Culture and Anarchy: An Essay in Political and Social Criticism

Arnold divides English society into three main classes: the “Barbarians” (aristocracy), the “Philistines” (the middle class), and the “Populace” (the working class). Does Arnold’s characterization of each class reflect Victorian social norms and prejudices more generally? Does he challenge Victorian assumptions about class in any way, and if so, how?

Arnold frequently refers to the pressing religious controversies of his day throughout Culture and Anarchy. What role do these religious controversies play in illustrating key aspects of Arnold’s cultural thought? What is the relationship between culture and religion more generally in Culture and Anarchy?

Arnold argues that both Hebraism and Hellenism have played—and continue to play in his own day—important roles in the development of English culture and society. How does Arnold characterize the influence of each in English history? In what ways, and to what extent, are both Hebraism and Hellenism necessary in Western culture as a whole?