Matthew Arnold Cheatsheet

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Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) Prominent Victorian poet and cultural critic. Son of Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby School. Educated at Rugby and Balliol College, Oxford. Became an Inspector of Schools in 1851, a position he held for 35 years. Professor of Poetry at Oxford (1857-1867). Key figure in the "Sage Writing" tradition. Key Themes and Ideas 1. Cultural Criticism "Culture and Anarchy" (1869): Argued for the importance of "culture" – "the study of perfection" – as a remedy for social and political ills. Sweetness and Light: Derived from Jonathan Swift, representing beauty and intelligence as essential components of true culture. Critiqued Victorian society's materialism and philistinism. Barbarians, Philistines, Populace: Arnold's social classes: Barbarians: Aristocracy; characterized by a sense of honor and courage, but also idleness and resistance to new ideas. Philistines: Middle class; characterized by industry and moral strictness, but also narrow-mindedness, materialism, and a lack of aesthetic appreciation. Populace: Working class; characterized by sheer numbers and potential for anarchy. The Function of Criticism at the Present Time (1865): Criticism's role is to create "a current of true and fresh ideas." Emphasized disinterestedness – criticism should be free from practical aims and political biases. 2. Poetry Often melancholic, reflecting doubt and spiritual crisis of the Victorian age. Explored themes of isolation, loss of faith, and the search for meaning. Influenced by classical Greek literature and Wordsworth. Known for his elegies and reflective verse. 3. Education As a school inspector, advocated for a broad, liberal education. Believed education should cultivate "the best that has been thought and said." Criticized the utilitarian approach to education. Major Works Poetry Collections "The Strayed Reveller, and Other Poems" (1849) "Empedocles on Etna, and Other Poems" (1852) "Poems" (1853) – Included "Sohrab and Rustum" and "The Scholar-Gipsy." "New Poems" (1867) – Included "Thyrsis" and "Dover Beach." Prose Works (Cultural Criticism) "Essays in Criticism" (First Series, 1865; Second Series, 1888) "On the Study of Celtic Literature" (1867) "Culture and Anarchy" (1869) "Literature and Dogma" (1873) Notable Poems and Their Themes 1. "Dover Beach" (1867) Theme: Loss of religious faith in the modern world, isolation, the search for authentic human connection. Imagery: The receding "Sea of Faith," the "darkling plain" of human existence. Key lines: "Ah, love, let us be true / To one another! for the world, which seems / To lie before us like a land of dreams, / So various, so beautiful, so new, / Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, / Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain." 2. "The Scholar-Gipsy" (1853) Theme: The contrast between the hurried, anxious modern life and the calm, purposeful existence of a legendary Oxford student who joined a band of gypsies. Critique: Of Victorian intellectual fragmentation and spiritual malaise. 3. "Thyrsis" (1866) Theme: An elegy for his friend Arthur Hugh Clough, a lament for lost youth and the passing of an age. Form: Pastoral elegy, reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman poetry. 4. "Sohrab and Rustum" (1853) Theme: A tragic epic poem based on Persian legend, exploring fate, duty, and the tragic consequences of ignorance (father and son fighting unknowingly). Influence and Legacy Shaped modern literary criticism and the concept of "high culture." His ideas on education and the role of the critic remain influential. His poetry captured the spiritual anxieties of his age, paving the way for modernist poets. Considered a bridge between Romanticism and Modernism.