How did Matthew Arnold change the Oxford poetry professorship?

Matthew Arnold revolutionized the Oxford chair of poetry, which he held for 10 years starting in 1857, by shifting its focus toward the "modern element" in literature.1

Rather than defining "modern" simply as contemporary, Arnold used the term to describe a spirit that seeks moral and intellectual "deliverance" while contemplating the complexities of life. He demonstrated this new approach in his inaugural lecture and subsequent works, such as On Translating Homer (1861) and On the Study of Celtic Literature (1867). Through these lectures, he established the professorship as a platform for critical inquiry, using classical models and cultural symbols to address the "spiritual discomfort" and utilitarianism of his age. Many of the lectures he delivered during his tenure were later published as influential critical essays.1