Matthew Arnold: The Study of Poetry

Q1- Write about one Idea of  Matthew Arnold which you find interesting and relevant in our times.

Matthew Arnold very effectively gives the definition of poetry. He says that "poetry is a criticism of life". This definition is very relevant in our present time also. Whatever writer or a poet write is not simply consider as creative work, it is also a criticism of nature or life, or anything else from where they got their subject to write. As we know that a critic is 'a critic of art' and creative writer is 'a critic of life', means criticism is present in both.
Arnold also speaks about his main principle of Criticism is that of Disinterestedness or Detachment. Arnold say that detachment is very important for judging any work of art, a critic must be detached or disinterested by his nature so that he/she can judge impartially or without any prejudices. We find this great principle of Arnold relevant in present time also because it speaks about the fair judgment of a critic.

Q2- Write about one idea of Matthew Arnold which you found out of date and irrelevant in our times.

The answer is obvious about Matthew Arnold's Touchstone Method, that it is out of date or irrelevant in our present times. According to Touchstone method there is scientific objectivity to critical evaluation by providing comparison and analysis as two primary tools for judging individual poet. This method of judging individual talent is not appropriate in present times because we have to think on the basis of our standpoint also about any work of art, it is not consider as  fair practice that all time we compare the ancient or the writers which we like the most with the other writers for passing judging.Arnold always does this and his ideal poets are Homer and Sophocles in the ancient world. All have their unique talent, it is not necessary that what Virgil or Dante wrote would also be written by Shakespeare or any other modern writer. All are genius in their own way, we have to take our standpoint for making comment on them.
As we know that Plato also criticize the work of poetry on philosophical, moral point of view, he didn't criticize work of art on his own point of view. So his critical work also not relevant in our present time. Similarly Matthew Arnold's Touchstone method for judging individual talent is not relevant in present time.