In Matthew Arnolds poem, Dover Beach, what does the speaker have in common with Sophocles?

I think that Arnold mentions Sophocles because he was an
ancient playwright who understood the tragedies of the characters in his plays much like
the speaker understands the tragedy of the loss of religious faith. Both Sophocles and
the speaker are deep thinkers who can all too clearly see the problems around them and
seek solace from them in either love or art.

In general the
poem is a very Victorian one which is concerned with the withdrawing of religious faith
in Britain with the advent of modern science. Britain is being compared to Greece with
the speaker imagining Sophocles gazing out to sea thinking, much as he is himself.