Matthew Arnold's central argument in "The Study of Poetry" is that poetry is a uniquely valuable art form with a "high destiny" in human life, and that readers should actively cultivate their ability to discern and appreciate the best poetry by studying "classic" poets, using them as a standard to judge other works, which he refers to as the "touchstone method.".
Key points of Arnold's argument:
Poetry's superiority:
He believes poetry surpasses other art forms like science and philosophy because it can capture complex human emotions and truths through its aesthetic expression.
"High truth" and "high seriousness":
To be considered great, poetry must possess both "high truth" (meaningful content) and "high seriousness" (a deep engagement with important themes).
The touchstone method:
To evaluate poetry, readers should compare it to passages from established "classic" poets, like Shakespeare and Homer, to gauge its quality.
Elitist perspective:
Arnold's argument is often seen as elitist, as he emphasizes the importance of discerning taste and prioritizing certain "classic" poets over others.
