Matthew Arnold's "Culture and Anarchy" is a treatise on the role of culture in society and the need for a harmonious balance between the two. Arnold argues that culture, which he defines as "the best that has been thought and said," is essential to the well-being and progress of society. However, he also asserts that culture must be balanced with anarchy, or the individual's desire for freedom and self-expression.
Arnold begins by defining culture as the "study of perfection," which includes not only the pursuit of knowledge, but also the cultivation of the individual's moral and spiritual growth. He believes that culture is necessary for the development of a healthy and harmonious society, as it helps to foster a sense of unity and shared values among its members.
However, Arnold also recognizes that there is a potential tension between culture and anarchy, as the pursuit of individual freedom and self-expression can sometimes conflict with the demands of society. He argues that this tension is necessary, as it helps to prevent society from becoming stagnant and oppressive.
To illustrate this point, Arnold uses the example of the "Hebraic" and "Hellenic" strains in English culture. The Hebraic strain, represented by the Protestant ethic and the values of hard work and discipline, represents the influence of culture on society. The Hellenic strain, represented by the pursuit of beauty and intellectual curiosity, represents the influence of anarchy on society.
Arnold believes that the tension between these two strains is necessary for the health and progress of society. He argues that a society that is too dominated by either culture or anarchy is prone to problems. A society that is too heavily influenced by culture may become rigid and oppressive, while a society that is too heavily influenced by anarchy may become chaotic and disruptive.
In conclusion, Matthew Arnold's "Culture and Anarchy" is a thought-provoking analysis of the role of culture in society and the need for a balance between culture and anarchy. Arnold argues that culture is essential for the well-being and progress of society, but that it must be balanced with the individual's desire for freedom and self-expression. By striking a harmonious balance between these two forces, society can achieve a healthy and harmonious existence.
Culture and Anarchy by Matthew Arnold
Conclusion There are several scholar and modern artist who have given their views on culture and anarchy by Mathew Arnold. These include beliefs, traditions, food, customs, dress, language, music, art and literature. Our culture based on some social value, norms, language, tradition which are getting affected to some worse due to these very satellite channels. Arnold acknowledged that overcoming self-interest was practically impossible. Class In America Research Paper 834 Words 4 Pages The largest if not only factor of class is wealth; how much income a family gets.
Matthew Arnold’S “Culture And Anarchy” Analysis Example
Having said this, his method can as well be called empirical and inductive. Hebraism traces its history to the Romans and values characteristics of Roman culture, i. Greenham Culture and Anarchy Analysis In this short snippet from Culture and Anarchy Matthew Arnold tries to explain total perfection in society and ones self. Society in Culture and Anarchy In Culture and Anarchy, Arnold divides society into three classes: the Barbarians, the Philistines, and the Populace. To him, culture is a study in perfection, in making things better than they are, moved by the moral and social passion for doing good. We have become so caught up in the struggle to reach perfection that we never stop to question what the purpose is.
Summary Of Matthew Arnold's Culture And Anarchy
In the twentieth century , when composing was viewed as a political demonstration and all preservationist composing was exposed to investigation, Arnold turned into a key focus for abstract scholars; their accentuation on the noteworthiness of political subtexts contrarily influenced the notoriety of an essayist who had viewed himself as a solid advertiser of progressivism and an adherent to individuals' capacity to improve their individual and normal parcels throughout everyday life. Arnold believed that all three of these classes were guilty of myopic subjectivity and therefore, collectively responsible for the anarchy unfolding in Britain during the Industrial Revolution. The essays where published in magazines and journals. Exasperates by the social and political disarray, by Feminism and the Hyde Park Riots of 1866, and by the failure of either the congregation or the administration to adapt to the developing turmoil both in England and on the Continent , Arnold endeavored to depict a target focal point of power that all, paying little respect to religious or social inclination, could pursue. In physics, there are matter and energy, particles and waves, and by showing that culture has an end it is trying to attain, culture is more like a fluid with energy in waves.
