| Abstract: |
This study is an attempt to explain and illustrate the moral aspect in arnold’s criticism, an aspect whose of human nature.Matthew Arnold (1822-1888 ) is avictorian critic. this means that he lived in an age which witnessed great changes that deeply affected the victorian valued and beliefs. The Industrial Revolution, for example, resulted in material prosperity, but it also brought about new modes of behaviour such as materialism, vulgarism and mammon worship, all of which had very bad effects on the other hand, had its bad effect on faith.The chapter is also devoted to discuss Arnold’s writings on christianity in an attempt to realize his concept of morality.Chapter II provides a detailed account of poetry and its end. Arnold regards poetry as an ”Agent” of human perfection, therefore he cares much for the cultivation of the artistic taste which would ultimately leead to ”Sweetness” and ”Light”.He tries to illustrate the main characteristics of good poetry both for the poet to produce great works of art and for the reader to promote his artistic taste.Chapter III expounds Arnold’s concept of culture with the two attributes: ”Sweetness” and ”Light” as another ”agent” of human perfection, a concept quite different from the modern accounts of the word. Culture is a ”Study and pursuit of perpection”, it is an ”Endeavour” to Know ”The best that has beenthought and said in the world”.Chapter IV deals with Arnold’s idea of ”Hebraism” and ”Hellenism”. ”Hebraism” has to do with the moral side of human nature and ”Hellenism” with the aesthetic and intellectual sides of human nature.
|
|
|