Question

What is Arnold’s critical method for evaluating poetry called?

• A. The Aesthetic Method
• B. The Romantic Approach
• C. The Touchstone Method
• D. The Realist Method

Answer 1

Answer:

C. The Touchstone Method

• Matthew Arnold's critical method for evaluating poetry is called the "Touchstone Method."

• In The Study of Poetry, Arnold suggests that the best way to judge the quality of a poem is to compare it with short passages from the greatest works of poetry, which serve as "touchstones" or benchmarks of excellence.

• He recommends using lines from poets like Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Milton to determine whether a poem possesses "high seriousness"—a combination of truth, beauty, and profound moral insight.

This method emphasizes that truly great poetry has a universal and enduring quality that can be recognized through direct comparison with the best literary works.