Comparing The Man He Killed By Thomas Hardy And Dover Beach

Good evening teachers, it has come to my understanding that you require additional teaching materials so after extensive research and evaluation I have gathered two Victorian poems that I believe are worthy of study in a Senior English poetry course. The two poems that I find carry a strong message and reflect the era are The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy and Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold. A deconstruction of each poem and their ability to reflect the era will be provided for your consideration.

Dover Beach is intricate and packed with meaning; the poem is a sea of allusion to the era’s concepts that goes as deep as the reader is daring to dive. The Victorian era brought about a wave that continued to shift the ideals and themes of poetry from

the French coast; “…upon the French coast the light Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand, glimmering and vast…” Abruptly the speaker calls for another subject to “Come to the window…” and follows

The Man He Killed is told in first person through the eyes of what is most likely a returned soldier. This is really encapsulated by the ABAB rhyming structure, colloquial language, most often using one syllable words, and a lack of language devices. It might be expected that this draws from the meaning, but it only empowers it – it also becomes more relatable. Much like Dover Beach, the poem starts optimistic but gradually turns sour with a realization. The departure of faith in this era is evident only by the nonmention of it throughout the poem, instead the theme of mateship and tolerance and the futility of war is highlighted. The subject doesn’t directly befoul the idea of war but his lack of conviction and realization that the man he killed was probably just like him really hits that note. Overall a very expressive poem that is yet modest in nature that is more than suitable for