Explain the evening atmosphere in ‘Dover Beach’. ( MEG 102 ) ( MATTHEW ARNOLD )

Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" describes the evening atmosphere as melancholic and uncertain. The poem is set on the English Channel coast, where the speaker and his companion are looking out over the sea. The speaker begins by describing the calmness of the sea and the moonlit cliffs of Dover.

However, as the poem progresses, the speaker's tone becomes more somber as he reflects on the human condition. He compares the sea's waves to the "eternal note of sadness" that runs through human history. He suggests that just as the sea's waves continue to roll in and out, so too do the struggles and uncertainties of life.

The evening atmosphere in "Dover Beach" is therefore one of unease and doubt. The speaker is grappling with the idea that human life is fleeting and uncertain, and that there is no guiding force or ultimate meaning to it all. The poem ends on a note of despair, with the speaker lamenting that the "Sea of Faith" has receded, leaving only the "naked shingles" of the world behind.