E.C.204:- Victorian Literature

Name: Nargis I. Saiyad

Paper: E-C-204: The Victorian Literature

Topic: Two essays of ‘Cultural and Anarchy’

SEM: 2, Part: 1.

Year: 2011/12.

Submitted To,

 Dr. Dilip Barad,

Dept.of English,

Bhavnagar University.

 'Culture and Anarchy' is a controversial philosophical work written by a moralist and also one of the best-known critics Mathew Arnold. His all these ideas can be seen through his essays of his essay book 'Culture and Anarchy'. It is divided into many chapters. The first two chapters are very important.

·         'Sweetness & Light'

                  For Arnold, culture is the study of perfection. His views about the connection of religion and 'high' culture are very famous. He says that religion is bond for 'high' culture. He does not include popular culture as a culture.

          "The kingdom of God is within you"

This is religion's thought. Culture does perfection in an internal condition. He says that we can not conceive culture in isolation. If one would try to achieve it individual, he or she will not get succeed. He/she require someone to be cultured. He felt about the function of culture. He gives the example of the views of Mr. Bright, Mr. Frederic Harrison etc.... These all call it as the frivolous and useless thing but Arnold says that it fulfills mankind. According to him, the point of view of Epictetus is best. He says,

                     'It is a sign of aphuia'

It means without natural talent, dull. Especially the word 'aphuia'. The Greek word means well-grown, graceful, clever, witty, a finely tempered nature. A perfection in which the characters of beauty and intelligence are both present and that unites these two noblest things. Jonathan Swift in his book 'Battle of the books' calls them,

   'The two noblest of things, sweetness and light'

                  For Arnold, culture is connected with the idea of sweetness and light. He tries to explain this idea with the help of Greek words 'aphuia & euphuia'. The euphyes is the man who tends towards sweetness and light: the aphyes is our Philistine. Culture hates hatred, has one great passion for sweetness and light.

     Here, he also gives the meaning of

                              "What is greatness?"

                    It is a spiritual condition. The condition to excite love, interest, admiration. He says that if the situation comes that the England was swallowed up by the sea tomorrow, how it would be remembered as?  the England of the last twenty years or the England of Elizabeth? He says that the people to whom we call Philistines, who believe most that greatness is proved by being rich by thought not by being very rich materialistically.

                             In short, he wants to say that cultured men have a best knowledge, best ideas of their time. He gives the example of a man Abelard in the Middle Ages, such were Lessing and Herder of Germany. People will remember their work than the others who will write in a German.

·         'Doing As One Likes'

              In this second chapter, he talks about the Anarchy in a society.

               As the title suggest, he talks about the danger of 'doing as one likes' means the personal liberty and freedom is dangerous. Arnold says that freedom is worshipped by the English people, they desire for it. He talks about the British constitution and liberal practitioners like Mr. Bright. Arnold had fear that this kind of freedom can send the society towards anarchy.

             Arnold also gives the example of middle class and working class people. He writes that middle class is the great representative of trade and dissent that with its maxims of everyman in business, religion, dreads a powerful administration which might somehow interfere with it. After it he talks about the working class who firmly believes that it is their right to do what they like to do.

Arnold wanted to say that their masses were quite as raw and uncultivated as the French; and so far from their having the idea of discipline. He also remembers the conscription. In the America, there was a rule to every young person to serve in the army for at least pre-decided particular age.

              He gives the example of the Hyde Park Protesters and its results. This was a place where the person was free to speak as their will. Mr. Murphy lectures at Birmingham and shows on the Catholic people of that town in that type of words that can be addressed to thieves or murderers. There came a need of basic principal of authority. The question was,

    "Who should be entrusted with this authority?"

The answers:

> Carlyle - Aristocratic class,

> Mr. Lowe - middle class,

> Reform League - working class

                    Carlyle, Mr. Lowe, Reform league believed different class. At the end, Arnold says that all these three class are honest, all have 'sweetness' which was essential for 'culture' but lack was 'light'.

                  At last, Arnold says that 'our best selves' should be given the authority because it is our truest friend and so, when anarchy comes, we may turn with sure trust.

                      In the conclusion, he quotes Bishop Wilson's thought and it is,

'Firstly, never go against the best light you have.'

'Secondly, take care that your light be not darkness'

   We do not consider more about the second one.

·         Conclusion :

  

              Through his essay, Arnold gives us moral. To make the value of Matthew Arnold and his works, Lipman has rightly said that,

"Arnold's great value to us is as a lonely spokesman for the individual's search for an inward culture."