Introduction: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
“The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold first appeared in 1853 in the collection Empedocles on Etna, and Other Poems. The poem’s main ideas revolve around the contrast between the tranquil, unchanging life of the Scholar-Gypsy and the restless, dissatisfied nature of modern life. It explores themes of escape, the pursuit of a single ideal, and the loss of connection with nature and simplicity. Its popularity as a textbook poem stems from its beautiful descriptions of the English countryside, its evocative language, and its exploration of timeless human concerns. Phrases such as “the spark from Heaven,” representing a moment of inspiration or enlightenment, and the depiction of the Scholar-Gypsy as someone who “had one aim, one business, one desire,” have become widely quoted, encapsulating the poem’s central theme of unwavering dedication to a chosen path in contrast to the “sick hurry” and “divided aims” of modern existence. The poem also evokes a sense of nostalgia for a simpler, more connected past, a theme that resonates with many readers.
Text: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
Go, for they call you, Shepherd, from the hill;
Go, Shepherd, and untie the wattled cotes:
No longer leave thy wistful flock unfed,
Nor let thy bawling fellows rack their throats,
Nor the cropp’d grasses shoot another head.
But when the fields are still,
And the tired men and dogs all gone to rest,
And only the white sheep are sometimes seen
Cross and recross the strips of moon-blanch’d green;
Come Shepherd, and again begin the quest.
Here, where the reaper was at work of late,
In this high field’s dark corner, where he leaves
His coat, his basket, and his earthen cruise,
And in the sun all morning binds the sheaves,
Then here, at noon, comes back his stores to use;
Here will I sit and wait,
While to my ear from uplands far away
The bleating of the folded flocks is borne,
With distant cries of reapers in the corn—
All the live murmur of a summer’s day.
Screen’d is this nook o’er the high, half-reap’d field,
And here till sundown, Shepherd, will I be.
Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep,
And round green roots and yellowing stalks I see
Pale blue convolvulus in tendrils creep:
And air-swept lindens yield
Their scent, and rustle down their perfumed showers
Of bloom on the bent grass where I am laid,
And bower me from the August sun with shade;
And the eye travels down to Oxford’s towers:
And near me on the grass lies Glanvil’s book—
Come, let me read the oft-read tale again:
The story of that Oxford scholar poor,
Of pregnant parts and quick inventive brain,
Who, tired of knocking at Preferment’s door,
One summer morn forsook
His friends, and went to learn the gypsy lore,
And roam’d the world with that wild brotherhood,
And came, as most men deem’d, to little good,
But came to Oxford and his friends no more.
But once, years after, in the country lanes,
Two scholars, whom at college erst he knew,
Met him, and of his way of life inquired.
Whereat he answer’d that the gypsy crew,
His mates, had arts to rule as they desired
The workings of men’s brains;
And they can bind them to what thoughts they will:
‘And I,’ he said, ‘the secret of their art,
When fully learn’d, will to the world impart:
But it needs Heaven-sent moments for this skill!’
This said, he left them, and return’d no more,
But rumours hung about the country-side,
That the lost Scholar long was seen to stray,
Seen by rare glimpses, pensive and tongue-tied,
In hat of antique shape, and cloak of grey,
The same the Gipsies wore.
Shepherds had met him on the Hurst in spring;
At some lone alehouse in the Berkshire moors,
On the warm ingle-bench, the smock-frock’d boors
Had found him seated at their entering,
But ‘mid their drink and clatter, he would fly:
And I myself seem half to know thy looks,
And put the shepherds, Wanderer, on thy trace;
And boys who in lone wheatfields scare the rooks
I ask if thou hast pass’d their quiet place;
Or in my boat I lie
Moor’d to the cool bank in the summer heats,
‘Mid wide grass meadows which the sunshine fills,
And watch the warm green-muffled Cumnor hills,
And wonder if thou haunt’st their shy retreats.
For most, I know, thou lov’st retirèd ground.
Thee, at the ferry, Oxford riders blithe,
Returning home on summer nights, have met
Crossing the stripling Thames at Bablock-hithe,
Trailing in the cool stream thy fingers wet,
As the slow punt swings round:
And leaning backwards in a pensive dream,
And fostering in thy lap a heap of flowers
Pluck’d in shy fields and distant Wychwood bowers,
And thine eyes resting on the moonlit stream:
And then they land, and thou art seen no more.
Maidens who from the distant hamlets come
To dance around the Fyfield elm in May,
Oft through the darkening fields have seen thee roam,
Or cross a stile into the public way.
Oft thou hast given them store
Of flowers—the frail-leaf’d, white anemone—
Dark bluebells drench’d with dews of summer eves,
And purple orchises with spotted leaves—
But none has words she can report of thee.
And, above Godstow Bridge, when hay-time ‘s here
In June, and many a scythe in sunshine flames,
Men who through those wide fields of breezy grass
Where black-wing’d swallows haunt the glittering Thames,
To bathe in the abandon’d lasher pass,
Have often pass’d thee near
Sitting upon the river bank o’ergrown:
Mark’d thine outlandish garb, thy figure spare,
Thy dark vague eyes, and soft abstracted air;
But, when they came from bathing, thou wert gone.
At some lone homestead in the Cumnor hills,
Where at her open door the housewife darns,
Thou hast been seen, or hanging on a gate
To watch the threshers in the mossy barns.
Children, who early range these slopes and late
For cresses from the rills,
Have known thee watching, all an April day,
The springing pastures and the feeding kine;
And mark’d thee, when the stars come out and shine,
Through the long dewy grass move slow away.
In autumn, on the skirts of Bagley Wood,
Where most the Gipsies by the turf-edged way
Pitch their smoked tents, and every bush you see
With scarlet patches tagg’d and shreds of gray,
Above the forest-ground call’d Thessaly—
The blackbird picking food
Sees thee, nor stops his meal, nor fears at all;
So often has he known thee past him stray
Rapt, twirling in thy hand a wither’d spray,
And waiting for the spark from Heaven to fall.
And once, in winter, on the causeway chill
Where home through flooded fields foot-travellers go,
Have I not pass’d thee on the wooden bridge
Wrapt in thy cloak and battling with the snow,
Thy face towards Hinksey and its wintry ridge?
And thou hast climb’d the hill
And gain’d the white brow of the Cumnor range;
Turn’d once to watch, while thick the snowflakes fall,
The line of festal light in Christ Church hall—
Then sought thy straw in some sequester’d grange.
But what—I dream! Two hundred years are flown
Since first thy story ran through Oxford halls,
And the grave Glanvil did the tale inscribe
That thou wert wander’d from the studious walls
To learn strange arts, and join a gypsy tribe:
And thou from earth art gone
Long since and in some quiet churchyard laid;
Some country nook, where o’er thy unknown grave
Tall grasses and white flowering nettles wave—
Under a dark red-fruited yew-tree’s shade.
—No, no, thou hast not felt the lapse of hours.
For what wears out the life of mortal men?
‘Tis that from change to change their being rolls:
‘Tis that repeated shocks, again, again,
Exhaust the energy of strongest souls,
And numb the elastic powers.
Till having used our nerves with bliss and teen,
And tired upon a thousand schemes our wit,
To the just-pausing Genius we remit
Our worn-out life, and are—what we have been.
Thou hast not lived, why shouldst thou perish, so?
Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire:
Else wert thou long since number’d with the dead—
Else hadst thou spent, like other men, thy fire.
The generations of thy peers are fled,
And we ourselves shall go;
But thou possessest an immortal lot,
And we imagine thee exempt from age
And living as thou liv’st on Glanvil’s page,
Because thou hadst—what we, alas, have not!
For early didst thou leave the world, with powers
Fresh, undiverted to the world without,
Firm to their mark, not spent on other things;
Free from the sick fatigue, the languid doubt,
Which much to have tried, in much been baffled, brings.
O Life unlike to ours!
Who fluctuate idly without term or scope,
Of whom each strives, nor knows for what he strives,
And each half lives a hundred different lives;
Who wait like thee, but not, like thee, in hope.
Thou waitest for the spark from Heaven: and we,
Vague half-believers of our casual creeds,
Who never deeply felt, nor clearly will’d,
Whose insight never has borne fruit in deeds,
Whose weak resolves never have been fulfill’d;
For whom each year we see
Breeds new beginnings, disappointments new;
Who hesitate and falter life away,
And lose to-morrow the ground won to-day—
Ah, do not we, Wanderer, await it too?
Yes, we await it, but it still delays,
And then we suffer; and amongst us One,
Who most has suffer’d, takes dejectedly
His seat upon the intellectual throne;
And all his store of sad experience he
Lays bare of wretched days;
Tells us his misery’s birth and growth and signs,
And how the dying spark of hope was fed,
And how the breast was soothed, and how the head,
And all his hourly varied anodynes.
This for our wisest: and we others pine,
And wish the long unhappy dream would end,
And waive all claim to bliss, and try to bear,
With close-lipp’d Patience for our only friend,
Sad Patience, too near neighbour to Despair:
But none has hope like thine.
Thou through the fields and through the woods dost stray,
Roaming the country-side, a truant boy,
Nursing thy project in unclouded joy,
And every doubt long blown by time away.
O born in days when wits were fresh and clear,
And life ran gaily as the sparkling Thames;
Before this strange disease of modern life,
With its sick hurry, its divided aims,
Its heads o’ertax’d, its palsied hearts, was rife—
Fly hence, our contact fear!
Still fly, plunge deeper in the bowering wood!
Averse, as Dido did with gesture stern
From her false friend’s approach in Hades turn,
Wave us away, and keep thy solitude.
Still nursing the unconquerable hope,
Still clutching the inviolable shade,
With a free onward impulse brushing through,
By night, the silver’d branches of the glade—
Far on the forest-skirts, where none pursue,
On some mild pastoral slope
Emerge, and resting on the moonlit pales,
Freshen they flowers, as in former years,
With dew, or listen with enchanted ears,
From the dark dingles, to the nightingales.
But fly our paths, our feverish contact fly!
For strong the infection of our mental strife,
Which, though it gives no bliss, yet spoils for rest;
And we should win thee from they own fair life,
Like us distracted, and like us unblest.
Soon, soon thy cheer would die,
Thy hopes grow timorous, and unfix’d they powers,
And they clear aims be cross and shifting made:
And then thy glad perennial youth would fade,
Fade, and grow old at last, and die like ours.
Then fly our greetings, fly our speech and smiles!
—As some grave Tyrian trader, from the sea,
Descried at sunrise an emerging prow
Lifting the cool-hair’d creepers stealthily,
The fringes of a southward-facing brow
Among the Ægean isles;
And saw the merry Grecian coaster come,
Freighted with amber grapes, and Chian wine,
Green bursting figs, and tunnies steep’d in brine;
And knew the intruders on his ancient home,
The young light-hearted Masters of the waves;
And snatch’d his rudder, and shook out more sail,
And day and night held on indignantly
O’er the blue Midland waters with the gale,
Betwixt the Syrtes and soft Sicily,
To where the Atlantic raves
Outside the Western Straits, and unbent sails
There, where down cloudy cliffs, through sheets of foam,
Shy traffickers, the dark Iberians come;
And on the beach undid his corded bales.
Annotations: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
| Stanza | Summary and Annotation |
| 1 | The speaker calls the shepherd from his duties to begin the quest. The setting is pastoral, with imagery of moonlit fields and resting flocks. The quest symbolizes a yearning for deeper meaning and intellectual pursuit. |
| 2 | The speaker describes waiting in a serene nook of a field, listening to the ambient sounds of summer. This reflects a sense of peace and contemplation as he prepares to seek inspiration from the story of the Scholar-Gypsy. |
| 3 | The setting shifts to a high field with scarlet poppies and convolvulus creeping among the corn. Oxford’s towers are visible, connecting the natural world with intellectual heritage. This symbolizes the harmony between nature and learning. |
| 4 | The speaker recalls the story of the Scholar-Gypsy, a poor Oxford scholar who abandoned traditional academic life to join a gypsy tribe in pursuit of deeper, esoteric knowledge. This stanza highlights the tension between conventional success and spiritual fulfillment. |
| 5 | The Scholar-Gypsy’s encounter with two former college friends is narrated. He explains his pursuit of the gypsy’s art of controlling thoughts, which requires “Heaven-sent moments” to master, emphasizing his commitment to unique wisdom. |
| 6 | The Scholar-Gypsy becomes a legendary figure, seen wandering in rural settings. He appears detached, introspective, and elusive, embodying a life apart from the ordinary. This emphasizes his mystical and enigmatic nature. |
| 7 | The Scholar-Gypsy is depicted as wandering alone, avoiding the noise and distractions of everyday life. The imagery of pastoral England contrasts with the transient, mundane lives of common people. |
| 8 | The Scholar-Gypsy’s love for solitude and nature is reinforced. He is often seen near rivers and fields, nurturing his unique quest in quiet joy, symbolizing his detachment from societal concerns. |
| 9 | The Scholar-Gypsy is a part of the natural world, moving unnoticed by animals like blackbirds. This emphasizes his harmony with nature and his transcendent pursuit of knowledge. |
| 10 | The Scholar-Gypsy is portrayed wandering through snowy landscapes, indifferent to harsh weather. The imagery reinforces his enduring and timeless nature, in stark contrast to fleeting human concerns. |
| 11 | Reflecting on the Scholar-Gypsy’s death, the speaker acknowledges the passage of centuries but insists that the Scholar-Gypsy’s spirit, untarnished by worldly struggles, lives on in literature and imagination. |
| 12 | The Scholar-Gypsy’s single-minded focus and freedom from “the sick hurry and divided aims” of modern life are celebrated. He is idealized as a figure immune to the fatigue and doubts that plague ordinary lives. |
| 13 | The speaker contrasts the Scholar-Gypsy’s hope with the despair of modern humanity, which struggles with indecision and disillusionment. The stanza critiques the fragmented and restless nature of contemporary existence. |
| 14 | The speaker pleads for the Scholar-Gypsy to avoid the corrupting influence of modern life, which erodes clarity and vitality. The stanza reflects the poet’s concern for preserving untainted ideals. |
| 15 | The Scholar-Gypsy is urged to continue his timeless quest, avoiding the distractions and struggles of the modern world. The imagery of wandering through moonlit woods symbolizes his eternal search for higher truth. |
| 16 | The speaker concludes with a metaphor of a Tyrian trader fleeing Greek intruders, comparing the Scholar-Gypsy to one who must preserve his ancient wisdom from modern corruption. This reinforces the idea of protecting purity from intrusion. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
| Literary/Poetic Device | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “moon-blanch’d green” | The repetition of the initial consonant sound “m” emphasizes the visual imagery of the moonlit fields. |
| Allusion | “Glanvil’s book” | Refers to Joseph Glanvill, whose work inspired the Scholar-Gypsy legend, linking the poem to historical and literary texts. |
| Anaphora | “And then they land, and thou art seen no more. / And boys… / And maidens…” | The repetition of “And” at the beginning of lines creates a rhythmic flow and builds anticipation. |
| Assonance | “cropp’d grasses shoot another head” | The repetition of vowel sounds “o” and “a” creates a melodic quality in the line. |
| Contrast | “O Life unlike to ours! Who fluctuate idly… And each half lives a hundred different lives” | Highlights the Scholar-Gypsy’s focused purpose compared to modern life’s fragmented and restless existence. |
| Enjambment | “The eye travels down to Oxford’s towers: / And near me on the grass lies Glanvil’s book—” | Lines flow into one another without punctuation, reflecting the natural, unbroken rhythm of thought and observation. |
| Epiphora | “Thy hopes grow timorous, and unfix’d thy powers, / And thy clear aims be cross and shifting made” | Repetition of “thy” at the end of clauses emphasizes the Scholar-Gypsy’s potential corruption by modern life. |
| Imagery | “Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep” | Vivid visual imagery of nature creates a rich and picturesque description of the setting. |
| Irony | “But came to Oxford and his friends no more.” | Irony lies in the fact that the Scholar-Gypsy abandoned academia to seek knowledge but became immortalized in literature. |
| Juxtaposition | “Before this strange disease of modern life, / With its sick hurry, its divided aims” | Juxtaposes the simple, purposeful life of the Scholar-Gypsy with the chaos of modern existence. |
| Metaphor | “The spark from Heaven to fall” | Represents divine inspiration or a profound moment of understanding. |
| Mood | “Still nursing the unconquerable hope” | The contemplative and nostalgic mood evokes a longing for an idealized, timeless pursuit of truth. |
| Personification | “The just-pausing Genius we remit” | Abstract concepts like “Genius” are personified to represent humanity’s eventual surrender to fate. |
| Repetition | “Fly hence, our contact fear! / Still fly, plunge deeper” | Repetition of “fly” underscores the urgency of avoiding the corrupting influence of modern life. |
| Rhetorical Question | “Why shouldst thou perish, so?” | Invites the reader to reflect on the Scholar-Gypsy’s timeless nature and contrast with mortal men. |
| Symbolism | “moonlit stream” | The stream symbolizes a quiet, reflective state, linking the Scholar-Gypsy to nature and introspection. |
| Tone | “Ah, do not we, Wanderer, await it too?” | The tone is reflective and wistful, expressing a longing for spiritual fulfillment. |
| Visual Imagery | “And the eye travels down to Oxford’s towers” | Evokes a vivid mental picture of Oxford, connecting the intellectual and pastoral themes. |
| Volta | “But what—I dream! Two hundred years are flown” | The shift from a timeless narrative to a historical reflection introduces a turning point in perspective. |
| Zoomorphism | “Mark’d thine outlandish garb, thy figure spare, / Thy dark vague eyes, and soft abstracted air” | Attributes animalistic and ethereal qualities to the Scholar-Gypsy, emphasizing his mystique and otherworldly presence. |
Themes: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
1. The Quest for Higher Knowledge
At the heart of “The Scholar-Gypsy” is the Scholar-Gypsy’s unwavering pursuit of profound and esoteric knowledge, a quest that transcends ordinary academic pursuits. The titular character abandons the structured life of academia to explore the mystical arts of the gypsies, seeking a deeper understanding of the mind and spirit. This relentless quest is symbolized in the line: “The secret of their art, / When fully learn’d, will to the world impart.” Arnold contrasts this singular focus with the distractions and superficial goals of modern life, portraying the Scholar-Gypsy as an ideal figure, untouched by the “change to change” that exhausts human vitality. His life of dedication serves as a metaphor for intellectual and spiritual aspirations, highlighting the enduring value of curiosity and commitment to a higher purpose.
2. The Corrupting Influence of Modern Life
Arnold critiques the “strange disease of modern life,” describing it as fraught with “sick hurry, its divided aims, / Its heads o’ertax’d, its palsied hearts.” This characterization underscores the disconnection and fragmentation of contemporary existence, which contrasts sharply with the Scholar-Gypsy’s timeless and purposeful life. The poem suggests that modern life erodes clarity, vitality, and hope, making the Scholar-Gypsy a symbol of resistance to such degradation. By imploring him to “Fly hence, our contact fear!” Arnold emphasizes the urgency of preserving the purity of thought and spirit from the distractions of a restless society. The poem ultimately serves as both a critique of modernity and a lament for its loss of simplicity and depth.
3. Immortality Through Dedication
The Scholar-Gypsy is portrayed as an immortal figure, not in a literal sense, but through the enduring power of his singular dedication. Arnold contrasts this with the fleeting and dissipated lives of ordinary men who “half live a hundred different lives.” The Scholar-Gypsy’s commitment to one aim grants him an “immortal lot,” exempting him from the decay and exhaustion that characterize mortal existence. This theme resonates in the lines: “Thou hast not lived, why shouldst thou perish, so? / Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire.” By presenting him as a figure untouched by time, Arnold idealizes the purity and permanence of a life devoted to a singular, meaningful purpose.
4. Harmony Between Nature and the Human Spirit
Arnold sets the Scholar-Gypsy’s story within a pastoral landscape, rich with evocative descriptions of nature. The natural world becomes a sanctuary, reflecting the tranquility and purity of the Scholar-Gypsy’s life. Images such as “Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep” and “The moon-blanch’d green” create a serene backdrop that contrasts with the chaos of modernity. Nature serves as a source of inspiration and solace, allowing the Scholar-Gypsy to remain untainted by worldly concerns. This harmony suggests that immersion in nature can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe, reinforcing the Scholar-Gypsy’s role as a seeker of profound truths beyond the confines of civilization.
Literary Theories and “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
| Literary Theory | Explanation | References from the Poem |
| Romanticism | Romanticism emphasizes the individual’s connection to nature, spiritual pursuit, and rejection of societal constraints. | The Scholar-Gypsy’s retreat into nature and his rejection of academia align with Romantic ideals. For example: “Still fly, plunge deeper in the bowering wood!” |
| Modernism | Modernism critiques the alienation and fragmentation of contemporary life, often contrasting it with idealized or simpler pasts. | Arnold critiques “this strange disease of modern life, / With its sick hurry, its divided aims” while idealizing the Scholar-Gypsy’s timeless, purposeful existence. |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | Explores the motivations and unconscious desires driving individuals, often through archetypes and symbolic acts of rebellion or pursuit. | The Scholar-Gypsy represents an archetype of the seeker, driven by a desire for esoteric knowledge and self-discovery: “The spark from Heaven to fall.” |
| Pastoralism | Examines the idealization of rural life as a site of simplicity, purity, and harmony, often contrasting it with urban or modern chaos. | Arnold sets the poem in a serene, pastoral landscape: “Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep” and “moon-blanch’d green” to symbolize purity and spiritual focus. |
Critical Questions about “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
1. How does Arnold portray the tension between modernity and timeless ideals in “The Scholar-Gypsy”?
Arnold vividly contrasts the chaotic, fragmented nature of modern life with the focused, timeless ideals embodied by the Scholar-Gypsy. He critiques modernity as a “strange disease” characterized by “sick hurry, its divided aims, / Its heads o’ertax’d, its palsied hearts.” This description paints a bleak picture of contemporary existence, where individuals are consumed by the pressures of time and societal expectations. In contrast, the Scholar-Gypsy is depicted as untouched by these concerns, living a life of singular purpose and spiritual dedication. The lines, “Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire,” underscore the purity and clarity of his mission, making him a symbol of resistance to the exhausting demands of modernity. Through this juxtaposition, Arnold invites readers to reflect on their own fragmented lives and the possibility of transcending such disarray through dedication to a higher purpose.
2. What role does nature play in the poem’s depiction of the Scholar-Gypsy’s journey?
Nature is central to the portrayal of the Scholar-Gypsy as it serves as both a refuge and a source of inspiration. The pastoral setting is richly described with imagery of “scarlet poppies” and “moon-blanch’d green,” creating a tranquil, almost sacred atmosphere. This harmony between the Scholar-Gypsy and his environment symbolizes his alignment with timeless, unchanging truths, in contrast to the artificiality of modern life. Arnold describes scenes of the Scholar-Gypsy roaming “through the fields and through the woods,” emphasizing his deep connection to the natural world as a space for introspection and discovery. By placing the Scholar-Gypsy within this idyllic backdrop, Arnold suggests that nature provides the clarity and serenity needed for profound intellectual and spiritual pursuits, offering a stark contrast to the urban chaos of modernity.
3. How does Arnold use the figure of the Scholar-Gypsy to critique contemporary society?
The Scholar-Gypsy functions as a counterpoint to the disconnected, aimless existence of modern society. Arnold portrays him as an idealized figure who has transcended the trivial concerns of ordinary life by devoting himself to the pursuit of knowledge. This is contrasted with modern individuals who, as Arnold laments, “half live a hundred different lives,” dissipating their energy in meaningless endeavors. By highlighting the Scholar-Gypsy’s unwavering focus, Arnold critiques the lack of purpose in contemporary society and its tendency to erode the vitality of the human spirit. The line, “And thy clear aims be cross and shifting made,” serves as a warning about the corrupting influence of modern distractions. The Scholar-Gypsy becomes a symbol of resistance, embodying the possibility of living a meaningful life untainted by the pressures and superficialities of the modern world.
4. What does the Scholar-Gypsy represent in Arnold’s vision of immortality?
In Arnold’s vision, the Scholar-Gypsy achieves a form of immortality not through physical survival but through his unwavering dedication to a singular purpose. The poet contrasts this with the mortal lives of others, which are worn down by “repeated shocks” and “the elastic powers” of the soul being “numbed.” The Scholar-Gypsy’s immortality lies in his escape from these worldly struggles, as reflected in the line: “Thou hast not lived, why shouldst thou perish, so?” His steadfastness and timeless pursuit elevate him beyond the limitations of mortal life, granting him a symbolic permanence. Arnold’s reverence for the Scholar-Gypsy reflects a yearning for clarity and purpose, qualities that he believes modern life has eroded. Thus, the Scholar-Gypsy represents the enduring power of ideals and dedication, outlasting the ephemeral concerns of ordinary existence.
Literary Works Similar to “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
- “Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats
Similarity: Explores timeless beauty and contrasts it with the fleeting nature of human life, much like Arnold’s focus on the eternal pursuit of truth versus modernity’s transience. - “Tintern Abbey” by William Wordsworth
Similarity: Reflects on the harmony between nature and the human spirit, paralleling Arnold’s depiction of the Scholar-Gypsy’s connection to the natural world. - “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” by Lord Byron
Similarity: Emphasizes the Romantic ideal of the solitary wanderer seeking meaning and truth, akin to the Scholar-Gypsy’s spiritual and intellectual quest. - “The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith
Similarity: Critiques the loss of simplicity and pastoral beauty in modern life, echoing Arnold’s lament for the purity of the Scholar-Gypsy’s ideals. - “Adonais” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Similarity: Celebrates the immortality of the poetic and intellectual spirit, much like Arnold idealizes the Scholar-Gypsy’s timeless dedication to his quest.
Representative Quotations of “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “The strange disease of modern life, / With its sick hurry, its divided aims.” | Arnold critiques the chaotic nature of modernity, highlighting the mental and emotional fragmentation of contemporary society. | Modernism: Reflects alienation and disconnection prevalent in industrialized societies. |
| “Thou hadst one aim, one business, one desire.” | Describes the Scholar-Gypsy’s unwavering dedication to his quest for knowledge, contrasting with modern distractions. | Romanticism: Emphasizes the power of individual purpose and rejection of societal norms. |
| “Still fly, plunge deeper in the bowering wood!” | A plea to the Scholar-Gypsy to remain untainted by modernity, symbolizing a retreat into nature and purity. | Pastoralism: Idealizes nature as a refuge from societal corruption and a space for personal enlightenment. |
| “O life unlike to ours! Who fluctuate idly without term or scope.” | Arnold contrasts the focused life of the Scholar-Gypsy with the aimless lives of ordinary people. | Existentialism: Explores the search for meaning in a fragmented and purposeless world. |
| “The spark from Heaven to fall.” | Symbolizes divine inspiration or enlightenment that the Scholar-Gypsy seeks in his intellectual pursuits. | Transcendentalism: Highlights the pursuit of higher truths and spiritual awakening. |
| “Fly hence, our contact fear! / Still fly, plunge deeper in the bowering wood!” | A call for the Scholar-Gypsy to avoid contamination by the restlessness and despair of modernity. | Romanticism: Advocates for withdrawal from industrialized society to preserve spiritual and intellectual purity. |
| “Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep.” | Depicts the serene and harmonious natural world where the Scholar-Gypsy finds solace and inspiration. | Ecocriticism: Examines the relationship between humans and the natural environment. |
| “Thou hast not lived, why shouldst thou perish, so?” | Reflects on the Scholar-Gypsy’s immortality achieved through his unwavering dedication and freedom from worldly distractions. | Immortality through Art and Ideas: Highlights the transcendence of focused ideals over transient human struggles. |
| “This strange disease of modern life / With its sick hurry, its divided aims.” | Repeated critique of the modern world’s relentless pace and superficial pursuits. | Critique of Industrialization: Reflects the anxieties of the Victorian era about the effects of industrial progress. |
| “Still nursing the unconquerable hope.” | Celebrates the Scholar-Gypsy’s perseverance and commitment to his quest, symbolizing resilience and idealism. | Romantic Idealism: Focuses on the enduring pursuit of knowledge and hope as a counterpoint to societal disillusionment. |
Suggested Readings: “The Scholar-Gypsy” by Matthew Arnold
- Knickerbocker, William S. “Matthew Arnold’s Theory of Poetry.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 33, no. 4, 1925, pp. 440–50. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27533919. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
- Moldstad, David. “The Imagination in ‘The Vanity of Dogmatizing’ and ‘The Scholar-Gipsy’: Arnold’s Reversal of Glanvill.” Victorian Poetry, vol. 25, no. 2, 1987, pp. 159–72. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40002092. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
- O’Gorman, Francis. “Matthew Arnold and Rereading.” The Cambridge Quarterly, vol. 41, no. 2, 2012, pp. 245–61. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43492397. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
- GARBER, MARJORIE. “The Gypsy Scholar and the Scholar Gypsy.” Loaded Words, Fordham University Press, 2012, pp. 151–72. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt13x03g8.17. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
- Neiman, Fraser. “The Zeitgeist of Matthew Arnold.” PMLA, vol. 72, no. 5, 1957, pp. 977–96. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/460374. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.