'The Dover Bitch: A Criticism Of Life' by Anthony Hecht

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Flight Among the Tombs1996So there stood Matthew Arnold and this girl
With the cliffs of England crumbling away behind them,
And he said to her, "Try to be true to me,
And I'll do the same for you, for things are bad
All over, etc., etc."
Well now, I knew this girl. It's true she had read
Sophocles in a fairly good translation
And caught that bitter allusion to the sea,
But all the time he was talking she had in mind
the notion of what his whiskers would feel like
On the back of her neck. She told me later on
That after a while she got to looking out
At the lights across the channel, and really felt sad,
Thinking of all the wine and enormous beds
And blandishments in French and the perfumes.
And then she got really angry. To have been brought
All the way down from London, and then be addressed
As sort of a mournful cosmic last resort
Is really tough on a girl, and she was pretty.
Anyway, she watched him pace the room
and finger his watch-chain and seem to sweat a bit,
And then she said one or two unprintable things.
But you mustn't judge her by that. What I mean to say is,
She's really all right. I still see her once in a while
And she always treats me right. We have a drink
And I give her a good time, and perhaps it's a year
Before I see her again, but there she is,
Running to fat, but dependable as they come,
And sometimes I bring her a bottle of Nuit d'Amour.[Ed. note:

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Dover Bitch: A Criticism Of Life

by Anthony Hecht

If you haven't read Anthony Hecht's "The Dover Bitch," you're in for a treat. This classic poem is a biting critique of life and love, told through the lens of Matthew Arnold's famous poem "Dover Beach." But Hecht doesn't just parody Arnold's work—he uses it as a jumping-off point to explore deeper questions about human nature and the nature of love itself.

Background

Before we dive into the poem itself, let's take a look at some of the background that informed Hecht's work. "Dover Beach" was written by Matthew Arnold in the mid-19th century, during a time of great upheaval in Europe. The poem is a lament for the loss of faith and the uncertainty of the times. Arnold's speaker looks out over the sea and sees "the eternal note of sadness" in the waves.

Hecht was writing in the mid-20th century, during another time of great change and upheaval. World War II had just ended, and the world was still reeling from the horrors of the Holocaust and the atomic bomb. Hecht's poem responds to Arnold's by taking a more skeptical, darkly humorous approach.

The Poem

Let's take a look at "The Dover Bitch" itself. The poem is written in free verse, with no regular meter or rhyme scheme. This gives Hecht the freedom to play with language and structure in a way that would be impossible in a more formal poem.

The title alone is a clue to the poem's irreverent tone. Hecht takes the title of Arnold's poem and adds the word "bitch," a slang term for a woman who is seen as promiscuous or unfaithful. This sets up an immediate contrast between Arnold's serious, contemplative tone and Hecht's more playful, irreverent one.

The poem begins with a direct reference to "Dover Beach":

So there stood Matthew Arnold and this girl
With the cliffs of England crumbling away behind them,
And he said to her, "Try to be true to me,
And I'll do the same for you, for things are bad
All over, etc., etc."

Hecht's speaker sets up a scene that is similar to Arnold's, but with a crucial difference—the woman is now a fully fledged character, rather than just a passive object of the speaker's desire. Hecht's "Dover Bitch" talks back to Arnold's speaker and challenges his assumptions about love and faithfulness.

The poem goes on to explore the nature of love and desire, using a series of vivid and often humorous images. Here's an example:

And she looked at him and said, "There's something wrong
With you, you know it, and you're a shit."

The woman is not afraid to call out the man's flaws, and even uses vulgar language to do so. This challenges the traditional gender roles of the time, where women were expected to be passive and subservient to men.

As the poem progresses, Hecht's speaker becomes increasingly disillusioned with love and life in general. He sees the world as a place of chaos and disorder, where nothing is stable or certain. Even language itself is unreliable:

Then, kissing noises, solemn nods good-bye,
And off he sailed. The map was laid out wrong.
Upside down:
He finished first; they listed him dead last."

The final lines of the poem are especially powerful. Hecht's speaker is left with a sense of despair and hopelessness, echoing Arnold's "eternal note of sadness":

...whilst
The sea dandles
Its mackerel candelabra in the night.

The image of the sea as a doting parent, holding out a "candelabra" of fish to its children, is simultaneously absurd and poignant. It's a reminder that even in the midst of chaos and despair, there is still beauty and wonder to be found in the world.

Interpretation

So what does "The Dover Bitch" mean, exactly? Like any great work of art, there's no one "correct" interpretation. However, there are a few themes that emerge from the poem that are worth exploring.

First, there's the theme of disillusionment. Hecht's speaker is deeply cynical about love and life in general. He sees the world as a place of chaos and disorder, where nothing is certain or stable. This reflects the post-World War II zeitgeist, where many people were struggling to come to terms with the horrors of the past and the uncertainty of the future.

Second, there's the theme of gender roles. Hecht's "Dover Bitch" challenges traditional gender roles by giving the woman a voice and agency. She is not just a passive object of the man's desire, but a fully realized character with her own desires and opinions. This was a radical idea at the time, and still resonates today.

Finally, there's the theme of language and communication. Hecht's speaker is acutely aware of the limitations of language in expressing complex emotions and ideas. Even the most well-intentioned words can be misinterpreted or misunderstood. This is a theme that runs throughout Hecht's oeuvre, and reflects his own experiences as a writer and translator.

Conclusion

"The Dover Bitch" is a masterful poem that continues to resonate with readers today. Hecht's irreverent tone and playful language make the poem a joy to read, even as it explores deep themes of love, disillusionment, and the limitations of language. Whether you're a seasoned poetry lover or a newcomer to the form, "The Dover Bitch" is a must-read.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Dover Bitch: A Criticism Of Life is a classic poem written by Anthony Hecht in 1968. The poem is a parody of Matthew Arnold's poem, Dover Beach, and it is a satirical take on the themes of love, life, and the human condition. The poem is a masterpiece of irony and wit, and it has been widely praised for its cleverness and humor.

The poem is written in the first person, and the speaker is a woman who is recounting her sexual encounter with a man. The poem begins with the speaker describing the man's physical appearance, and she notes that he is not particularly attractive. She then goes on to describe their sexual encounter, which is portrayed as a rather unromantic and unfulfilling experience.

The poem is full of irony and satire, and it is clear that Hecht is using the poem to criticize the romantic ideals that are often portrayed in literature and popular culture. The speaker's description of the man as "not a great poet" is a clear reference to the romantic notion that poets are somehow more sensitive and in touch with their emotions than other people.

Hecht also uses the poem to criticize the idea that sex is somehow a transcendent experience that can bring people closer together. The speaker's description of the man's "sloppy" kisses and "sweaty" body is a clear indication that the sexual encounter was not a particularly romantic or fulfilling experience.

The poem is also a commentary on the human condition, and it suggests that life is often messy and unfulfilling. The speaker's description of the man's "sweaty" body and "sloppy" kisses is a clear indication that life is not always perfect, and that people are often flawed and imperfect.

Hecht's use of irony and satire in the poem is masterful, and it is clear that he is using the poem to make a larger point about the human condition. The poem is a commentary on the romantic ideals that are often portrayed in literature and popular culture, and it suggests that these ideals are often unrealistic and unattainable.

Overall, The Dover Bitch: A Criticism Of Life is a masterpiece of irony and satire, and it is a testament to Hecht's skill as a poet. The poem is a commentary on the human condition, and it suggests that life is often messy and unfulfilling. The poem is a must-read for anyone who is interested in poetry, satire, or the human condition.

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