Culture and Anarchy by Mathew Arnold

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Assignment topic: Culture and Anarchy by Mathew Arnold

Name: Ravi Rajyaguru

Roll no.:28

M.A. Semester: 2

Enrolment No.: PG15101032

Year: 2015- 17

Paper no.:6 (The Victorian Literature)

Email id.: rajyagururavi24@gmail.com

Submitted to: Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

  Ø Introduction

Matthew Arnold is a well-known poet and critic of Victorian age. Arnold outlined the function of the cultural critic in his essay “Culture and Anarchy”. Arnold is a popular as a systematic critic and cultural critic. Culture and Anarchy appeared in 1869 and it was the most characteristic work of his practical period.  Arnold was the first critic who gave the definition of culture. He was the father of modern criticism. His fame as cultural critic always same as it was.Arnold’s views published in his essay ‘Culture and Anarchy’ about,

·        Culture

·        Anarchy

·        Three classes of society

·        Hebraism

·        Hellenism

This are become necessary and important in establishing cultural studies. As an important and pioneer work for cultural studies.

  Ø Concept of Culture according to Matthew Arnold

§        What is Culture?

·        A culture is a way of life of a group of people.

·        Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.

  v Arnold’s Views on Culture

“Arnold sees culture as a study of perfection.”

He says:

“To conceive of true human perfection as a harmonious perfection, developing all sides of our humanity; and as a general perfection, developing all parts of our society. For if one member suffers, the other member must suffer with it; and the fewer there is that follow the true way of salvation. The harder that way is to find.”

His unction is so perfect, and in such happy alliance with his good sense, that it becomes tenderness and fervent charity. His good sense is so perfect, and in such happy alliance with his unction, that it becomes moderation and insight.

According to Arnold

“Culture is harmonious perfection, developing all sides of humanity as a general perfection”

Arnold considers that one should see the moral, social and beneficent characters in culture. Culture remains within us in the form of manner. The culture is the only thing that differentiates human from animal. It makes perfect our humanity. Culture is music, literature, painting and sculpture, theater and film. A Ministry of Culture refers to these specific activities, sometimes with the addition of philosophy, scholarship, history.

  v Sweetness and light

A perfection which consists of beauty and sweetness both are present there. which unites two noblest things as Sweet happily calls them in his book ‘Battles of the Books’ ‘the two noblest of things sweetness and light. The Greek word ‘aphuia’ means well grown or graceful. He connects the idea of culture with sweetness and light. He explains the idea with the help of Greek words ‘aphuia’ and ‘euphuia’.

  v Anarchy (doing as one likes)

In this second chapter, Arnold throws some light on Anarchy and also explains dangers of anarchy doing as one likes. In this chapter to bring some points of anarchy. Anarchy means.

·        A state of society without government or low.

·        A state without any government control.

·        Freeform government society.

·        Anarchy refers to a society, entity, group of persons or single person without recognition of authority.

Matthew Arnold says that froma man without a philosophy no one can expect philosophical completeness. So, he observes that to get a distinct notion of ouraristocratic, our middle, and our working class, with aview of testing the claims of each of these classes to become a center of authority.

In this chapter to bring some points of anarchy, he speaks of light as one of the characters of perfection, and of culture as giving us light. He further says about danger of personal liberty that, it is said that a man with the theories of sweetness and light is full of antipathy against the rougher or coarser movements going on around him, that he will not lend a hand to the humble operation of uprooting evil by their means, and therefore the believers in action grow impatient with him.

The state, the power most representing the right reason of the nation, and most worthy, therefore, of ruling,exercising, when circumstances require it, authority over us all. Culture confers upon us, if in embarrassed times like the present it enables us to look at and the outs of things in this way, without hatred and without partially, and with disposition to see the god in everybody all round.

Culture which Arnold talked was as Endeavor to come at reason and the will of God by means of reading, observing, and thinking. Still, to make it perfectly manifest that no more in the working class than in the aristocratic and middle classes can one find an adequate center of authority. The idea of anarchy is dangerous because people can’t move towards right direction. At the end of this chapter Arnold suggest that the authority should be given to one’s self.

v Arnold and three classes:

He has divided the society of England into three classes and analyzes them with their virtue and defects. His scrutiny of three classes of his time proves him good critic.

  Ø The Barbarian

•         Free minded

•         Liberty

•         Rich class people

•         Fashionable

•         Free to live and think

•         More Civilized

The barbarian or we can say that the aristocratic class. They are champion of personal liberty and often anarchical in their tendencies yet they have their own individualism field, sport and manly exercises are a fashion with them. Their external styles in manners, accomplishments and powers are inherited from the Barbarians.

  Ø The Philistine

•         MoneyMakers

•         Commerce

•         Idea about business

•         Industrialist

•         Tea meeting

The middle class, known by their wisdom, expert of industry and found busy in industrialization and commerce. Their eternal inclination is to the progress and prosperity of the country by building cities, railroads and running the great wheels of industry. They have produced the greatest mercantile navy. So, they are Empire builders. In this material progress, the working class is with them.

  Ø The Populace

•         Hard working

•         Narrow minded

•         Bad activity

•         Poverty

•         Slum area

•         Orthodoxy

•         Rigidity

The working class is helper of the empire builders. They are raw and half developed. They are being exploited by the Philistine and the Barbarians so long. The author finds democratic arousing in this class because they are getting political consciousness Because of their awakening, their poverty and squalor dawned. They become politically conscious and coming out from obscurities.

Our political system everybody is comforted. Our guides and governors who have to be elected by the influence on the Barbarians, and who depend on their favor, sing the praises of the Barbarians, and say all the smooth things that can be said of them. In short Arnold says that freedom or personal freedom is necessary, but not on the shoulder of chaos or anarchy. Arnold’s point is that, one must think in proper, right way.

Anarchy is also a technical issue of economic science. The idea of personal freedom is brought up by Englishman. And with it they have the concept of anarchy inherently.

  Ø Hebraism and Hellenism

Arnold discusses about human beings are that they prefer to act rather than to think. He talks about the great idea to know and the great energy to act. Hellenism and Hebraism both are directly connected to the life of human beings. Hellenism keeps emphasis on knowing or knowledge, whereas Hebraism fastens its faith in doing.

  Ø Hellenism

•         Spirit of mind

•         Spirit of Greek

•         Open minded

•         Knowledge

•         Thought for Practical

•         Follow the platonic Idea

“Hellenism keeps emphasis on, Knowing the things”

  Ø Hebraism

•         Spirit of thought

•         Spirit of Bible

•         Narrow mindedness

•         Religious

•         Thought only for God

•         Follow the biblical idea

“Hebraism puts weightage on, Doing the things”

Hellenism face to face with Hebraism. Hebraism was renewed and purged, but Hellenism of Renaissance lost its moral character. One thing must be viewed that Hellenism is of IndoEuropean growth and Hebraism is of Semitic growth. Those who belonged to IndoEuropean stock showed their natural affinity to Hellenism.

“Hellenism acquires spontaneity of consciousness with a clearness of mind, and Hebraism achieves a strictness of conscience with its clarity of thought. In brief, Hebraism shows stress on doing rather than knowing, and follows the will of God. Its primary idea is absolute obedience to the will of God.”

Arnold talks on the idea of immortality as illustrated by St. Paul, the Christian saint and Plato, the Greek philosopher, but the both have left something mysterious. So, the problem of human spirit is still unexplained in both Hebraism and Hellenism. Hellenism acquires spontaneity of consciousness with a clearness of mind, and Hebraism achieves a strictness of conscience with its clarity of thought.

  Ø Conclusion:

Matthew Arnold’s views about culture and his discussion of necessary element of culture in society. Importance of culture and contribution of individual are well presented in this essay ‘Culture and Anarchy’, so, it becomes path shower for ‘cultural studies’. In this essay, Arnold also puts his ideas about human nature and their aim of ‘perfection’ as culture.

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Study of Poets : William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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          Study of Poets : William Wordsworth                  and Samuel Taylor Coleridge

                                        Name: Ravi Rajyaguru

Roll no.28

M.A. Semester: 2

Enrolment No.: PG15101032

Year: 2015- 17

Paper no.:5 (The Romantic Literature)

Email id.: rajyagururavi24@gmail.com

Submitted to: Department of English

Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

  v Introduction

The age of romanticism (1800-1850) it is the second creative period of English literature. Well, any age like, the age of Romanticism becomes famous because of creative writers. Wordsworth and Coleridge made this age by giving their fabulous works. We can say at some extent that Shakespeare has started romanticism in his age but after that no one has continued his effort. But the unity of Wordsworth and Coleridge gave soul to the Romanticism again. The age of Romanticism is known as the second creative period of English Literature. The poetry of this age was marked by intense human sympathy and a consequent understanding of the human heart. Wordsworth and Coleridge were the two great poets of Romanticism and it was by their joint effort that the romantic revival in poetry was brought about during nineteenth century. So let’s study William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in detail. So, let’s discuss William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge in detail.

William Wordsworth a well- known romantic poet,  He was born at Cockermouth , Cumberland. He was a thirteen years old when his father died. So, some of his relatives took care of him and sent him to school at Hawkshed in the beautiful lake region. The age of romanticism It is the second creative period of English literature. It is known as an age of poetry and romantic enthusiasm.

Wordsworth and Coleridge both the poets were related with Romantic age both the poets were related with Romantic age both the poets were passionate and enthusiastic which was reflects into their poems.

Romanticism is the expression in terms of art of sharpened sensibilities and heightened imaginative feelings. Emotion and imagination are the bedrock of romanticism; imagination is the flight of sensibility. Romanticism stands for freedom and liberty, and has therefore been designated as “liberalism in literature”.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH ( 17701850)

He was the exemplar of “plain living and high thinking.” He lived fairly humbly and insisted that he spoke for the common man, but he expressed the exalted. This humble yet exalted combination exemplified what became an enduring notion of what “the poet” is. He was seen as a great poet of nature, and he made the Lake District a tourist spot. Wordsworth was a close friend of, and worked and published with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Together they produced “a new style and a new spirit” in poetry. Later the two fell out.

"Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility."

In this definition of poetry there are two apparent contradictions. The "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" on one side and "emotion recollected in tranquility" on the other side are apparently two contradictory statements. "Spontaneous overflow" must be immediate and unrestricted without any interval of time between feeling and its expression. The expression "recollected in tranquility" would suggest intervention of time between feeling and its expression.

v His Major works

ü Expostulation and reply

ü The Thorn

ü The Tables Turned

ü Preface to the Lyrical Ballad

ü Three Years she Grew

ü I travelled among unknown men

ü Lucy Gray

ü Michael

ü Poems, in two Volumes

ü Resolution and Independence

ü I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud’ also known as “DAFFODILS”

ü Ode to Duty

ü London

ü Guide to the Lakes

ü To the Cuckoo

ü Ode: Intimation to Immortality

ü The Prelude

Wordsworth believes that poetry should contain events from real, common and everyday life while Coleridge believes that this feature is too limiting. Wordsworth believes that a poem should be spontaneous and that it should arise out of powerful emotions which are recollected in ecstasy or tranquility while Coleridge believes that poetry deals with the communication.

Wordsworth’s poetry is of stunning purity and power. One example that comes from the ‘Lucy’ poem included in later reprints of lyrical ballads. There is often a sense of disappointment when one read Wordsworth for the first time like Wordsworth’s Lucy.

v Wordsworth’s poems fall into three categories:

Wordsworth writes in a subjective style. He examines his state of mind or consciousness before attempting to write a creative work. This is largely why he fell in love in nature and became a nature worshipper. He believes in a primordial relationship between the mind of man and the nature around him. Coleridge on the other hand is quite objective. His works arise out of the factual and biographical antecedence that surrounds his life.

v Samuel Taylor Coleridge (17721834)

Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a poet, philosopher, and literary critic whose writings have been enormously influential in the development of modern thought. In his own lifetime, Coleridge was renowned throughout Britain and Europe as one of the Lake Poets, a closeknitgroup of writers including William Wordsworth and Robert Southey, who resided in the English Lake District.Coleridge was also known to many English readers as a talented prose writer, especially as the author of the Biographia Literaria (1817).

Ø Coleridge’s definition of a ‘Poem’

The difference between Poem and Poetry, Coleridge considers distinguishing poem from poetry. Coleridge points out that “poetry of the highest kind may exist without metre and even without the contradistinguishing objects of a poem”.He also assert that the poem of any length neither can be, nor ought to be, all poetry. Then the question is what poetry is? How is it different from poem? To quote Coleridge: “What is poetry? Is so nearly the same question with, what is a poem? The answer to the one is involved in the solution of the other. Thus the difference between poem and poetry is not given in clear terms. Even John Shawcross writes;

“This distinction between ‘poetry’ and ‘poem’ is not clear, and instead of defining poetry he proceeds to describe a poet, and from the poet he proceeds to enumerate the characteristics of the imagination”.

This is so because ‘poetry’ for Coleridge is an activity of the poet’s mind, and a poem is merely one of the forms of its expression, a verbal expression of that activity, and poetic activity is basically an activity of the imagination.

Coleridge was the master of narration verse. The Ancient Mariner is a fine example of narrative perfection. Coleridge went to the mediveal period for creating the atmosphere of magic and mystery. Wordsworth lived on the pain of common life concentrating on the life that he saw around. He did not leave the earth and his own times. The call of the middle Ages was not for Wordsworth, it was purely for Coleridge.

“Holds him with his gittering eye

The wedding Guest stood still

And listens like a three year's child:

The Mariner hath his will

The wedding Guest set on a stone

He cannot choose but hear"

The Rime of Ancient Mariner”

‘KUBLA KHAN’, written in 1798 but remained unpublished until 1816. His later poems wherein see his imagination bridled by thought may best appreciated in Kubla Khan and Christable. Kubla khan is a fragment painting a gorgeous oriental dream picture the whole poem came to Coleridge one morning when he had fallen asleep;.

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure dome decree :

Where Alph, the sacred river, ran

Through caverns measureless to man

Down to a sunless sea"

According to Coleridge, the poem is distinguished form prose compositions by its immediate object. The immediate object of prose is to give truth and that of poem is to please.

Ø Features of his poetry

Coleridge’s spontaneity is found in “Kubla Khan” the short poem he began under the influence of a narcotic dream. Coleridge in contrast, left in his chaotic wake a collection of fragments, short works, and prolegomena.

v Comparative Analysis:

·       In Wordsworth’s poem we find an imaginative record of the pastoral life as well as the pastoral beauties of place he lived in, this is not so in the case of well Coleridge. He lived in a world of his own thoughts and fancies, and did not take care of the external suggestions.

·       Wordsworth was a teacher throughout his life holding out moral lesson for the guidance of humanity. The teaching element in Coleridge's poetry is almost nominal. Coleridge was greater artist than Wordsworth and the claims of art were more on this poet than the climes of morality and teaching. In this respect he stands apart from Wordsworth.

·       Wordsworth did not have the high imaginative power which Coleridge had his poems of supernaturalism. The imaginative power of Wordsworth was on a lower level particularly because he had not to deal with themes of imaginative character, but was mainly concerned with the life of the simple people.

·       Wordsworth and Coleridge was that both of them always loved and appreciated nature Wordsworth saw the spirit of joy in nature and at least in the early poems of Coleridge the spirit of joy in nature represented.

v Conclusion

In short, Wordsworth believes in simplicity of diction and brought poetry to the level of the common speech of common life. Coleridge was the master of narrative verse. The Ancient Mariner is a fine example of narrative perfection. So with their so many differences and similarities Wordsworth and Coleridge are different in their writing in somehow.

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