be compared to Homer's work, and that we only ha�e to compaire the de,:script1ion of

dying Roland to Helen's word.s about t'ier wounded brothers Pollux and Castor and its
inferiority will be dearily revealed.
THE TOUCHSTONE METHOD:

Amold 1 s criticism of Viet above illustrates his "touchstone method1; hjs theory that in
order to judge a poet's work properly, a critic should compare it to, passa1ges taken
from works of great masters of poetry, and thait these passages should be appUed as
touchstones to other poetry. E:ven a single line or selected quo-tatTan wm serve the
purpose. H,e became an advocate of touchstones. Even short passages or single lines,
will servie the critic quite sufficiently. Some of Arnold's touchstone passages are from
Homer

• Helen's words about her wounded brotherJ

• Zeus addressing the horses of Peleus
• :suppliant AcM Hes� words to Priam and from Dante

• Ugol1no's. brave words

• and Beatr[ce1s loving words to Virgil.

From non-classical wr1ters he makes his selection from Shakespeare: Henry IV Part II
(111,il. t-lenr/s expostulation with sleep that begjns with the words� Wilt thou upon
�e high and girldy mast ... 1 Hamlet (V. H) 'Ab�ent thee 'from felicity awhile
...1 From Mih:on�s Paradise lost Book 1: •care sat on his faded cheek ...' and
What �s e�se not to be overcome .
1

HIgh setious.ness and the sty le in which lit is clothed can not be se,pa rated and �he best
way to define poetry is not to do tit in the pros,e of the c!filtic, but to recognfze it
by
�eU 11g it In the �rse of the mast�rs.. Hrmce 11:he need fo,r touch:stones:.The
touchstones have alll the cnaracteristics that Arnold: values in good and great poetry,
solemnity, a sublimity, a deep :reflection on life and its translence.

ON CHAUCER:

Arnold begins hTs study of the long line of English poets with an analysls of Chaucers
position. The French Romance poetry of tne thirteenth century langue d1m:
and langue d'ofl was extremely popular In Europe and Italy, but soon lost its
popu�arity
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