The Study of Poetry : Quotations
The Study of Poetry 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, and various study materials of The Study of Poetry.
Quotations
Quotes
“The future of poetry is immense, because in poetry… our race, as time goes on, will find an ever surer and surer stay.”
(Explanation: Poetry will always remain valuable. As time goes on, people will look to poetry more and more for support, meaning, and strength.
“For poetry the idea is everything.”
(Explanation: A poem is not just about rhyme or sound. What truly matters is the thought or idea behind it. Without a strong idea, poetry loses its value.
“The best poetry will be found to have a power of forming, sustaining, and delighting us, as nothing else can.”
(Explanation: The finest poetry has a unique power. It can guide us, give us courage, and fill us with joy in ways that nothing else in life can.
“The strongest part of our religion today is its unconscious poetry.”
(Explanation: The deepest beauty of religion comes from its poetic side—its stories, symbols, and language—rather than rules or logic.
“More and more mankind will discover that we have to turn to poetry to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us.”
(Explanation: In the future, people will increasingly depend on poetry to explain life, to give comfort in suffering, and to keep hope alive.
“Our estimate of poetry should be governed by the real estimate, based on the presence or absence of high poetic quality.”
(Explanation: When judging poetry, we should focus only on its real quality, whether it shows true greatness, not on popularity or reputation.
“The superior character of truth and seriousness, in the matter and substance of the best poetry, is inseparable from the superiority of diction and movement marking its style and manner.”
(Explanation: Great poetry always carries truth and seriousness in its subject. At the same time, its style, words, and rhythm also reflect this greatness.
“Without poetry, our science will appear incomplete; and most of what now passes with us for religion and philosophy will be replaced by poetry.”
(Explanation: Science, religion, and philosophy are not enough by themselves. Without the imagination and humanity of poetry, they feel unfinished.
“The accent of high seriousness, born of absolute sincerity, is what gives to such verse its power.”
(Explanation: Poetry that is written with honesty and deep seriousness gains a special lasting power—it touches hearts more strongly than anything false or light.
“Poetry is the criticism of life, governed by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty.”
(Explanation: Good poetry is like a wise teacher about life. It uses the special rules of truth and beauty to show us how to understand our world and our feelings.)