William Wordsworth once said that, ""if the quantity of time consumed in writing critiques on the works of others were given to original composition, of whatever kind it might be, it would be much better employed"" (2103). By acknowledging this view, and then creating a rational argument against it, Arnold's essay helped to send the genre into a new direction, as well as to create a new respect for it. ... This is to say that the poet should understand the world about which he is writing, and it takes a very critical analysis to do this. ... However, by the time that Arnold was writin...

• Word Count: 1537
• Approx Pages: 6