Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Dover Bitch; A Criticism of Life" is a poem by Anthony Hecht that parodies Matthew Arnold's poem "Dover Beach." The poem subverts Arnold's original work by offering a humorous and irreverent critique of the speaker's romantic ideas about love and life. The poem was published in 1968.

Explanation:

The poem is a dramatic monologue spoken by a man who is mocking the speaker of Arnold's "Dover Beach." The speaker of "Dover Bitch" takes issue with the speaker of "Dover Beach" for his romantic ideas about life and love. The poem is filled with references to pop culture and mundane aspects of daily life, and the speaker uses these references to argue that life is not as meaningful or profound as the speaker of "Dover Beach" suggests.

Poetic Elements:

• Form: The poem consists of seven stanzas, each with five lines. It has a consistent rhyme scheme of ABABA.
• Theme: Parody, satire, and the mundane nature of daily life.
• Imagery: The poem uses vivid and often vulgar imagery to contrast with the romantic imagery of "Dover Beach." For example, the speaker compares the sound of the sea to "the balls of tired men" and describes a woman's thighs as "slick as whalebone."
• Tone: The tone of the poem is irreverent and humorous, with a sense of mockery and satire.
• Sound: The poem has a consistent rhythm and uses internal rhyme to create a sense of musicality and flow.
• Language: The language is colloquial and often vulgar, with frequent use of slang and pop culture references.
• Figurative language: The poem uses hyperbole and irony to subvert the romantic ideals of "Dover Beach." For example, the speaker suggests that life is not as meaningful as the speaker of "Dover Beach" suggests by saying, "I'd rather by far have the complexities of Cardigans and calendars, cabbages and kings."
• Structure: The consistent rhyme scheme and stanza structure create a sense of formality and structure that contrasts with the irreverent subject matter.
• Symbolism: The sea and the beach represent the romantic ideals of life and love, while the speaker's mundane references represent the reality of daily life.
• Emotion: The poem conveys a sense of irreverence, humor, and mockery.

In summary, "Dover Bitch; A Criticism of Life" is a clever and irreverent poem that subverts the romantic ideals of Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach" by using pop culture references and vulgar imagery to suggest that life is not as profound or meaningful as the romantic ideals suggest. The poem is a parody that invites readers to question the romantic ideals that are often celebrated in literature and to consider the reality of daily life.

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