ASuperior art form
BSubstitute for religion
CBoth a and b
DNone of the above
Answer:
C. Both a and b
Read Explanation:
Arnold begins by emphasizing the critical role of poetry in modern life.
He declares that poetry is not merely entertainment but a “criticism of life”, offering insights into human nature and values.
He suggests that, in the future, poetry will replace religion as the primary means of spiritual and moral guidance:
“More and more, mankind will discover that we have to turn to poetry to interpret life for us, to console us, to sustain us.”
Arnold says that when one reads poetry he tends to estimate whether it is of the best form or not. It happens in three ways- the real estimate, the historic estimate, and the personal estimate. The real estimate is an unbiased viewpoint that takes into account both the historical context and the creative faculty to judge the worth of poetry.
But the real estimate is often surpassed by the historic and personal estimate.
The historic estimate places the historical context above the value of the art itself. The personal estimate on the other hand depends on the personal taste, the likes and dislikes of the reader which affects his judgment of poetry.
Arnold says that both these estimates tend to be fallacious. The historic and personal estimate often overshadows the real estimate. But Arnold also says that it is natural.