Reflection of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's and Arnold's Poems

Both of Browning's poems are pretty straight forward. "If thou must love me, let it be for nought..." is written for her husband. She is telling her husband not to love her for the wrong reasons, which would be for her appearances, but to love her for her personality. She says that her appearances may change, especially as she gets older and she doesn't want her husband to change the way he sees her. She says do not love me for the comfort of yourself and for my beauty, but just love me for who I am. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." is about Browning telling her husband that her love for him is real and she can even count the ways to prove it. She lists nine ways. She says her love for him is forever, even after death. Then, her love will become stronger for him. Arnold's poem "Dover Beach" is about the author trying to figure himself out during the Industrial Revolution. He knows there is still a thing called Faith. It is shown in the line “Sea of Faith”. Now all he can see and hear is melancholy and he has no more happiness in his life. He knows Faith somehow exists but he cannot grasp it. Arnold says for everyone to speak the truth because all we have is one another now. Everyone feels that something great, new, and wonderful has come out of the Industrial Revolution, however, he seems to think nothing much has changed. His last line of the poem "Where ignorant armies clash by night" is about a group of people arguing with each other while trying to figure out their lives, and the beauty of nature versus the industrial revolution, what to do about it, and what is currently going on. It seems that no one takes life how it used to be and no one pays attention to the beauty of nature anymore. He had faith in what used to be, then Arnold losses his faith and sense of self from his ignorance and not knowing.  There is no more guidance in his life with all these changes.