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About this quote

What does it mean?
Poetry holds the highest status among literary forms.
In plain terms
Poetry is the top form of literature.
What can you take from it?
Value poetry as the peak of literary art.

Where it applies

  • literary discussion
  • education

Putting it to work

  • prioritize poetry reading
  • study poetic techniques

Questions to consider

  • Why is poetry considered superior?
  • What makes literature great?

Another view

Other forms like novels may be equally important to some.

More from Matthew Arnold

  1. It is important, therefore, to hold fast to this: that poetry is at bottom a criticism of life; that the greatness of a poet lies in his powerful and beautiful…

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  2. The same heart beats in every human breast.

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  3. A beautiful and ineffectual angel [Shelley], beating in the void his luminous wings in vain.

    Permalink to quote #117

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