Touchstone Method_Matthew Arnold

 (e-content developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

‘The Touchstone Method’

Introduction: The famous ‘touchstone method’ is proposed by Matthew Arnold. Matthew Arnold was a Victorian poet-critic. He is known as “the father of modern criticism” and “a critic of critics”. “Dover Beach” and “Scholar Gypsy” are his well-known poems.  

Victorian Age: The period from 1832 to 1900 is known as the Victorian age. The Victorian age is considered as the golden age.  During this age, England flourished on all the fronts. This age is also known as “the age of faith and doubt”. Till now, the English society believed in the Church and the Bible. It believed that Man is the child of God. But this faith was shattered by Darwin’s theory of evolution. Darwin argued that man is evolved from a monkey. So the Victorian society was trapped in faith and doubt about the role of religion and philosophy in human life.

Religion, Philosophy and Poetry: Matthew Arnold proposes his touchstone method against this background. Matthew Arnold discussed the touchstone method in his essay “Study of Poetry” (1880). Matthew Arnold’s touchstone method is a comparative method. The touchstone method gives importance to comparison and analysis. Hence it is a scientific method. At first, Matthew Arnold argues that religion and philosophy are losing their appeal. People turn to religion and philosophy for enlightenment and delight.  So where now will people go for enlightenment and delight? And Matthew Arnold hopes that religion and philosophy will be replaced by poetry. According to him, if poetry will achieve such kind of high position, it has to be equally of high standard. Matthew Arnold’s idea of high standard poetry includes high truth, high seriousness and superior diction. But how to decide that the poetry is of high standard? For this question, Matthew Arnold’s answer is “the touchstone method”. According to Matthew Arnold, the touchstone method will help us to judge the quality of poetry.

Three estimations: However, before talking about the touchstone method, Matthew Arnold warns to avoid the methods to judge poetry. Here he talks about (a) personal estimation, (b) historical estimation and (c) real estimation. According to Matthew Arnold, while judging poetry one must avoid personal estimation and historical estimation. By personal estimation he means one should not judge poetry on the basis of the personal opinions. By historical estimation, he means that one should not carry the burden of the history. By real estimation, he means that one should judge poetry very objectively. One must point out merits and demerits of poetry with open eyes.

‘The Touchstone Method’: For the real estimation of poetry, Matthew Arnold proposes the tool of ‘the touchstone method’. According to Matthew Arnold, while judging poetry, one must compare the lines, stanzas or passages from one piece of literature to the literature which has the qualities of ‘high seriousness’. For the qualities of ‘high seriousness’, Matthew Arnold suggests the literature of writers namely Homer, Dante, Milton and Shakespeare. In short, one must compare a poem or a piece of literature with that of Homer, Dante, Milton or Shakespeare. If the poem that we are reading reflects the shadow of the great writers like Homer, Dante, Milton and Shakespeare, we can assume that poem is superior. Matthew Arnold’s touchstone method can be applied to the writers of all ages.

Arnold’s application of ‘the touchstone method’: On the basis of the real estimation and the touchstone method, Matthew Arnold compares Chaucer with Dante. And he does not consider Chaucer as a superior poet. According to him Chaucer lacks ‘high seriousness’. Matthew Arnold appreciates Pope and Dryden not for their poetry but for their prose. Matthew Arnold considers Thomas Gray as the poet having high poetic values.  

Limitations of ‘the touchstone method’: (1) Matthew Arnold compares lines or passages. But by comparing certain lines or passages, how can we talk about the whole poem? (2) Every writer’s creativity is different. It is difficult to compare creativity. (3) Matthew Arnold again gives importance to poetic diction, and ignores the content.       

*     *     *     *     *

Poetic Diction_William Wordsworth

 (e-contenet developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

Poetic Diction

-      William Wordsworth

“Preface to Lyrical Ballads” is an essay written by William Wordsworth which serves as an important piece of literary criticism. The essay throws powerful insights into the Romantic notions of school of poetry and understand the main ideas and concepts behind it. Wordsworth defended his theory in the essay and hence the essay becomes the bible of the Romanticism.

The poetic diction is the essay as suggested by Wordsworth applies the “real language of men”. He has selected it to communicate and connect it with the other men and common people. He further adds that the selection of the common language can add “vivid sensation” and “pleasure” to the readers as each and every poem has its own “purpose” to share and evoke “pleasure” to the readers.

In addition to this, the selection of such poetic diction to impart the “incidents and situations from common life”. It is only possible for Wordsworth to impart these poetic themes in the poem only with the “real language of men”. He even stated that it will add a “certain colouring of imagination” on the readers so to evoke the ” state of excitement” which the common people share in their everyday lives. The “real language of men” will enable the other men can relate “the manner in which we associate ideas in a state of excitement”.

Moreover, he argues that the “language of men” is refined when the “humble and rustic” elements are used as a setting in the poem. He states that these moment of materials ensure a “plainer and more emphatic language” which become simple and the feelings “coexist” that ensure in more comprehensive and easy to communicate “because the manners of rural life germinate from those elementary feelings”. It not only refines the language but rejects the rational and logic elements which shows the clear rejection of Neo-Classical bombastic language and wits. He defended by implying that the men speak communicates with other men for hours with the best “objects” where the “best part of language is derived” and hence they “convey their feelings and notions in simple and unelaborated expressions”. He even further highlights that the “language” arising from “regular ” and “repeated experiences” are more philosophical and permanent.

Wordsworth argues that the “metrical compositions” may varies with each section of the poems but the poems has its own worthy “purpose”. These “purpose ” can only be delivered by the use of “real language of men” as the “external excitement” along with “pleasure” comes strongly along with the “purpose ” and he defends it by stating that it has been his “habits of meditation” that resulted in “regulated my feelings” which is seen in his description of the “objects” that will excite the readers and serve the “purpose”.

Wordsworth tries to state an argument regarding the use of literary style and devices in his poems. He states that there are several elements of literary devices including personification that “rarely occur in these volumes”. He rejected a heavy use of such devices in his poems “as an ordinary device to elevate the style, and raise it above prose”. He adds that the selection of “real language of men” was his “purpose” and such literary personifications “do not make any natural or regular part of that language”. He states his argument that though he rejected the use of literary rhetorical devices in the poem but did not given a prime importance or ” mechanical device of style” for his poetry.

Lastly, he further argues about the poetic diction that the reduction of rhetorical devices in his poems has a typical reason. He tries to suggest that the reason behind it was to “bring my language near to the language of men”. He adds that the “pleasure” he imparted in the poems are very different from other sets of poetry and it is only possible to impart it only by the use of “language of men” to be the proper “object of poetry”.

 

Lyrical Ballads_Question Bank

 (Developed by Dr N A Jarandikar)

1. In which year, The Lyrical Ballads was published?

Ø  1798

2. Who was the other poet along with William Wordsworth who contributed to The Lyrical Ballads?

Ø  S. T. Coleridge

3. In which year, did William Wordsworth write a preface to The Lyrical Ballads?

Ø  1802

4. According to William Wordsworth, what is a definition of poetry?

Ø  “Poetry is a spontaneous overflow of powerful emotions recollected in tranquillity.”

5. According to Pope, who is the father of a poetic diction?

Ø  Greek poet Homer

6. Who is the first person to use the term ‘poetic diction’?

Ø  John Dennis

7. According to Wordsworth, which language is more permanent and philosophic?

Ø  A language arising out of repeated experience and regular feelings

8. What does Wordsworth say about personifications?

Ø  A mechanical device

9. Which two forms Wordsworth refer as ‘Sisters’?

Ø  Poetry and Painting

10. Wordsworth’s poetry was a reaction against which poetry?

Ø  Neo-classical poetry

11. Who are the major poets of the neo-classical poetry?

Ø  Alexander Pope and John Dryden

12. Which movement started in England with the publication of The Lyrical Ballads?

Ø  Romantic revival movement

13. According to Wordsworth, what is mean by poetic diction?

Ø  “A real language of men.”

14. According to Wordsworth, what kind of life should poetry describe/portray?

Ø  “Low and rustic life”

15. What is Wordsworth’s view about ornamented poetry?

Ø  It blocks the genuine and passionate feelings of the poet.

 

 

1. According to Wordsworth, he published the first volume of The Lyrical Ballads as _____. (an experiment)

2. For his poems, Wordsworth selected _____ of men. (the real language)

3. In his poems, Wordsworth chose incidents and situations from _____. (common life)

4. According to Wordsworth, all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of _____. (powerful feelings)

5. Wordsworth avoids ______ so as to bring his language near to the language of men. (poetic diction)

6. In the preface, Wordsworth criticises “Sonnet on the Death of Mr Richard West”. This sonnet was written by _____. (Thomas Gray)

7. Wordsworth makes no distinction between _____ and metrical composition. (the language of prose)

8. According to Wordsworth, poet is a man speaking to _____. (men)