The Study of Poetry

Essay | Matthew Arnold

Brief Question of "The Study of Poetry"

Brief Question of "The Study of Poetry".

  • Who is Matthew Arnold?
Ans: Matthew Arnold was an English poet and cultural critic.
  • What kind of writing is “The Study of Poetry”?
Ans: It is a critical essay.
  • What was the occasion of writing this essay?
Ans: Arnold wrote it as a general introduction to T.H. Ward’s anthology English Poets.
  • Why does Arnold say “the future of poetry is immense”?
Ans: Poetry will give people spiritual comfort in future crises.
  • What is “illusion”?
Ans: Something that is not real but gives a false impression.
  • What is the difference between “idea” and “illusion”?
Ans: An Idea is a real thought in the mind. Illusion is unreal and false.
  • What is the basis of poetry?
Ans: The Idea is the basis of poetry.
  • What is the role of poetry in human life?
Ans: Poetry consoles and inspires people by interpreting life.
  • Where does the idea of poetry lie?
Ans: In hopes that they go beyond what we know.
  • How does Wordsworth define poetry?
Ans: “The breath and finer spirit of all knowledge.”
  • How will poetry console and sustain people?
Ans: By giving answers to life’s spiritual questions.
  • Who was Sainte-Beuve?
Ans: A famous French critic and author (1802–1869).
  • How is poetry “the criticism of life”?
Ans: Poetry expresses ideas about life, becoming a judgment of it.
  • What does “poetic beauty” mean?
Ans: Excellence in style and expression.
  1. What is the best poetry according to Arnold?
Ans: Poetry that forms, sustains, and delights us.
  • Who is Homer?
Ans: Ancient Greek epic poet, author of The Iliad and The Odyssey.
  • What is a “touchstone”?
Ans: A stone used to test gold’s purity.
  • What is the “touchstone” in literary criticism?
Ans: A standard to judge a literary work’s greatness.
  • How can we apply the touchstone method?
Ans: Compare new poetry with great lines from past poets.
  • How is poetry greater than history?
Ans: Poetry expresses universal truths; history deals with facts only.
  • What is diction?
Ans: The writer’s choice of words.
  • What is romance poetry?
Ans: Medieval love poetry from France, also called Troubadour poetry.
  • What is “chivalry”?
Ans: Knightly qualities like courage, honour, loyalty, and kindness.
  • What is Chaucer’s attitude to life?
Ans: Large, free, simple, and kind-hearted.
  • How does Chaucer present human life?
Ans: With variety, showing both good and evil kindly.
  • Who was Gower?
Ans: A poet of Chaucer’s time, author of Confessio Amantis.
  • When does a poet achieve “high seriousness”?
Ans: When treating a serious subject simply and intensely.
  • Who was Cowley?
Ans: A 17th-century metaphysical poet and essayist.
  • Who was Chapman?
Ans: Early Elizabethan poet, famous for translating Homer.
  • What is the difference between Pope’s/Dryden’s poetry and genuine poetry?
Ans: Genuine poetry comes from the soul; theirs came from wit.
  • What is Arnold’s opinion about Robert Burns?
Ans: His Scottish poems are brilliant; his English poems are less great.
  • What does Arnold mean by “Poetry is a criticism of life”?
Ans: Poetry reflects and judges life’s ideas.
  • Who are Arnold’s ideal poets?
Ans: Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Milton.
  • What is the function of poetry?
Ans: To serve the needs of human life.
  • What is “historical estimate”?
Ans: Judging a work by its historical importance.
  • What is poetic truth?
Ans: Poetry’s subject should match truth or nature.
  • What is the touchstone method in literary criticism?
Ans: Comparing new poets with truly great past poets.
  • What is the first great principle of criticism?
Ans: Disinterestedness—freedom from prejudice.
  • What does Arnold mean by “high seriousness”?
Ans: A grand style and serious treatment of the subject.
  • What does Arnold say about the future of poetry?
Ans: Poetry will always remain important in the world.
  • Define “charlatanism.”
Ans: Pretending to have knowledge without actually having it.
  • What is meant by “unconscious poetry”?
Ans: Human hope beyond what is known.
  • What is the Touchtone Method in poetry?
Ans: It is a way to judge the true quality of poetry.

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