How can life or anything be so wonderful, but at times seem so unbearable? This is a question that Matthew Arnold may have asked himself one day, while writing Dover Beach.
This is a poem about a sea and a beach that is truly beautiful, but hold much deeper meaning than what meets the eye. The poem is written in free verse with no particular meter or rhyme scheme, although some of the words do rhyme. Arnold is the speaker speaking to someone he loves. As the poem progresses, the reader sees why Arnold poses the question stated above, and why life seems to be the way it is. During the first part of the poem Arnold states, “The Sea is calm tonight” and in line 7, “Only, from the long line of spray”. In this way, Arnold is setting the mood or scene so the reader can understand the point he is trying to portray. In lines 1-6 he is talking about a very peaceful night on the ever so calm sea, with the moonlight shining so intensely on the land. Then he states how the moonlight “gleams and is gone” because the “cliffs of England” are standing at their highest peaks, which are blocking the light of the moon. Next, the waves come roaring into the picture, as they “draw back and fling the pebbles” onto the shore and back out to sea again. Arnold also mentions that the shore brings “the eternal note of sadness in”, maybe representing the cycles of life and repetition. Arnold then starts describing the history of Sophocle’s idea of the “Aegean’s turbid ebb and flow”. The sea is starting to become rougher and all agitated. Also the mention of “human misery” implies that life begins and ends, but it can still be full of happiness, and unfortunately, at the same time, sadness. “The Sea of Faith was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore.” The key word in that stanza is once, because it implies that he (Arnold) used to look at the sea in a different way than he does now. Throughout the whole poem, Arnold uses a metaphor to describe his views and opinions. Now he only hears its “melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.” It seems as though Arnold is questioning his own faith. The whole poem is based on a metaphor – Sea to Faith.
The Beauty of Dulce et Decorum est
The Beauty of Dulce et Decorum est
Owen’s terrific use of diction brings the poem Dulce et Decorum Est to life. Vivid imagery is prevalent all throughout the poem. His tone is of depression, lack of hope and of course sadness and it reveals his message without writing pages of verse. He accomplishes his message very quickly in the poem, and makes the reader feel like they are actually experiencing what the narrator is going through. Through vivid imagery and compelling metaphors, the poem gives the reader the exact feeling the author wanted. The poem “Dulce et Decorum Est,” an anti-war poem by Wilfred Owen, makes great use of various poetic skills. This poem is very effective because of its excellent manipulation of the mechanical and emotional parts of poetry. Owen’s use of exact diction and vivid figurative language emphasizes his point, showing that war is terrible and devastating.
Furthermore, the utilization of extremely graphic imagery adds even more to his argument. Through the effective use of all three of these tools, this poem conveys a strong meaning and persuasive argument. The poem’s use of excellent diction helps to more clearly define what the author is saying. Words like “guttering”, “choking”, and “drowning” not only show how the man is suffering, but that he is in terrible pain that no human being should endure. Other words like writhing and froth-corrupted say precisely how the man is being tormented. Moreover, the phrase “blood shod” shows how the troops have been on their feet for days, never resting. Also, the fact that the gassed man was “flung” into the wagon reveals the urgency and occupation with fighting. The only thing they ca…
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…orum est pro partria mori” means: “It is sweet and becoming to die for one’s country.” Owen calls this a lie by using good diction, vivid comparisons, and graphic images to have the reader feel disgusted at what war is capable of.he tries to tell us that war is an ugly, brutal and nightmarish business, and not a glorious affair that society seems to beilieve.
Most will not have seen the war of Owen’s experience. But through his vivid words, his gruesome portrayal we know that we do not wish to .Poetry does not have to be pretty, however some poets do not seem to realize this fact. The language chosen in many poems about grisly subjects flows beautifully and elegantly from the page, leaving one feeling less pain about the subject matter of the poem than one really should. What is so beautiful about this poem is its ability to move the reader.