Culture and Anarchy: An Essay in Political and Social Criticism

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1869

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface-Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6-Conclusion

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Chapter 5Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 5 Summary

In Chapter 5, Arnold more closely assesses the importance of Hellenism and the role it can now play in English culture. He associates Hellenism with the essence of true culture, admitting, “Sweetness and light evidently have to do with the bent or side in humanity which we call Hellenic” (350-351). He praises the ancient Greek influence, especially their deep love of beauty and nature.

Arnold argues that English culture has long leaned toward Hebraism at the expense of developing the Hellenic side: “[t]he ruling force is now [in England], and long has been, a Puritan force, the care for fire and strength, strictness of conscience, Hebraism, rather than the care for sweetness and light, spontaneity of consciousness, Hellenism” (354). Arnold acknowledges that many of his critics—and critics of culture more generally—still argue in favor of Hebraism and its “fire and strength,” believing that its pragmatism and strictness are the best things for English society.

Arnold responds to such critiques by saying that the Puritan influence in England has been too dominant for too long, leading to narrowmindedness and a lack of expansiveness. He concedes that Hebraism has its uses and that, in certain circumstances and at certain times, it is better for it to dominate a society over Hellenism. However, he asserts that the situation in England calls for Hellenism instead, writing, “at this particular moment, and for the great majority of [my] fellow countrymen, it [Hellenism] is more wanted” (358).

Arnold believes that literalism and narrowmindedness appear not just in religious matters in English society but on a wider level. He names the three most cherished things in English society as “industrial enterprise, bodily exercises, and freedom” (377), which are often pursued to the detriment or exclusion of other things. He argues that these three things—at least as the English conceive and pursue them—have had very little impact on wider world culture, whereas “Greek freedom and Greek gymnastics have attracted the love and praise of mankind” (379). Hellenism, and true culture’s pursuit of perfection, creates a more expansive and harmonious individual and society, enabling the individual to rise above their “ordinary self” (373) to which they would otherwise be captive.

Chapter 5 Analysis

Having defined “Hebraism” and “Hellenism” in more detail in Chapter 4, Arnold now turns his attention in Chapter 5 to explaining why Victorian England needs Hellenism as its main influence after centuries of domination by Hebraism.

Since Arnold claims that Hebraism is rigid and literal-minded, he draws a connection between these features and English “Puritanism,” a term which, in Arnold’s usage, is applied in a more general societal sense than to actual English Puritans as a historical sect. While Arnold admires the “fire and strength” (354) of Hebraism and by extension of English Puritanism, he argues that too much of this influence for too many centuries has robbed English culture of its vitality and spontaneity and—above all else—its “sweetness and light” (354). According to Arnold, Hebraism is sometimes a little too strict, and this can have a deleterious effect: “Nothing is more striking than to observe in how many ways a limited conception of human nature […] the disregard of a full and harmonious development of ourselves, tells injuriously on our thinking and acting” (358). Arnold believes that English culture is lacking in the “harmony” and balance that true culture seeks; to remedy this, Hellenism is the answer.

In naming the three main preoccupations of Victorian England as “industrial enterprise, bodily exercises, and freedom” (377), Arnold once again draws attention to two things he considers England’s greatest flaws: a love of industry and a misplaced notion of freedom. In comparing England unfavorably to the ancient Greeks, Arnold once more argues that there is something “provincial” about Victorian England’s sensibilities—in spite of its world empire, its influence is more political than cultural, to its detriment. Arnold argues that while these three things are not necessarily bad in and of themselves, the way in which Victorian society valorizes them and pursues them in narrow and insular ways is harmful. Without true culture, Englishmen fail to understand how to channel their values and activities to achieve the higher ends of total perfection.

Importantly, Arnold explicitly identifies “sweetness and light”—the essence of true culture, in Arnold’s formulation—with Hellenism instead of Hebraism. He writes, “sweetness and light evidently have to do with the bent or side in humanity we call Hellenic (350-51). In equating “sweetness and light” with Hellenism, Arnold pays Hellenism the highest possible compliment he can since, as a self-professed “believer in culture,” Arnold holds true culture as the highest possible good.