How does Arnold explore the ongoing theme of religion in the poem Dover Beach?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Dover Beach Essay Kunal Dasani

How does Arnold explore the ongoing theme of religion in the poem 'Dover Beach'?

Arnold explores the theme of religion in 'Dover Beach by using extended metaphors and vivid diction. Religion is the most prominent theme in the poem and the concept of religion in the poem is introduced in the second stanza.

Arnold uses his description of the beach to convey the collapse of religion by using an extended metaphor to describe the sea. The sea is described as the 'Sea of Faith'. The word 'faith' links faith in that time to the ebb of the tide. This conveys to the reader that faith was once strong and looming over the world like a tide but has now fizzled out into nothing like a tide does. Also, this line is the shortest in the poem and this is pivotal as it brings in faith into the poem and other ideas about the world and shown from then on when the beach is described.

Also, the writer describes the 'Sea of Faith' having been 'round earth's shore. This shows Arnolds remminisance for the past when religion was full and