Love for Poetry - Analysis 5: Longing by Matthew Arnold

Longing by Matthew Arnold


Come to me in my dreams, and then

By day I shall be well again!

The poet is saying that he longs for this mysterious woman to come to him in his dreams, and then when the day comes he will be alright again. This could mean that the author is desperate to meet this woman of certain importance. Perhaps it is his ex-girlfriend?

For so the night will more than pay 
The hopeless longing of the day.

This means that if he dreams of her at night, it'll make the wait to see her the next day a little less painful. This shows that he pains without her presence. This even further justifies that the poet is absolutely desperate to see this woman. The feeling that without this woman he is left aimless and helpless shows that perhaps this woman is some sort of importance in his every day life.

Come, as thou cam’st a thousand times,

A messenger from radiant climes

He appeals to her to come, as she came a thousand times, a messenger from radiant; the apparent origin point of meteors in a meteor shower. This could perhaps infer that he sees the woman like he sees the meteor showers. Metoer showers are often very beautiful and amazing, often something to admire by people all around the world. The author could be comparing the woman to the meteor showers.

And smile on thy new world, and be

As kind to others as to me

A smile on her new world, and be as kind to others as to him. The phrase "thy new world" could mean that this said woman might be in a different world now. Perhaps she might have already died? Perhaps she has went overseas? This may be the reason why the poet longs for her so - she is probably somewhere where he cannot physically contact her. However, he wishes that even though he cannot see her anymore, he hopes that she will spread her kindness towards other people like she had done to him. 

Or, as thou never cam'st in sooth, 

Or, as she never came in sooth; the meaning of the word truth extends from honesty, good faith, and sincerity in general, to agreement with fact or reality in particular.
There are differing claims on such questions as what constitutes truth; how to define and identify truth. 

Come now, and let me dream it truth, 

And part my hair, and kiss my brow, 

The poet is asking his love to come to him and let him dream about it. He wants her to part his hair, and kiss his brow in his dream. He absolutely longs to be in her presence again, but, as we have discussed earlier, it is not physically possible.

And say, My love why sufferest thou?
The poet hopes that when this woman finally meets him in his dreams, she would tell him why he is suffering even after she is gone. This shows that love can persevere even after death, even after the person has long parted; even though it is painful and distressing for the other person

Come to me in my dreams, and then 
By day I shall be well again! 
For so the night will more than pay 
The hopeless longing of the day. 

The poet repeated this stanza maybe to further emphasize the longing and pain that he feels for her, begging her to visit his dreams.