Mathew Arnold

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

1)According to me, Matthew Arnold's principle of criticism is that of     Disinterestedness or Detachment is interesting and also relevant to current time. Disinterestedness on the part of the critic implies freedom from all prejudices, personal or historical.The modern criticism is also focus on this idea.we have not bias towards any literary work.For example: There was one Television show on Star plus 'Satyamev Jayte' which was hosted by famous Bollywood actor Aamir khan, but there were people who highly objected and criticize him by saying that, that he has already married thrice so how can that person speaks about morality and all? so it is not fair, we can not judge any person on the basis of his personal life but by his work.so detachment or disinterestedness is necessary for a person/writer or critic to pass a judgment.

Q2- Write about one idea of Matthew Arnold which you found out of date and irrelevant in our times.

2)I think Arnold's 'Touchstone method' is quite inappropriate in present times, it is complicated to judge one's age's literary work with another one. May be the literature written at that time be right for that age, but after time is passes the morality of the people or social values or things will be changes at every day. It is like Plato's objection to poetry on the basis of morality, according to him the aim of poetry is to be teach us morality but time will pass and this idea is also changed and then critic like Aristotle came and change this idea and give new idea that not morality is necessary but aesthetic delight is also important. so this method is quite irrelevant  in nowadays.