Faith and doubt were all important factors in the Victorian era and the twentieth century. Questioning religion became a common concern for many after Charles Darwin published his “On the Origin of Species” in 1859 (Flesch 1). His theory was that humans evolved from something rather than created. This book was based on science and facts, which led to the weakening of the church and the public's beliefs. This was a problem for most people in England who were Protestants because most take everything written in the Bible literally. Many poets of the Victorian era and 20th century reflections on religion after Darwinism emerged through their works. Hopkins, Arnold, and Larkin are all poets who wrote about questions and certainties they had about what humanity's purpose on earth is and what happens in “life” after death. All three of these men were greatly affected by their personal insecurities. Although each author expresses a different view on the extent of lost faith, they all believe that religion has diminished for themselves and the general public. In Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach", you can sense the struggle that Arnold faces in regaining his faith after his had been lost. “Dover Beach” was the central thought for most people during the Victorian era, who struggled and wanted answers to regain their faith. At the beginning of the first stanza of the poem, words such as “gleams,” “calm,” “fair,” and “tranquil” are seen (Arnold 1387) which give the reader a feeling of contentment while looking at the sea ( Keenan 5). The sea is initially just a visual symbol and gradually transforms into auditory images. As Krieger points out in a poetic criticism, everything seems perfect… middle of the paper… k, Not Day” you can see how much pain Hopkins feels when he is disconnected from God. He takes much of the blame himself and this ends up pain him even more. Even though he tries hard to make a connection, he gets nowhere. In “Aubade” you can see the fear the speaker has with the question, “What will happen if I die and there is no God?” In this poem, religion was seen as a kind of security blanket instead of something realistic. Each of these poems speaks to the entire Victorian era and the twentieth century. It was not only the poets who had doubts and struggles regarding their religious beliefs, but the common man also felt the same way. Confused faith was a major topic and thought that everyone struggled with, and each of these three poems shows very different views on how a person might see and react to their religious situation..