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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 7 page summary and analysis of Victorian critic Matthew Arnold's essays "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time" and "Sweetness and Light." The writer outlines the major arguments from each essay, commenting on Arnold's style and ideas and then relates these issues to present day society. No bibliography is provided.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khmatarn.rtf
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into literature but also in to the fascinating mind of this highly educated, articulate man. Often wordy and prone to writing complex sentences that pile clause upon clause, it is
sometimes difficult for the modern reader to wade through the verbiage in search of Arnolds meaning. This process is also frequently complicated by his references to issues and writers of
that era. Nevertheless, as this discussion of his essays "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time" and "Sweetness and Light" demonstrates, Arnolds observations pertaining to art of
criticism and the value of culture are still relevant and convey an interesting perspective on the nature of Western culture. Function of Criticism From his opening on "Function of
Criticism," the reader gathers that Arnold, in writing this essay, is responding to those people who felt that Arnolds evaluation of criticism, as a genre of writing, was in error.
He writes that more than one rejoinder indicated that they thought that Arnolds evaluation of the value of criticism was excessive. As an example, Arnold cites Wordsworth as believing that
the "critical power" was a talent infinitely lower in significance than the inventive. Furthermore, Wordsworth speculated that if the same individuals put as much time and effort into writing
original composition, rather than critiquing others, their time would be much better employed. Wordsworth said that "A false or malicious criticism may do much injury in the minds of others"
while a "stupid invention, either in prose or verse" was quite harmless. In essence, Arnolds essay is lengthy rebuttal to this position, which outlines the value of criticism within civilized
society. Arnold believed that good literary criticism, like literature itself, constitutes a powerful force in producing a civilized society. He state that any reasonable person would readily admit
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