INTRODUCTION

OF MATHEW ARNOLD
“CULTURE AND ANARCHY”
 Introduction of
“Culture and Anarchy”

 Culture and anarchy is a notorious philosophical work

written by the celebrated Victorian poet and critic Mathew
Arnold. This essay was first published in Cornhill Magazine
during 1867 – 68.

 Its full name is “Culture and Anarchy : An essay in political

and Social Criticism.
 This Essay in Chapter
 Chapter 1 : Sweetness and Light

 Chapter 2 : Doing as One Like

 Chapter 3 : Barbarians, Philistines, Populace

 Chapter 4 : Hebraism, Hellenism

 Arnold’s Views on Culture

“Culture is a study of Perfection”

Culture is the process, means it is always going on. And also

it is not static but it is changeable. It is study of social and
moral perfection. And Arnold says that culture is internal
thing. As power of God remains within, similarly culture also
remains within.
Arnold’s Classified English
Society
Barbarians
{Aristocracy}

Philistines
{Middle Class}

Populace
{Working Class}
 View of about Hebraism
Hellenism
HEBRAISM HELLENISM

 Spirit of thought  Spirit of mind

 Spirit of Bible  Spirit of Greek

 Narrow mindedness  Open minded

 Religious  Knowledge

 Thought only for God  Though with practical

 Follow the biblical idea  Follow the platonic idea

 Hellenism Keeps emphasis on,
Knowing the things

Hebraism puts weightage on,

Doing the things

Hellenism and Hebraism both are directly connected to the human life
of human beings.

Hellenism keeps emphasis knowing or knowledge. Where as Hebraism

fasten its faith in doing.
 Anarchy

Anarchy means “utopian societies of individuals who enjoy

complete freedom without government. The term “anarchy” refers
to a society without a publicly enforced government or violently
enforced political authority. When we use in this sense, anarchy
may or may not be intended to imply political disorder or
lawlessness.

Arnold talks of one’s freedom. And this freedom is sung very much
by Englishmen. But yet, they never thought about end of such
freedom for which it is to be desired. Arnold accepts the idea of
personal freedom, but he tells about complete freedom.
 Conclude
In the essay Mathew Arnold categorizes six different terms such
Culture, Anarchy, Sweetness, Light Hellenism and Hebraism so
with the help of these different terms he has described his views on
culture in which he also says that culture and Anarchy both are
different thing and at last he also explains the difficult terms like
Hellenism and Hebraism.
Thank You