Dover Beach Theme Imagery and Sound

In "Dover Beach," Matthew Arnold creates a monologue that shows how perceptions can be misleading. The theme of illusion versus reality in "Dover Beach" reflects the speaker's awareness of the incompatibility between what is perceived and what truly is real. Arnold conveys the theme of "Dover Beach" through three essential developments. First, he uses visual imagery. Second, he uses sound (aural) imagery. Third, he uses rhythm and metric. These mechanics alone do not explain why …

…the rhythm and the meter, the lack of a consistent rhyme scheme, the figures of speech, the sound of the words, and the irony of the entire poem. The symbolism of the sea and the imagery of light and dark bring out the alternating visual and auditory qualities, which elaborate on illusion and reality, respectively, Arnold's portrayal of one person's battle with illusion and reality shows a complex view of humanity in a simple poem.