MATTHEW ARNOLD

MATTHEW ARNOLD (1822-1888)

          In the Victorian age there was rapid development of industry and increase in material wealth.  It led to the neglect of religion and culture.  Arnold wanted to lift men from this degenerated condition, therefore he propagated forcibly the importance of culture and religious values.  He had a faith that poetry can help immensely in bringing about this moral reformation, therefore he insisted on its use for that purpose.  His first important essay was the “Preface to the Poems” (1853).  He delivered lectures as the Professor of Poetry at Oxford University which were later on published in two volumes, entitled “On Translating Homer” (1861) and “The Study of Celtic Literature” (1867).  He also contributed to literary Journals.  His essays were published in “Essays in Criticism”  in two series in 1888.  These writings form the main body of his critical work.

His Criticism:

            There was a group of poets called the ‘Spasmodics’ in Arnold’s time some of whom were P.J. Bailey, Sydney Dobell and Alexander Smith.  These poets gave importance to two matters.

(i)                  Poetry must be an expression of the poets mind and

(ii)               Poetry must be colourful and striking in language.  It must have an extravagance of thought and excess of metaphor.  Arnold disliked it.  He aimed at an austere subject and a simple language.

Arnold removed his early Poem “Empedocles on Aetna” from his Volume of poems of 1853, because the poem is preoccupied with thought, to the neglect of action.  Arnold says that the “Passing actions”  have only a passing or temporary fascination.  Such subjects are fit only for comedies.  But the Spasmodics did not accept this argument.  They were hopeful that they could hide their poverty of thought with stylistic devices.

Arnold admires Shakespeare for choosing excellent subjects, but Shakespeare had an incurable weakness – he couldn’t say a thing directly.  Therefore, Arnold says that Shakespeare is not a safe model for the Victorian Poet.  He advices the Victorian Poets to follow the ancient Greek dramatist because, they attached importance to action and not thought, the whole and not the part and found joy even in painful situations.

Grand style:

          Arnold praises the ancients as the masters of the grand style arises ‘When a noble nature, poetically gifted, treats with simplicity or a serious subject’.  Homer, Dante and Milton are masters of the grand style.  Modern poets do not have the power. Only the ancient poets have the substained and all pervasive magnificants. 

Arnold’s concept of poetry as criticism of life:

          Arnold defines poetry as a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a poetic beauty.  Science appeals to reason Morality appeals to good sense but great poetry appeals to reason Morality appeals to all the faculties of the soul and so to the whole man.  Great poetry is governed by the law of poetic truth and poetic beauty.  According to Arnold it has the power of foring, substaining and dedicating us, as nothing but conforms to the ideals of truth, goodness and beauty.

The Touch Stone Method:

            To examine poetry, Arnold introduces advances the famous touchstone method.  He dismisses the historical and personal estimate as fallacious.

The Historical Estimate and its limitations:

            The Historical estimate lies in estimating a poet against the background of his age and judging him accordingly.  The fallacy of this method is that too much importance is given to a poet because he is the originator of a trend of movement.  Arnolds says that operating writes for historical reason is condemnable.

The Personal Estimate

          The fallacy of Personal estimate lies in overvaluing a poet because of reader’s personal likes and dislikes.

The Touch Stone Method:

  This method is used by the goldsmith to test a piece of metal is real gold of not.  Arnold advises us to select some passages from, Milton, Shakespeare, Dante and Homer and asks us to use them as a touchstone with which to examine the value of a given poet.  Arnold says that a classic writer has “High seriousness”; a sublime style corresponding to a sublime subjects etc.

            Arnold’s “Practical Criticism”  is marred by his exacting standards.  Any poetry that does not conform to the level of his touchstone passage is sternly rejected by him.