Reading Response Two

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Arts Humanities

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Dec 6, 2023

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1) Due to the many rapid and major changes in Victorian society, many Victorians experienced "a dark night of the soul," meaning they questioned every thing they thought they knew, every "truth" and came up with more questions than answers. To say this experience is "unsettling" is a vast understatement. Just Darwin's findings alone would have been earth shattering to every person, not to mention all the other changes you read about. Give a close reading of Arnold's "Dover Beach" in this context of the "dark night of the soul." What does the poet speaker seem to wrestle with? Your response should be a paragraph of at least 5-7 sentences, using at least 2 citations from the poem to illustrate and support your analysis. The poem, “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold, was written during the Victorian era. The Victorian era was a time of social, scientific, and religious changes. This poem is a collection of the Victorian peoples’ uncertainties and doubts during this time. Within this poem I believe that the speaker wrestles with his faith and isolation. The third stanza describes “The Sea of Faith” (Arnold) as once being full but is now retreating. This stanza alone shows how he now views his faith as once something he believed in and is now doubting. The poem also conveys a sense of isolation. In the first stanza, the speaker mentions an “external note of sadness” in the sounds of the waves. This makes the world that was once beautiful now appear lonely and isolating. Arnold, Matthew. “Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43588/dover-beach. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. 2) Why do you think Browning uses the dramatic monologue to present these types of characters, who are often psychopaths and sociopaths? How does the use of dramatic monologue affect your response to these speakers? I believe that the dramatic language Browning uses is necessary to present his characters. Psychopaths and sociopaths are often spoken about. We are never truly able to experience their point of view. In order to experience their point of view and understand why they did what they did we need to have the dramatic language. I believe that the use of it allows for me to almost sympathize with the speaker, because they truly believe what they did have a good reason for why they should continue. 3) Many of the poems you read deal with the question of "greatness." Choose two poems from this module and compare them in this thematic context. Both “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson and “The Windhover” by Gerard Manley Hopkins speak of greatness. In “Ulysses” the speaker reflects on his adventurous spirit and his desire to continue seeking “greatness”. He believes that his pursuit of greatness along with his adventurous spirit is what defines him. Unlike “The Windhover”, which describes a falcon in flight. The speaker views the falcon as a symbol of greatness and notes that no

matter the challenges, the bird’s spirit shines through. Both of the poems speak of greatness, but in different ways. In “Ulysses” the speaker is always chasing greatness, but never feels like he will achieve it. However, in “The Windhover” the speaker finds greatness in the natural world around him.

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