with the woman. He claims to
know her and their story at Dover Beach. He says that “[they] have a drink and [he] give[s]
her a good time, and perhaps it’s a year before [he will] see her again, but there she is.” He
says that he would sometimes present her with perfume of the French variety. The idea
plays into the satire of the poem and helps bring the point across.
The speaker of Arnold’s poem is naïve to the fact that his lover is unfaithful, a sort of
twisted irony. He entreats that she be true to him in all things. Ironically, she is not. He
seems to feel that genuine love must be the only bondage for the two and with this idea he
had lost faith in all but humanity. This is where the speaker of Hecht’s poem comes in to
testify the contrary. Although brimming with mocking hilarity, “The Dover Bitch” offers a
serious truth. In a time of a low morale and pessimistic outlook, we might cling to an idea
that is in truth a lie. And with humanity as our last resort for faithfulness, something must
be very wrong.
Waiting for Godot
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When and Where does the play take place
A country road, nearby the tree in the evening
Where did Estragon spend the night? What happened to him there?
He spent his night in the ditch and people beat him
What method of suicide does Vladimir suggest? Why would not it work?
They thought of hanging from the tree, but it would not work because the branch of
the tree might fall down and only one might survive
Important points
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Pozzo is on the way to the market to sell his slave, Lucky
Vladimir’s name is Didi and Mister Albert
The Boy works for Godot. His job is to look after the goats. Godot beats his brother.
The boy’s brother ‘minds the sheep.’ The boy sleeps in the loft
In Act II, Estragon remembers a ‘lunatic who kicked the shins off me’ and he also
remember the person who gave him the bone (but not their names)
They both talk about Macon Country.
Estragon says that he has ‘puked his puke here in the Cackon Country’
Currency is in Francs
In the Act II, the boy did not see Pozzo and Lucky. The boy’s brother is sick.
Godot has a white beard
Act I
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Vladimir wonders why one version of the story is considered more accurate than
the other
They wonder if they are waiting in the correct spot or even if it is the correct day
Estragon falls asleep, but Vladimir wakes him because he feels lonely. Estragon
starts to tell Vladimir about the dream he was having, but Vladimir does not want to
hear his "private nightmares." Estragon wonders if it would be better for them to
part, but Vladimir insists that Estragon would not go far.
Vladimir soon distracts Estragon from worrying about his dreams by discussing the
issues of hanging yourself from a dying tree that cannot hold your weight.
The beginning of the play establishes Vladimir and Estragon's relationship. Vladimir
clearly realizes that Estragon is dependent on him when he tells Estragon that he
would be "nothing more than a little heap of bones" without him
Vladimir also insists that Estragon would not go far if they parted. This dependency
extends even to minute, everyday things, as Estragon cannot even take off his boot
without help from Vladimir.
The beginning of the play makes Vladimir and Estragon seem interchangeable.
Vladimir's discussion of the story of the two thieves brings up the question of
textual uncertainty. He points out that the four gospels present entirely different
versions of this story, and wonders why one of these versions is accepted as
definitive.
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In this beginning section we get the only clue of the nature of Vladimir and
Estragon's relationship with Godot. They mention that they asked Godot for "a kind
of prayer...a vague supplication," which he is currently considering. This creates a
parallel between Godot and God, also suggested by their similar names, and it seems
that Vladimir and Estragon do consider Godot a kind of religious figure when they
mention coming in on their hands and knees
Estragon asks Pozzo if he can have the bones from his chicken, and Pozzo tells him
that Lucky gets priority over them. Estragon asks Lucky if he wants the bones, but
he does not reply, and Pozzo tells Estragon that he can have the bones. He
comments that he has never known Lucky to refuse a bone and hopes that he is not
sick.
Vladimir asks Pozzo if he wants to get rid of Lucky; Pozzo responds that he does and
is taking him to the fair to sell him. Lucky begins to cry, and Pozzo hands Estragon a
handkerchief to wipe away his tears. Estragon approaches Lucky, but Lucky kicks
him in the shins. Pozzo tells Vladimir and Estragon that he has learned a lot from
Lucky, and that Lucky has been serving him for nearly sixty years. Vladimir becomes
angry that Pozzo is going to get rid of Lucky after so much time, and Pozzo gets
upset. Vladimir then gets angry at Lucky for mistreating Pozzo
Lucky dances, and Estragon is not very impressed. Pozzo tells them that he used to
dance much better
We see here that Vladimir supports Estragon after Estragon is kicked by Lucky:
when he cries that he cannot walk, Vladimir offers to carry him, if necessary. This
illustrates Vladimir's attempt to protect and take care of Estragon
In this section we see the first suggestions that Vladimir and Estragon might
represent all of humanity. When Pozzo first enters, he notes that Vladimir and
Estragon are of the same species as he is, "made in God's image." Later, when Pozzo
asks Estragon what his name is, he replies "Adam." This comparison of Estragon to
Adam, the first man, suggests that he may represent all of mankind; and this link
between Estragon and Adam also relates to the idea of Godot as God
Estragon bullies the boy, who reveals that he has been waiting a while but was
afraid of Pozzo and Lucky. When Estragon shakes the boy, badgering him to tell the
truth, Vladimir yells at him and sits down and begins to take off his boots.
This section provides evidence for a religious reading of the play as Estragon
compares himself to Christ when he decides to go barefoot. When Vladimir tells him
not to compare himself to Christ, Estragon responds that "all my life I've compared
myself to him."
The end of Act I establishes Vladimir and Estragon's hopelessness. Even when they
both agree to go, and Vladimir says "Yes, let's go," the two men do not move. Even
their resolution to go is not strong enough to produce action. This inability to act
renders Vladimir and Estragon unable to determine their own fates. Instead of
acting, they can only wait for someone or something to act upon them
Act II
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Estragon enters and suggests that Vladimir seemed happier without him. He says
that he does not know why he keeps returning to Vladimir, since he too is happier
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alone, but Vladimir insists that it's because Estragon does not know how to defend
himself.
Vladimir gives Estragon a black radish, but since he only likes the pink ones, he gives
it back.
Vladimir is pleased to find Lucky's hat on the ground because he believes it confirms
that they are in the correct place. He puts on Lucky's hat and hands his to Estragon,
who takes off his hat and hands it to Vladimir. This switch occurs several times until
once again Vladimir wears Lucky's hat, and Estragon wears his own hat. Vladimir
decides that he will keep Lucky's hat, since his bothered him. They begin to play
Pozzo and Lucky's roles, with Vladimir imitating Lucky and telling Estragon what to
do to imitate Pozzo. Estragon leaves, but quickly returns because he hears someone
coming
In this section we see again Vladimir's desire to protect Estragon. He believes that
the primary reason Estragon returns to him every day, despite his declarations that
he is happier alone, is that he needs Vladimir to help him defend himself. Whether
or not Vladimir actually does protect Estragon, Vladimir clearly feels that this duty
and responsibility defines their relationship.
All four men now lie on the ground, and Vladimir and Estragon begin to nap. They
are woken shortly by Pozzo's shouting, and Vladimir strikes Pozzo to make him
stop. Pozzo crawls away, and Vladimir and Estragon call to him. He does not
respond, and Estragon decides to try other names. He calls out "Abel," and Pozzo
responds by crying for help. He wonders if the other one is called Cain, but Pozzo
responds to that name as well, and Estragon decides that he must be all of humanity.
They tell him that it is evening, and then begin to question him about the loss of his
sight. He tells them that it came upon him all of a sudden and that he has no notion
of time
Here again Vladimir seems to recognize the problem of inaction when he decides
that they should help Pozzo. He becomes suddenly vehement and shouts, "Let us not
waste our time in idle discourse! Let us do something, while we have the chance!"
This call to action seems like an urgent rally against the trend of inaction he and
Estragon have been following throughout the play; however, Vladimir still takes
plenty of time to begin to help Pozzo to his feet. This suggests that, even with good
intentions and resolution, the habit of inaction cannot be broken immediately.
In this speech Vladimir also declares that at this point, "all mankind is us, whether
we like it or not." This continues the theme of Vladimir and Estragon's
representation of mankind as a whole and shows that Vladimir is himself aware of
this comparison. Estragon also illustrates the parallel between the two men and the
rest of humanity when he tells Vladimir that "billions" of people can also claim that
they have kept their appointment. In this case Vladimir attempts to distinguish them
from the rest of mankind, but Estragon insists that they are actually the same
Another biblical allusion is presented here through the comparison of Pozzo and
Lucky to Cain and Abel. However, when Pozzo responds to the names Cain and Abel,
Estragon decides that "he's all humanity." This suggestion indicates once more that
the characters in the play represent the human race as a whole
Base and the superstructure: Base and superstructure are two concepts in Karl Marx’s
view of human society. The base is the basic way a society organizes the production of
goods. It includes employer-employee work conditions, the technical division of labor,
and property relations, which people enter into to produce the necessities and
amenities of life. The superstructure of a society includes its culture, institutions,
political power structures, roles, rituals, and norms. The base determines the
superstructure; however the superstructure does often influence the base.