Brief about Matthew Arnold's essay "The Study of Poetry"

 

Definition of Poetry	Arnold defines poetry as a criticism of life under the conditions fixed for such a criticism by the laws of poetic truth and poetic beauty.
Importance of Poetry	Arnold argues that poetry will replace religion in its ability to console and sustain humanity.
Touchstone Method	Arnold suggests using lines from great poets (touchstones) to judge the quality of other poems.
Characteristics of Great Poetry	Great poetry, according to Arnold, combines high truth and high seriousness.

 

Summary: Matthew Arnold's essay "The Study of Poetry" emphasizes the significance of poetry in providing moral and intellectual guidance. He believes that poetry has the potential to become a substitute for religion by offering insights into the human condition. Arnold introduces the touchstone method as a tool for evaluating poetry and insists that great poetry must possess both high truth and high seriousness.