Essays in Criticism

Essays in Criticism is a collection of literary and social criticism by Matthew Arnold, first published in 1865, with a second series appearing in 1888. In these essays, Arnold advocates for a "disinterested endeavor to learn and propagate the best that is known and thought in the world". He believed that criticism should foster an awakened intelligence that critically examines not just literature, but also theology, history, art, science, sociology, and politics, aiming to "see the object as in itself it really is".1

Arnold felt that England lagged behind continental Europe in this critical spirit, leading to a provincial outlook. He argued that in an era of declining religious faith, poetry would increasingly need to fulfill the role of interpreting and sustaining life. To discern true poetry from the inferior, he proposed using passages from acknowledged masters as "touchstones" to gauge their "high seriousness" and mastery of language. His work, including Culture and Anarchy (1869), critiqued the prevailing "anarchy" of Victorian democracy, which he saw as lacking standards and direction. Arnold classified English society into "Barbarians," "Philistines," and the "Populace," believing that educating and humanizing the influential Philistine class was crucial for national progress.12