Prose: Matthew Arnold and John Ruskin
*Consider
Mathew Arnold as a social critic with special reference to his “Culture and
Anarchy”.
Or
Make an
assessment of Mathew Arnold as a Victorian critic and his contribution to
English prose.
Answer:-
Mathew Arnold
Mathew Arnold is considered
one of the most significant writers of the late Victorian period in England. He
initially established his reputation as a poet of elegiac verse and poems like,
“The scholar Gipsy” and “Dover Beach” which are considered classics for their subtle,
restrained style and compelling expression of spirituality. However, it was
through this prose, Arnold asserted his greatest influence and literature. His
writings had on the rule of literary criticism in society, advance classical ideas
and advocate the adoption of universal aesthetic standers. According to him, the
English literature need classical qualities in order to attain harmonious
perfection in moral as well as in literature.
Besides
being a distinguish poet, Arnold was also a literary critic of his age. His
literary criticism is chiefly found in his volumes’ of “Essays in Criticism”,
“Mixed Essays" and Oxford lecture's "on translating Homer”. His 'Criticism of
Life' is found in “Culture and Anarchy”(1869) and “Friendship's Garland”(1871). His literary
criticism is mostly based on society and life in general. He did not relish the
Slogan “Art for Art’s Sake” raised by the Pre-Raphaelites. He clearly declared
that “Poetry is the Criticism of life" and he was mainly concern with the moral
values of the writers. The Victorian age witnessed a conflict between religion
and science which created much confusion in the minds of the common people. Spiritual
disturbance and doubt were the natural outcome of such a predicament and
regarding this Arnold commented-
“Between two worlds, one dead,
The other powerless to be born”
Unlike the teachings of Carlyle and Ruskin which appeal to mass, Arnold’s teaching pointed mainly to the educated section of the society as a writer of his prose style which is brilliant and polished. As his object was to bring home to his countrymen to certain fundamental principles of culture and intellectual life. He was the habit of repeating of the same word and phrase. Arnold's first major prose work was, “On translating Homer” and “The popular Education of French”, both were published in 1861 inaugurated his career as a highly controversial social and literary critic. After same critical essays, Arnold shifted his focus on theological as a crisis of religious faith in Victorian Society. Arnold attributed this crisis to the conflict between the prevailing influence of scientific rationalism and the consernative theology. His solution was liberal symbolic interpretation of Biblical scripture presented in his essay “Literature and Dogma”(1883). The publication of thirds essay caused an immediate uproar among the conservator Church leaders.
Arnold prose writings
articulated his desire to establish universal standards of taste and judgment.
In his highly regarded “Essays in Criticism”, he elaborated on this key
principle and defining which is known and thought in the world of these ideals. For
Arnold, this shouldn’t be limited to literature but should embraced theology,
history, art, science, sociology and political theory. Similarly “Culture and Anarchy",
An essay in political and social Criticism which was widely viewed as one of Arnold’s
most important works. In this essay, Arnold rejected provincialism and arrogance
of English society. The Essay is a sociopolitical analysis of England’s class
structure in which Arnold identifies three(3) major classes- Barbarians(the
Aristocracy), Philistines(The Middle class) and the Populace(the lower class).
While Arnold praised the aristocracy of their refined manners and social
assurance, he also condemned them for their conservative but they couldn’t
contribute for the development of the society. The lower class, he dismissed as
an ineffectual mass. Arnold argued that the middle class would gradually take
control of English politics and they must be transforming their unpolished
state into a sensitive, sophisticated and intellectual Community.
The style of Arnold is
not easy to immediate. His choice of words and clearness of ideas is more
remarkable. Such a style was eminently fitted for the purpose of criticism. As
a writer of essay, he had no superior among the writers of his time and he can
probably never been surpassed by anyone. He may not be considered as the
strongest writer of English prose but he must always hold a high rank in
English literature for his grace, elegance and calculated Charon.
Ruskin’s Prose Style:-
Ruskin was a
great literary artist and his soul was stirred at the sights of beauty. He was
moved to ecstasy at the glam of grandeur and loveliness in nature. He
presented graphic and pictorial pictures of nature which highlighted in the
paintings of the Raphaelites. He cultivated the qualities of truth and
sincerity in his artistic representation of nature and presented pictures which
have not been produce by other word-painters except some poet’s like Rosette
and Moorish.
Ruskin was a super
master of English language and he handles the language with perfect ease. He
presented a wilding style in conflict conformity and harmony with his needs.
In his prose works, we came across super abundance of figures of speech,
excessiveness of imagery, ornateness, meloring and loftiness of expression.
Ruskin provides a nice escape for readers who seems to be bored by English Prose
written in a dull manner which Projects only facts and information. Ruskin’s
dignified poetic prose came as a welcome relief for the readers of Victorian
Period.
Ruskin’s plays as a
prose stylist is among through great masters who had given to English prose its
emotional and poetic qualities. He has been regarded as the romantic renovator
of English prose. Ruskin was by heart a prophet and prophet’s don’t generally
speak or write the language that ordinary human being employ in the expression
of their common place of thought. So, Ruskin’s writing is also marked by same
individual identity which makes him distinct from other writers. Ruskin increased the reign of prose effects by adding to harmony and imagination of
his prophetic resources. His style often reflects the oriental thoughts and
imagination.
Although, his social, aesthetic
and economic theories were often criticized by experts in those fields, but Ruskin
was the most widely read art and social critic of Victorian Era. His ideas
influences some of the most prominent figures of his time, including Bernard
Shaw, William Morris, M.K. Gandhi, who asserted that "Unto this Last"(1860) brought
about an instantaneous and practical transformation in their life. Critics today
consider Ruskin as one of the most perfected social and cultural observer of
his Era and praise his organic reason of art and life.
God Bless You All & Best of Luck.
God Bless You All & Best of Luck.