Matthew Arnold
Biography of Matthew Arnold
Full Name and Common Aliases
Full Name: Matthew Arnold
Common Aliases: None
Birth and Death Dates
Born: December 24, 1822
Died: April 15, 1888
Nationality and Profession(s)
Nationality: British
Professions: Poet, Cultural Critic, Essayist, Educator
Early Life and Background
Matthew Arnold was born in Laleham, Middlesex, England, into a family that valued education and intellectual achievement. His father, Thomas Arnold, was a renowned headmaster of Rugby School, which played a significant role in shaping Matthew's early educational experiences. Growing up in an environment that emphasized learning and moral integrity, Arnold was well-prepared for his future endeavors in literature and criticism.
Arnold attended Rugby School, where he was exposed to classical literature and developed a keen interest in poetry. He later went on to study at Balliol College, Oxford, where he continued to hone his literary skills and formed lasting friendships with influential figures of the time. His education at Oxford was instrumental in shaping his critical thinking and literary style, which would later define his career.
Major Accomplishments
Matthew Arnold's career was marked by significant contributions to both poetry and cultural criticism. As a poet, he was known for his reflective and often melancholic style, which captured the complexities of the human experience. His poetry was characterized by a deep sense of introspection and a quest for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
In addition to his poetry, Arnold was a pioneering cultural critic. He served as a school inspector for over three decades, during which he advocated for educational reform and the importance of culture in society. His critical essays addressed a wide range of topics, from literature and religion to society and politics, and he was known for his incisive analysis and eloquent prose.
Notable Works or Actions
Among Arnold's most celebrated works is his collection of poems, "The Strayed Reveller, and Other Poems," published in 1849. This collection established him as a significant voice in Victorian poetry. His poem "Dover Beach," with its haunting meditation on faith and doubt, remains one of his most famous and frequently quoted works.
As a critic, Arnold's essays such as "Culture and Anarchy" and "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time" are considered foundational texts in the field of cultural criticism. In these works, he argued for the importance of culture as a means of achieving personal and societal improvement, emphasizing the need for a balance between individual freedom and social order.
Impact and Legacy
Matthew Arnold's impact on literature and criticism is profound and enduring. His poetry, with its exploration of existential themes and emotional depth, continues to resonate with readers today. As a critic, Arnold's advocacy for the role of culture in society has influenced generations of thinkers and writers, shaping the way we understand the relationship between literature, society, and individual development.
Arnold's ideas about the importance of culture and education have had a lasting influence on educational theory and practice. His belief in the transformative power of literature and the arts remains relevant in contemporary discussions about the role of education in fostering critical thinking and cultural awareness.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Matthew Arnold is widely quoted and remembered for his ability to articulate the complexities of the human condition with clarity and insight. His poetry captures the tension between faith and doubt, hope and despair, making it timeless and universally relatable. "Dover Beach," in particular, is often cited for its poignant reflection on the loss of faith in the modern world.
As a critic, Arnold's eloquent arguments for the value of culture and education continue to inspire and challenge readers. His call for a society that values intellectual and moral development resonates with those who seek to understand the role of culture in shaping human experience. Arnold's legacy as a poet and critic endures because of his profound understanding of the human spirit and his unwavering commitment to the pursuit of truth and beauty.
Quotes by Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold's insights on:
Greatness is a spiritual condition worthy to excite love, interest, and admiration; and the outward proof of possessing greatness is that we excite love, interest and admiration.
Philistinism! – We have not the expression in English. Perhaps we have not the word because we have so much of the thing.
Time may restore us in his course Goethe’s sage mind and Byron’s force: But where will Europe’s latter hour Again find Wordsworth’s healing power?
Ah! two desires toss about The poet’s feverish blood; One drives him to the world without, And one to solitude.
Time, so complain’d of, Who to no one man Shows partiality, Brings round to all men Some undimm’d hours.
And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know, Self-school’d, self-scann’d, self-honour’d, self-secure, Didst tread on earth unguess’d at. Better so! All pains the immortal spirit must endure, All weakness which impairs, all griefs which bow, Find their sole speech in that victorious brow.
On Sundays, at the matin-chime, The Alpine peasants, two and three, Climb up here to pray; Burghers and dames, at summer’s prime, Ride out to church from Chamberry, Dight with mantles gay, But else it is a lonely time Round the Church of Brou.