Thinking Activity on Culture and Anarchy

Culture and Anarchy (1869) - Matthew Arnold 

  Culture and Anarchy is a series of periodical essays by Matthew Arnold, first published in Cornhill Magazine 1867-68 and collected as a book in 1869. The preface was added in 1875.

 Arnold's famous piece of writing on Culture established his High Victorian culture agenda which remained dominant in debate the 1860s until the 1950s.

Culture and Anarchy, major work of criticism by Mthew Arnold, published in 1869. in it Arnold contrasts culture, which he defines as "the study of perfection,"with anarchy,the prevalent mood of England's then new democracy,which lacks standards and a sense of direction.

The published book on these essays in divided in following chapter:

Preface

Preamble.What is culture?

Chapter I Sweetness and light

Chapter II Doing as One Likes- Anachy

Chapter IV Barbarian, philistines, Populace

Chapter V Porro Unum est necessarium

Chapter VI Our Liberal Practitioners 

 here is my task to write key points of each chapter and what would i understand of this key points so let's discuss...

Chapter I : Sweetness and Light      

      Key Points 

• A study of perfection
• Harmonious perfection 
• General Perfection 
• Epictetus sing of aphuia      

    The pursuit of perfection, Then, is the pursuit of sweetness and Light. He who works for sweetness works in the end for light also; he who works for light works in he end for sweetness also.But he who works for sweetness and light united,works to make reason and the will of Good prevail.

Chapter II : Doing as one Likes - Anarchy 

      Key Points 

• Sweetness & Light
• Beauty
• Perfection
• Light- doing the right thing

    "Culture is ought to be the and pursuit of perfection; and that of perfection as perfection as pursued by culture, beauty and intelligence,or,in other words,sweetness and light,are the main character.

   "Doing as one Likes" means giving one the right to do as he /she want to do, But this access freedom can result in to indulgence,and anarchy may rear its ugly head.

Chapter III : Barbarians, Philistines, Populace

        Key Points 

• Image of three class 

1. The Barbarians - Aristocracy
2. The Philistines - Middle class
3. The Populace _- Working class 

• For Aristocratic class his views that this class lacks adequate courage for resistance.He cthe class The Barbarians. Because they believe in their personal individualism, Liberty and doing as one likes.
• The philistines are the middle class,according to Arnold By Philistine,in its orignal German sense is meant the uncultured people like most of the shop keepers.The Philistines are worldly -wise men, captains of industry busy in trade and commerce.
• The Populance are the Working class who help the empire builders in Arnold's parlance they are law and half- developed by the philistines and the Barbarians so long. Now there is a stir and an awakening among the populance the people of this class are becoming politically conscious and are coming out from the obseurities to assert.

Chapter IV : Hebraism and Hellenism 

          Key Points 

• Hebraism
• Hellenism

Hellenising : a more holistic, internal, intellectual transformation to see things "As they truly are"

Hellenism : Tendency towards action, fire,strict adherence to rules.