Definition

Proper noun * Matthew Arnold: A 19th-century English poet and literary critic. He is a significant figure in Victorian literature, known for his poetry that often explores themes of doubt, faith, and modern society, as well as for his influential critical essays on culture and education.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The lecture focused on the cultural criticism of Matthew Arnold.
  • In his essay "The Function of Criticism at the Present Time," Matthew Arnold argued for the importance of disinterested criticism.
  • Many students first encounter Matthew Arnold through his poem "Dover Beach."

Advanced Usage

• Arnoldian (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the ideas, style, or critical principles of Matthew Arnold.
  • The professor took an Arnoldian approach to evaluating the novel's cultural significance.

Variants and Related Words

• Arnold, Matthew (n): An alternative presentation of the full name.
• "Dover Beach" (n): Arnold's most famous poem, often cited as an example of Victorian anxiety and the "melancholy, long, withdrawing roar" of religious faith.
• "Culture and Anarchy" (n): A key work of social criticism by Matthew Arnold, published in 1869.

Synonyms

• The critic (when contextually referring to Arnold's critical role).
• The poet (when contextually referring to Arnold's poetic role).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Sweetness and light": A phrase popularized by Matthew Arnold in to describe the ideal aim of culture: a combination of moral righteousness ("sweetness") and intellectual clarity ("light").
  • His vision for society was one of sweetness and light.
• "To see the object as in itself it really is": A famous Arnoldian dictum describing the goal of true criticism.
  • The reviewer strove to see the object as in itself it really is, setting aside personal bias.

Noun

1. English poet and literary critic (1822-1888)