The Study of Poetry : Summary

Summary

In the 1880s, the essay was first published as the general introduction to the anthology “The English Poets” edited by T. H. Ward. The second series of the essay “Essays on Criticism” was published in 1888.  “The Study of Poetry” was originally written as an introduction to an anthology of English poets.

The essay is divided into two parts:

1. The First part is about the nature and function of poetry.

2. The second part is about evaluating English poets from Chaucer onwards.

The Study of Poetry Summary

Matthew Arnold started his essay with a declaration that the future of poetry is extensive since religion has been materialistic and corrupted. With the passage of time, people will understand that poetry will satisfy them and shelter them in times of crisis. Besides, poetry explains life properly. Without poetry, Science will be incomplete because poetry is the soul of all branches of knowledge. By referring to William Wordsworth, Arnold argues that “poetry is the spirit of all branches of knowledge.”

Arnold claims that all branches of knowledge have been charlatans. Theology is a charlatan because people have doubts about the doctrines of theology, so there is a conflict between religion and science. Philosophy is also a charlatan because philosophy is unable to answer all questions. Arnold does not directly declare that politics is charlatan, but he marks politics as the art of governing mankind, not the best. 

Arnold then asserts that poetry cannot maintain its high status without upholding three basic rules.

i. There must be criticism of life in poetry

ii. To write poetry, a poet must follow the rule of poetic truth and beauty.

iii. And maintenance of grand style.

In this essay, Arnold wants to say that by reading poetry, the audience can identify their mistakes for correction, and they must apply the powerful ideas they get from it. By the term poetic truth, Arnold is similar to Aristotle, who defines poetic truth as  Poetic truth how something should happen or will happen. This definition of poetic truth ensures that poets never lie, which means that charlatanism has no place in poetry and that the poem’s message will be passed down from generation to generation.

In Grand Style, Arnold gives us a guideline that a poet should adhere to meter and figurative language to compose poetry that gives pleasure to the readers while reading the poem.

Now, Arnold speaks of judging poetry to fix classic and non-classic poets through his inventive and scientific touchstone method. Arnold guides the poet’s correct judgment based on three assumptions.

1. Real estimate

2. Personal estimate and

3. Historical estimate

Personal estimate: Personal estimate of a piece of poetry means giving importance to a poet because of personal affinities and likings. It is usually done in the cases of contemporary poets. It leads to wrong judgment as the reader is blinded by his attachment.

Historical estimate: The historical estimate or judgment is made from the point of view of the poet’s importance in literary history. The historical importance may make us rate the work as higher than it deserves.

Real Estimate: The reader makes the real estimate without being influenced in any other way. He should judge the work by its inherent qualities. He should place it as the best if it belongs to a genuine work of poetry.

Arnold believes in the real estimate for the proper and complete judgment of poetry because the real estimate of poetic evaluation focuses on the criticism of life and the high seriousness of poetry. Personal and historical estimates without real estimates create overrate and exaggeration.

Then Arnold judges all the poets of English literature from Chaucer onwards, whether they are classics or not. He emphasizes that a single line of poetry can make them classic if there is criticism of life and high seriousness, which means grand style.

According to him, Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Milton are classical poets because their poetry bears universal criticism of life and is highly serious. But it is a matter of sorrow that Chaucer is called a non-classic poet. However, Arnold provides a long and praiseworthy evaluation of Chaucer as the father of English poetry and having liquid diction like Milton, Keats, Wordsworth, and Byron. Chaucer’s poetry does not bear high seriousness or grand style.

Arnold calls John Dryden and Alexander Pope non-classic poets. According to him, Dryden is considered the powerful and glorious founder of prose writing, and Pope is the priest of prose composition. Overall, they are the classics of prose, not poetry.

Arnold presents in his essay that the complete modernism of English literature began in the Romantic period of English literature. Therefore, the romantics have been called the first modern poets. All the romantics except Shelley have been considered classic poets because of Arnold’s less possession of lyricism.

Real Burns is an influential Scottish poet who is evaluated like Chaucer. Finally, Arnold claims that readers who can apply the touchstone method properly can read classical poems.