“The Scholar Gipsy” as a Pastoral Elegy.
The Scholar Gipsy is a notable literary work by Matthew Arnold. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Scholar Gipsy.
Answer
Discuss “The Scholar Gipsy” as a pastoral elegy.
The pastoral elegy is a poem about both death and idyllic rural life, often featuring shepherds. Matthew Arnold’s (1822-1888) poem “The Scholar Gipsy” (1853) is a pastoral elegy. It is set in the countryside around Oxford. The poem tells the story of an Oxford scholar who leaves academic life to live with a group of gypsies.
The Story of the Scholar: “The Scholar Gipsy” begins with the speaker addressing a shepherd. The author asks him to rest while he recounts the tale of the scholar. The story is derived from Joseph Glanvill’s book. It tells of a poor Oxford student who is tired of the competitive and superficial life at the university. He hopes to learn their secrets and achieve a higher understanding. Arnold writes,
The story of the Oxford scholar poor, …
Who tired of knocking at preferment’s door,
One summer morn forsook
His friends, and went to learn the gipsy-lore.
These lines highlight the scholar’s intelligence and his dissatisfaction with conventional paths to success. This leads to his decision to seek wisdom elsewhere.
The Scholar’s Pursuit: The scholar’s quest for knowledge and truth is a central theme in the poem. Arnold portrays him as a figure of pure dedication, untainted by the distractions of modern life. The scholar’s life is depicted as one of singular purpose, in stark contrast to the fragmented lives of others. Arnold writes,
For early didst thou leave the world, with powers
Fresh, undiverted to the world without,
Firm to their mark, not spent on other things.
This emphasizes the scholar’s commitment and the clarity of his purpose. It sets him apart from those who are constantly distracted and unsure.
Encounters with the Scholar: Throughout the poem, various encounters with the scholar are recounted. He is seen in different rural settings, always solitary and introspective. These sightings contribute to the sense of the scholar as a timeless, almost ghostly figure, eternally wandering in search of truth. This encounter reveals the scholar’s continued dedication to his quest and the mystical knowledge he seeks from the gypsies.
The Scholar as a Symbol: The scholar becomes a symbol of idealism and purity in the poem. He represents the possibility of living a life uncorrupted by the demands and distractions of modern society. Arnold contrasts this ideal with the reality of contemporary life. Arnold writes,
Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire;
Else wert thou long since number’d with the dead!
Else hadst thou spent, like other men, thy fire!
This highlights the unique and focused nature of the scholar’s life.
The Scholar’s Immortality: The poem concludes with the idea that the scholar achieves a form of immortality. He lives on in the collective memory and imagination of those who hear his story. Arnold writes,
Thou hast not lived, why should’st thou perish, so?
Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire;
Else wert thou long since number’d with the dead!
This suggests that the scholar’s unwavering purpose grants him a timeless existence. It is contrasted to the fleeting lives of ordinary men.
In summary, “The Scholar Gipsy” is a successful pastoral elegy. It explores the themes of alienation, the pursuit of truth, and the contrast between the timeless and the transient. The scholar’s story is a symbol of idealism and purity. Through this tale, Arnold critiques contemporary society and celebrates the possibility of a life dedicated to higher ideals.