In this lesson, you have studied how the historical events of Matthew Arnold’s time produced alienation and uncertainty for many members of society. Do additional research by visiting reliable websites such as Victorianweb.org. Then, in 3–5 sentences, describe the historical events and the climate of alienation and uncertainty that caused Arnold to write "Dover Beach."

Arnold lived in the Victorian era roughly in England and it was said to be the period of the industrial revolution and immense technological advancement as well as social change in which Arnold was writing right on the brink between the old stable England and the new modern faced paced industrial England which was quickly expanding.

'Dover Beach' is about the uncertainty of this period of change in which he talks about the alienation which comes from the new era, where before the industrial revolution people worked together and things happened at a slower pace, whereas with the industrial revolution machines began taking the jobs of people, and things were being mass produced and in the work force there really wasn't much unity.

Arnold and much of England was therefore terrified by this new England and the uncertainty that arose from the great changes that were happening.