Discuss Arnold’s poetry as a criticism of life with reference to the poems you have read.

Answer

 Discuss Arnold’s poetry as a criticism of life with reference to the poems you have read.

Or, Discuss Arnold’s poetry as criticism of life with reference to “Thyrsis” and “Dover Beach”. 

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) first described poetry as the “criticism of life” in his 1880 essay The Study of Poetry. It means poetry should teach us about real life, truth, and human problems. Poetry should help us understand the meaning of life and how to live with hope and values.

Arnold’s poems “Thyrsis,” “Dover Beach,” and “The Scholar Gipsy” show criticism of life. They teach us about the problems of modern life. Through these poems, Arnold gives us advice to live with love, purity, hope, and faith.

“Dover Beach” – Loss of Faith in Modern Life: In “Dover Beach” (1867), Arnold shows the sad condition of modern people. He looks at the calm sea but hears the “eternal note of sadness.” He says that in the past, people had strong faith. But now the sea of faith is gone. People feel lonely and lost. Arnold writes:

“The Sea of Faith

Was once, too, at the full…”

He shows that modern life has no joy, peace, or faith in God. People live in confusion and fear. He shows this using a serious image, where the ignorant armies are fighting against each other in the darkness. They do not know why or against whom they are fighting. In the end,  Arnold suggests that love is the only hope in a world full of pain. We must be true to each other.

“The Scholar Gipsy” – Search for Purity and Peace: In “The Scholar Gipsy” (1853), Arnold shows the story of an Oxford student. He left Oxford to live among the gipsies. He wanted to find peace, purity, and deep knowledge by living in close contact with nature. Arnold compares the peaceful life