Thinking activity on study of poetry

Matthew Arnold

     Matthew Arnold 24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888.  He was an English poet and cultural critic. who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of  Thomas Arnold. Matthew Arnold has been characterised as a sage writer, a type of writer who chastises and instructs the reader on contemporary social issues.

    The study of poetry Mathew Arnold was one of the foremost poet and critic of the 19th century. Arnold's most famous piece of literary criticism is his essay "The Study of Poetry."

        He could be called "the critic's critic", being a champion not only of great poetry , but of literary Criticism itself.

• Write about one idea of MATTHEW ARNOLD which you find interesting & relevant in your time?

   In our time Arnold idea of disinterested or detachment. It is interesting also relevant in our time. Mathew Arnold says about the first principle of criticism is the Disinterested and Detachment .Disinterested on the part of the critic implies freedom from all the prejudice, personal and historical. So the work of literature should be criticise or judged as the independent work rather than considering its effects on author or the reader. It should be free from all the prejudice either it historical or personal. It is very important thing for the fair judgement for the critic.

• Write about one idea of MATTHEW ARNOLD which you find out of date & irrelevant in your time?

      The idea of the "Touchstone" method given by Arnold is not appropriate in recent times. Arnold while giving his touchstone method makes reader aware about the fallacy in judgement. His   view that 'Historical fallacy' and 'Personal fallacy' marks the real estimate of poetry. The poet whose work is to be compared with the work of the great poets may differ in expression. So, this idea might create a difficulty to understand the real estimate of a work.

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