Arnold's evaluation of Gray in his 'Study of Poetry

Arnold regards Gray as the poetic classic of the 18^th century. Gray does not have the volume or the power of poets who have attained an independent criticism of life. But he caught the poetic point of view of great poets for regarding life, and caught also their poetic manner. The point of view and the manner were not inherent in him. He caught them from others and he had not the free and abundant use of them. But whereas Addison and Pope never had the use of them, Gray had the use of them all times. Gray is the scantiest and frailest of classics, but he is a classic.

What does Arnold mean by 'Charlatanism'?

To Arnold, Charlatanism means a confusion of distinctions between the excellent and the inferior, sound and unsound, true and untrue or only half true should not enter into the sphere of judging poetry. It is only poetry of the best kind that can and will fulfill the important role of forming, sustaining and delighting mankind.

What Shortcomings does Arnold find in Chaucer and Burns as Poetical Classics?

Arnold’s “The study of Poetry” can be taken as a kind of legislative criticism where he puts up his belief as a literary critic. He proclaims that Chaucer and Burn are not the great classics. Now, the question comes why does Arnold put Chaucer and Burn outside the domain of classic writers? To solve this riddle, we should first know his idea of a classic.

According to Arnold, poetry is a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. Great poetry alone posses the power to sustain, console, delight and to interpret life to us. He thus sets high standard for great poetry. In order to be a classic the poet must be able to fill us with such strength and joy that will guide us in our life. He suggests a practical method for finding a true classic. It is his famous “Touchstone Method.” One has to take specimen of poetry of the high quality and apply them to the poetry under judgment. When we judge a contemporary piece of poetry by such touchstone we can determine whether it can be justifiably turned as the product of a genuine classic.

Accordingly the best poetry is characterized by truth and seriousness. As regards the manner and style, the best poetry is characterized by superiority of diction and of movement. Thus according to Arnold, a poet is to be regarded as a classic if he fulfils the conditions stated above.

Arnold is of the opinion that many writers are considered to be classics but actually they are false classics because their poetry does not live upto the high standard of poetic art attained by such great masters as Homer, Milton and Shakespeare.

Arnold at first applies his Touchstone Method on Chaucer. He quotes a few line from Chaucer and then compares them with a line from Dante and comes to the conclusion that the poetry of Chaucer does not have the account of the classics. At first Arnold praises on Chaucer’s poetical performance and poetical achievement. But he denies to Chaucer the status of poetical classic. In his opinion, Chaucer does not possess high poetic seriousness.

Arnold has high praise for Chaucer’s poetical performance. The poetry of Chaucer is far superior to the French romance poetry of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Chaucer’s power of fascination is enduring.The substance of Chaucer’s poetry, his view of things and his riticism of life has largeness, freedom, shrewdness and kindliness. His poetry is criticism of life and it has truth of substance or matter. Chaucer is a perpetual source of good sense. Yet he does not have that high seriousness which Homer had, which his successor like Shakespeare, Milton etc had.

Chaucer does not pose himself as stern moralist, as social reformer. Chaucer has a genial humor devoid of spite and cynicism. Chaucer endeavored to picture life truthfully without either exalting unduly or demeaning unnecessarily any of his characters.

In the poetry of Burns too, Arnold does not find the accent of high seriousness. The poetry of Burns has truth of matter and truth of manner but not the accent of the poetic virtue of the highest master. Arnold concludes the essay by pointing out the case of Burns, how a personal estimate of a poet can mislead us and how we can correct such an estimate by using the poetry of the great classics as a sort of touchstone, just as we would correct the historic estimate of a poet by the same means.

By such means we can derive the benefit of being able clearly to feel and deeply to enjoy the best, the truly classic in poetry.

Arnold’s Concept of Poetry as a Criticism of Life

Mathew Arnold’s importance in the history of English literary criticism is acknowledged by one and all. His greatness lies in the fact that he had a definite aim in writing poetry. He clearly stated this aim and tied to conform to his aim. It was “a criticism of life”. By “criticism of life” he meant “noble and profound application of ideas to life.” It means that poetry is not for affording pleasure and creating beauty. It must have a high deal. This ideal is to present life in such a way that it may illumine us and inspire us. In other words Arnold wanted to use poetry for making man good. The ideas he wanted to apply were moral ideas.

Arnold had a very high conception of poetry. The best poetry, he said, is a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. The author of any literary piece is expected to be man of high personal experience with all his mental and intellectual faculties highly developed by means of his vast reading and deep thinking.

The phrase “criticism of life” is elaborated by Arnold with the phrase “application of ideas to life.” Poetry is an “application of ideas to life.” The more powerful the application of ideas, the greater will be the poetry. We understand what Arnold means by the phrase. He means that poetry is an interpretational life as the poet experiences it and knows it bringing into play his intellect and mind matured by experience and reading. According to Arnold, poetry is not however, merely as intellectual exercise, it is subject to the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty.

As if poetry is a criticism of life, the laws, fixed by the poetic the poetic truth and poetic beauty, insist on one condition. This condition of the quality of “high seriousness” when comes out of the deepest sincerity with which the poet feels for the subject. And this quality of “high seriousness” is obviously found in the poetry of Dante, Homer and Milton and this is the quality which Arnold says gives their poetry its power. From Milton he quotes the famous line:-

Nor live thy life nor hate; but what thou livest

Live well; how ling or short, permit to heaven

He says poetry however deals with ideas and not facts, and without poetry science will remain incomplete. Much of religion and philosophy may be replaced by poetry. Arnold believes that the highest type of poetry should deal with moral ideas not so much in its didactic character. The moral is used in its widest sense. The very question, how to live, is according to Arnold a moral idea. Arnold declares that, moral, should not be interpreted in a narrow sense. It means a code of behavior or a system of thought. Finally, Arnold holds the view that a “poetry of revolt against moral ideas is a poetry of revolt against life; a poetry of indifference towards moral idea is a poetry of indifference towards life.

Criticism also means how a creative artist reacts to his experiences and gives expression to his ideal attitude to those experiences. Arnold is of the opinion that the qualities of high type of poetry can be found in its matter and substance and in its manner and style.

However Arnold’s concept of poetry is really too high and serious and in this lies its limitations. From the very first Arnold is against art for art’s sake. Many English critics have disagreed with Arnold’s statement. T.S.Eliot himself a good poet says that Arnold’s view is “frigid to any one who has felt the full surprise and elevation of a new experience of poetry.”

However in the last word we can say that poetry is a criticism of life. The critics’ duty is to examine poetry and life at the same time. As we understand Mathew Arnold had a broad conception of criticism including religion, culture and education as well as poetry. In this wider perspective the aim of criticism is “in all branches of knowledge theology, philosophy, history, art science to see the object as in itself it really is.”

A Discussion on Arnold’s Theory ''poetry is a criticism of life"

Mathew Arnold’s importance in the history of English literary criticism is acknowledged by one and all. His greatness lies in the fact that he had a definite aim in writing poetry. He clearly stated this aim and tied to conform to his aim. It was “a criticism of life”. By “criticism of life” he meant “noble and profound application of ideas to life.” It means that poetry is not for affording pleasure and creating beauty. It must have a high deal. This ideal is to present life in such a way that it may illumine us and inspire us. In other words Arnold wanted to use poetry for making man good. The ideas he wanted to apply were moral ideas.

Arnold had a very high conception of poetry. The best poetry, he said, is a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty. The author of any literary piece is expected to be man of high personal experience with all his mental and intellectual faculties highly developed by means of his vast reading and deep thinking.

The phrase “criticism of life” is elaborated by Arnold with the phrase “application of ideas to life.” Poetry is an “application of ideas to life.” The more powerful the application of ideas, the greater will be the poetry. We understand what Arnold means by the phrase. He means that poetry is an interpretational life as the poet experiences it and knows it bringing into play his intellect and mind matured by experience and reading. According to Arnold, poetry is not however, merely as intellectual exercise, it is subject to the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty.

As if poetry is a criticism of life, the laws, fixed by the poetic the poetic truth and poetic beauty, insist on one condition. This condition of the quality of “high seriousness” when comes out of the deepest sincerity with which the poet feels for the subject. And this quality of “high seriousness” is obviously found in the poetry of Dante, Homer and Milton and this is the quality which Arnold says gives their poetry its power. From Milton he quotes the famous line:-

Nor live thy life nor hate; but what thou livest

Live well; how ling or short, permit to heaven

He says poetry however deals with ideas and not facts, and without poetry science will remain incomplete. Much of religion and philosophy may be replaced by poetry. Arnold believes that the highest type of poetry should deal with moral ideas not so much in its didactic character. The moral is used in its widest sense. The very question, how to live, is according to Arnold a moral idea. Arnold declares that, moral, should not be interpreted in a narrow sense. It means a code of behavior or a system of thought. Finally, Arnold holds the view that a “poetry of revolt against moral ideas is a poetry of revolt against life; a poetry of indifference towards moral idea is a poetry of indifference towards life.

Criticism also means how a creative artist reacts to his experiences and gives expression to his ideal attitude to those experiences. Arnold is of the opinion that the qualities of high type of poetry can be found in its matter and substance and in its manner and style.

However Arnold’s concept of poetry is really too high and serious and in this lies its limitations. From the very first Arnold is against art for art’s sake. Many English critics have disagreed with Arnold’s statement. T.S.Eliot himself a good poet says that Arnold’s view is “frigid to any one who has felt the full surprise and elevation of a new experience of poetry.”

However in the last word we can say that poetry is a criticism of life. The critics’ duty is to examine poetry and life at the same time. As we understand Mathew Arnold had a broad conception of criticism including religion, culture and education as well as poetry. In this wider perspective the aim of criticism is “in all branches of knowledge theology, philosophy, history, art science to see the object as in itself it really is.”