The Victorian essayist and poet Matthew Arnold penned “Dover Beach,” his most enduring work, in 1851 and published it in 1867. Arnold wrote the poem while on his honeymoon with his wife and, indeed, the speaker of the poem addresses his “love” as he looks out over the shores of Dover. The poem contemplates the waning of religious faith in the rise of modernity, and Arnold employs metaphorical language to portray his vision of a desolate, unimaginable future.

Skills: analysis, drawing inferences from text, close reading, identifying the relationship between words

About This Document

The Owl Eyes Analyzing Metaphor activity gives students an opportunity to practice examining and analyzing metaphors. Students will engage with specific selections of the text and work collaboratively to identify the vehicle, tenor, and implications of each metaphor. The main components include the following:

• A brief introduction to the text
• A detailed handout on metaphor types
• A step-by-step guide to activity procedure
• A detailed answer key for teachers

In completing this worksheet, students will learn to classify and analyze different kinds of metaphors in order to develop close reading skills and draw deeper inferences from the text.