Culture and Anarchy

Culture and Anarchy

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50  ·  rating details  ·  317 ratings  ·  30 reviews
Matthew Arnold's famous series of essays, which were first published in book form under the title Culture and Anarchy in 1869, debate important questions about the nature of culture and society. Arnold seeks to find out what culture really is, what good it can do, and if it is really necessary. He contrasts culture, which he calls the study of perfection, with anarchy, the...more
Paperback, 221 pages
Published December 1st 2006 by Oxford University Press, USA (first published 1878)
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Varad
All the writings collected in this volume have as their central theme Arnold's advocacy of an autonomous role for culture in a society being transformed by industrialization and the ascendance of a middle class detached from, and even hostile too, the cultural aspirations and achievements of the aristocracy it is replacing.

Arnold's definition of culture is a complex one, but its basic characteristic is the pursuit of an internal ideal of perfection that owes much to romanticism, Plato, and even...more
Adrian Colesberry
Arnold's idea of culture could not be less in vogue these days. As it is always salutary to read the out-of-vogue, I strongly recommend this book to everyone. Today, culture is used to mean what used to be called society or even traditional society. This entire book is Arnold's bid for culture to mean the collection of all that is best and perfect in the world and the agreed-upon commitment to develop that perfection even further, an idea that today we can only weakly express with the word civil...more
Nadiime Melleh
“Culture which is the study of perfection, leads us… to conceive of true human perfection as a harmonious perfection, developing all sides of our humanity; and a general perfection, developing all parts of our society”

Matthew Arnold-Culture and Anarchy

Culture, then, is both study and pursuit. It is not merely the development of “literary culture”, but of “all sides of our humanity”. Nor is it an activity concerning individuals alone, or some part or section of society; it is, and must be, esse...more
Fred R
Many of the specific categories and oppositions he sets up don't seem to hold water, but I wholeheartedly endorse the general thrust of the argument. Of every human product it can be asked: "does this build up civilization, or tear it down?"

To give you a sense of his thought processes:

"So all our fellow-men, in the East of London and elsewhere, we must take along with us in the progress towards perfection, if we ourselves really, as we profess, want to be perfect; and we must not let the worshi...more
Yngvild
When it comes to pure malicious wit, nobody beats Matthew Arnold, not even Jonathan Swift. The six short essays in Culture and Anarchy would have long passed out of print if they were not such fun. The first three essays take aim at all segments of society: the working, middle and aristocratic classes; leftwing, centrist and rightwing politicians; England, Europe and America; Nonconformists and conformists.

Evidently, even today, some people are sulky about Arnold’s poison-dipped sword, but he g...more
Benjamin
This is 19th Century wit at its absolute best, and a wonderful work of cultural and political criticism (if not one that might find much more favor now than at the time it was written). Arnold's conclusions are frequently not those that I would advocate, and his analysis is not that of a thoroughly principled philosopher (as he freely admits), but there's a great deal of brilliance here, and one would be foolish to discount the entire work simply because it might not always agree with one's own...more
Marina
I don't know how to rate this. There is good writing and very intelligent ideas (regarding culture), but they are overshadowed by the alarming conservatism of it all (the middle class with their tea rooms, disgusting!) and silly concepts (light, sweetness?). Also, too much love for the Establishment and Academies. It just amazes me that someone who is apparently so intelligent can say things like everybody is either Barbarians, Philistines or Populace except for men of culture, who are above cla...more
Miriam
Reason -- "Sweetness and Light" -- Culture -- Perfection -- for Arnold these terms are nearly synonymous, and all underlie the same central claim: the cause of disorder is both identifiable and curable. Arnold's goal here is not to propose a specific program of reform but, as he says in Democracy, to "invite impartial reflections." While Arnold does not precisely live up to his own asserted impartiality, his essay does seem constructed to persuade rather than to argue. This results from a combin...more
Ed Wagemann
Apr 04, 2012 Ed Wagemann marked it as to-read
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Chris
Often-sluggish prose and repetitive arguments, but rich in irony and with occasional flashes of genius. A plea for greater hellenism in an era where hebraistic literalism was shaken by recent inquiry. A subtle critique of Victorian dogmas that does not merely substitute our own dogmas for them.
Rachel
Very useful, especially to put into conversation with Arnold's theory of aesthetics - the latter portion is a little less compelling and pertinent, particularly if you're reading this for your PhD orals or something of that nature. "Sweetness and Light," "Doing As One Likes," and the "Conclusion" are, in my estimation, the most important sections of the text.
Alex
I'm torn here. On one hand, I think the basic idea of culture as the process of self-perfection is grand, and I think Arnold's idea and direction are admirable; on the other, however, it seems that his formulation falls short of outlining its practicality as a total worldview. Furthermore, he comes to a couple rather unpalatable sub-conclusions.
Abailart
Reading again, after many years in the wilderness of cultural studies bitterness, that home for frustrated and hateful spoilt brats all over the rich world. Undergraduates are taught to sneer at this book (of course, on the basis of a two or three page extract), in the beginning of their indoctrination into despising of the literary. There is, it is true, much to object to, but the light irony of its writing is delight and powerful of itslf: the issues it deals with frighteningly familiar themes...more
Erica
"The sterner self of the Populace likes bawling, hustling, and smashing; the lighter self, beer" (72).

Arnold writes against the English tendency to value freedom of action over considered thought about what is right and desirable for society, anarchy vs. culture (sweetness and light). Breaks English into classes: Aristocrat-Barbarians, Middle class-Philistines, Working class-Populace.
miss jillian
An important work of social and political criticism, to be sure, but not one I'll ever feel compelled to return to.
Nicole Lee
to be honest, I'm not clear why this is supposed to be such a seminal high Victorian text. It seems to be largely taken up with prolonged discussions of obscure religious and political debates that no one gives a hoot about nowadays. But maybe the broader principles it establishes, the opposition of culture and anarchy, the establishment of the classes of Philistines, Barbarians and Populace etc are now so much part of the foundation of our culture that I can't see how seminal a text this is? An...more
Demetra
I only read this as an example of conservative criticism towards mass culture.
Harrison Gearns
It's one of those classics you're happy you beat your head through, but I can't ever really see myself appreciating Arnold for what he said. A lot of this seems arbitrary. Insofar as, if you do what Arnold says, you'll do well as a society. Bullocks.
Elsie
Arnold, you ivory-towerist. (He does create a space for the intellectual, which is good. But we should ALL be the intellectual. The space should be everywhere. We should all be the artist :)-in artistic (non-artsy) and diverse ways.)
Mel Vincent
The book talks about the complexities of culture, society and its implications. Well written but at times a bit dragging and the author derives experiences from British socio-political and comtemporary sources.
Jude Brigley
I love all this thinking about culture and education. It may be a little old-fashioned but still raises issues worth thinking about. Good old Arnold: solid as a rock and more liberal than a liberal.
Emily
Has its great moments, but full of empty phrases like "sweetness and light," "let truth and the will of God prevail," and, our favorite, "force 'til right is ready"!

Stick to Dover Beach.
Ke Huang
It surprised me how many religious references this book made. I like how it gave me an idea of the intellectual debates and environment from the time.
Jason Williams
A late Romantic gasping for air in the onslaught of the West's new religion: liberalism and *free market* capitalism.
Laura
It takes awhile to understand, but it really enlightened me to the depths of literary criticism.
megan
are you a barbarian, a philistine, or just part of the populace? read this book and find out.
Steve
High culture saving the world through its dissemination of "sweetness and light"
Greg
Blow it out your ass, Arnold. What, am I too Hebraistic for you?
Megan
Feb 20, 2008 Megan marked it as to-read
Mentioned several times in Status Anxiety.
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Culture and Anarchy & Other Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)
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Culture and Anarchy (Paperback)
Culture and Anarchy (Paperback)
Culture and Anarchy (ebook)

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Matthew Arnold was an English poet, sage writer and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator.
More about Matthew Arnold...
Dover Beach and Other Poems Selected Poems The Function of Criticism at the Present Time The Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold Poetry And Criticism Of Matthew Arnold

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“For what can give a finer example of that frankness and manly self- confidence which our great public schools, and none of them so much as Eton, are supposed to inspire, of that buoyant ease in holding up one's head, speaking out what is in one's mind, and flinging off all sheepishness and awkwardness, than to see an Eton assistant-master offering in fact himself as evidence that to combine boarding-house- keeping with teaching is a good thing, and his brother as evidence that to train and race little boys for competitive examinations is a good thing?” 2 people liked it
“The sterner self of the Populace likes bawling, hustling, and smashing; the lighter self, beer.” 1 person liked it
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