Question

excerpt from dover beach by matthew arnold
the sea is calm tonight.
the tide is full, the moon lies fair
upon the straits; on the french coast the light
gleams and is gone; the cliffs of england stand,
5 glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
come to the window, sweet is the night - air!
only, from the long line of spray
where the sea meets the moon - blanched land,
listen! you hear the grating roar
10 of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
at their return, up the high strand,
begin, and cease, and then again begin,
with tremulous cadence slow, and bring
the eternal note of sadness in.
2
select the correct answer.
in the passage, what is the figurative meaning of the phrase “the waves”?
a. circumstances
b. emotions
c. finances
d. destiny

Explanation:

In "Dover Beach", the waves' actions (drawing back, flinging pebbles) and the "eternal note of sadness" they bring suggest a figurative meaning related to inner states. Emotions can be turbulent or rhythmic like waves, while "circumstances" (A) is too external, "finances" (C) is irrelevant, and "destiny" (D) is too fixed. The waves' movement and the sadness they convey align with the idea of emotions.

Answer:

B. emotions