‘The Study of Poetry by Matthew Arnold Summary, ‘The Study of Poetry by Matthew Arnold Analysis, The Study of Poetry Summary, The Study of Poetry Analysis, Touchstone Method, Try Dot Fulfill.
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The Study of Poetry
Summary: Key Points:
- Name: The Study of Poetry.
- Writer: Matthew Arnold.
- Subject of discussion: Ways to estimate/criticize/judge ‘good poetry’.
- Important Topics: 3 types of estimate, Touchstone method, Classics.
- Authors been criticized: Chaucer, Milton, Shakespeare, Dryden, Pope, Gray, Burns, Byron, Shelley and Wordsworth.
‘The Study of Poetry’ Summary and Analysis:
'The Study of Poetry' is a critical essay by Matthew Arnold.
In this essay, Arnold criticizes the art of poetry as well as the art of
criticism. Arnold believes that the art of poetry is capable of high destinies.
It Is the art in which the idea itself is the fact. He says that we should
understand the worth of poetry as it is poetry that shows us a mirror of life.
Science, according to Arnold, is incomplete without poetry, and, religion and philosophy
will give way to poetry. Arnold terms poetry as a criticism of life thereby
refuting the accusation of Plato and says that time goes on man will continue
to find comfort and solace in poetry.
Arnold says that when one reads poet he tends to estimate whether it is of the best form or not. It happens in three ways- the real estimate, the historic estimate, and the personal estimate. The real estimate is an unbiased viewpoint that takes into account both the historical context and the creative faculty to judge the worth of poetry. But the real estimate is often surpassed by the historic and personal estimate. The historic estimate places the historical context above the value of the art itself. The personal estimate on the other hand depends on the personal taste, the likes and dislikes of the reader which affects his judgment of poetry. Arnold says that both these estimates tend to be fallacious.
See More: The Study of Poetry Summary in Bangla
The historic and personal estimate often overshadows the
real estimate. But Arnold also says that it is natural. The study of the historical
background of poetry and its development often leads to the critic skipping
over the shortcomings because of its historical significance. Historic estimate
raises poetry to a high pedestal and thus hinders one from noticing its
weaknesses. It is the historic estimate that leads to the creation of classics
and raises the poet to a nearly God like standard. Arnold says that if a poet
is truly a classic his poetry will give the reader real pleasure and enable him
to compare and contrast other poetry which are not of the same high standard. This
according to Arnold is the real estimate of poetry. Thus Arnold appeals to his
readers to read classics with an open eye and not be blind its faults. This
will enable one to rate poetry with its proper value.
‘The Study of Poetry Summary’
Arnold here speaks about the idea of imitation. He says that
whatever one reads or knows keeps on coming back to him. Thus if a poet wants to
reach the high standards of the classics he might consciously or unconsciously imitate
them. This is also true for critics who tend to revert to the historic and
personal estimate instead of an unbiased real estimate. The historic estimate
affects the study of ancient poets while the personal estimate affects the
study of modern or contemporary poets.
‘The Study of Poetry by Matthew Arnold Analysis’
Arnold proposes the 'touchstone' method of analyzing poetry
in order to determine whether it is of a high standard or not. He borrows this
method from Longinus who said in his idea of the sublime that if a certain
example of sublimity can please anyone regardless of habits, tastes or age and
can please at all times then it can be considered as a true example of the sublime.
This method was first suggested in England by Addison who said that he would
have a man read classical works which have stood the test of time and place and
also those modern works which find high praise among contemporaries. If the man
fails to find any delight in them then he would conclude that it is not the
author who lacks quality but the reader who is incapable of discovering them,
Arnold applies the touchstone method by taking examples from the time tested
classics and comparing them with other poetry to determine whether they possess
the high poetic standard of the classics. He says that the poems need not
resemble or possess any similarity to the touchstones. Once the critic has
lodged the touchstones his mind in order to detect the possession of high poetic
quality he will have the tact of finding it in other poetry that he compares to
the touchstones. Arnold quotes Homer, Dante, Shakespeare and Milton in an attempt
to exemplify touchstone poetry. He says that the examples he has quoted are
very dissimilar to one another but they all possess a high poetic quality. He says
that a critic need not labour in vain trying to explain the greatness of poetry.
He can do so by merely pointing at some specimens of the highest poetic
quality. Arnold says that the high quality of poetry lies in its matter and its
manner. He then goes by Aristotle's observation and says that the best form of
poetry possesses high truth and seriousness that makes up its subject matter
along with superior diction that marks its manner. However, Arnold mentions
that the true force of this method lies in its application. He therefore urges
critics to apply the touchstone method to analyze and rate poetry.
‘The Study of Poetry Analysis’
Arnold then speaks about French poetry which had a
tremendous influence on the poetry of England. He differentiates between the
poetry of northern France and the poetry of southern France. The poetry of southern
France influenced Italian literature. But it is the poetry of northern France
that was dominant in Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth century. This poetry
came to England with the Anglo- Normans and had a tremendous-impact on English
poetry. It was the romance poems of France that was popular during that time.
But Arnold says that it did not have any special characteristics and lacked the
high truth, seriousness and diction of classic poetry and remain significant
only from the historical point of view.
Next Arnold speaks about Chaucer who was much influenced by
French and Italian poetry. Arnold says that Chaucer's poetic importance is a
result of the real estimate and not the historic estimate. The superiority of Chaucer's
verse lies both in his subject matter and his style. He about human life and nature
as he sees it. Arnold speaks highly of Chaucer's diction and calls it 'liquid diction'
to emphasize the fluidity in the manner of Chaucer's writing which he considers
to be an irresistible virtue. Arnold however says that Chaucer is not a
classic. He compares Chaucer to Dante and points out that Chaucer lacks the
high seriousness of the classics thereby depriving him of the high honour.
Next Arnold mentions Milton and Shakespeare and credits them
as classics and moves on to speak about Dryden and Pope. According to the
historic estimate Dryden and Pope are no doubt great poets of the eighteenth century.
Arnold observes that Dryden and Pope were better prose writers than poets. The
restoration period faced the necessity of a fit prose with proper imaginative
quality and this is what Dryden and Pope provided. Arnold therefore concludes
that they are classics not of poetry but of prose. After Dryden and Pope Arnold
speaks about Gray. Gray did not write much but what he wrote has high poetic
value. Arnold therefore considers Gray to be a classic.
‘The Study of Poetry by Matthew Arnold Summary’
Arnold now speaks about Robert Burns in the late eighteenth
century and says that this is the period from which the personal estimate
begins to affect the real estimate. Burns, according to Arnold, is a better
poet in Scottish than in English. Like Chaucer Arnold does not consider Burns
to be a classic. He says that Burns too lacks the high seriousness desired of
poetry. He compares Burns to Chaucer and finds that Burns' manner of presentation
is deeper than that of Chaucer. According to the real estimate Burns lacks the
high seriousness of the classics but his poetry nevertheless has truthful
substance and style.
Then Arnold moves on to speak about Byron, Shelley and
Wordsworth but does not pass any judgment on their poetry. Arnold believes that
his estimate of these poets will be influenced by his personal passion as they are
closer to his age than the classics and also because their writings are of a more
personal nature. Finally Arnold speaks about the self-preservation of the
classics. Any amount of good literature will not be able to surpass the supremacy
of the classics as they have already stood the test of time and people will
continue to enjoy them for the ages to come. Arnold says that this is the
result of the self-preserving nature of humanity. Human nature will remain the
same throughout the ages and those parts of the classics dealing with the
subject will remain relevant at all times thus preserving themselves from being
lost in time.
From: ALL in One.
Author of the text: Dr. Syed Ainal Huque.
Copyright: The Book Center publication.
(Published with due respect to the author and publisher)
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