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Questions and Answers
Who wrote the extract that prefaced Arnold's poem?
Who wrote the extract that prefaced Arnold's poem?
What was the Oxford student trying to achieve by joining the gipsies?
What was the Oxford student trying to achieve by joining the gipsies?
What did the gipsies have among them, according to Glanvill's story?
What did the gipsies have among them, according to Glanvill's story?
Who is argued to be the identity of the mysterious figure in the story?
Who is argued to be the identity of the mysterious figure in the story?
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What mode does Arnold begin the poem in?
What mode does Arnold begin the poem in?
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What does Arnold imagine the scholar gipsy as?
What does Arnold imagine the scholar gipsy as?
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What is the result of the scholar gipsy renouncing the life of mortal men?
What is the result of the scholar gipsy renouncing the life of mortal men?
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Why does Arnold doubt the scholar gipsy's immortality?
Why does Arnold doubt the scholar gipsy's immortality?
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What wears out the life of mortal men, according to Arnold?
What wears out the life of mortal men, according to Arnold?
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What is the state of the scholar gipsy, according to Arnold?
What is the state of the scholar gipsy, according to Arnold?
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What is the theme of 'The Scholar Gipsy' that Arnold warns against?
What is the theme of 'The Scholar Gipsy' that Arnold warns against?
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When was 'The Scholar Gipsy' written?
When was 'The Scholar Gipsy' written?
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What is the significance of the Cumner hills in the poem?
What is the significance of the Cumner hills in the poem?
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What is the companion-piece of 'The Scholar Gipsy'?
What is the companion-piece of 'The Scholar Gipsy'?
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Where was 'The Scholar Gipsy' first published?
Where was 'The Scholar Gipsy' first published?
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What does Arnold think the complaining millions of men want?
What does Arnold think the complaining millions of men want?
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What does John William Mackail say about 'The Scholar Gipsy'?
What does John William Mackail say about 'The Scholar Gipsy'?
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What does Edmund Blunden say about the poem?
What does Edmund Blunden say about the poem?
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What does F.R. Leavis say the poem offers?
What does F.R. Leavis say the poem offers?
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What does the Scholar-Gipsy symbolize according to F.R. Leavis?
What does the Scholar-Gipsy symbolize according to F.R. Leavis?
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Study Notes
The Poem "The Scholar Gipsy"
- The poem is prefaced with an extract from Glanvill, telling the story of an impoverished Oxford student who joins a band of gipsies and learns their secrets.
- The student, who claims to have learned everything the gipsies can teach, plans to leave and share their secrets with the world.
The Story of the Scholar Gipsy
- The poem begins with a pastoral scene, describing a rural area near Oxford, and then repeats the story of the scholar gipsy.
- The scholar gipsy is said to be a shadowy figure, still seen in the countryside, waiting for inspiration from heaven.
- The poet imagines having seen the scholar gipsy himself, but entertains doubts about his continued existence.
The Scholar Gipsy's Immortality
- The scholar gipsy is free from the fatigue and doubt that comes with trying many things and being baffled.
- He is not subject to ageing and death, having renounced the life of mortal men.
Critique of Modern Life
- The poem critiques modern life as having "sick hurry" and "divided aims", which can be exhausting and lead to death.
- The poet implores the scholar gipsy to avoid those who suffer from this disease.
Writing and Publication
- The poem was written in 1853, possibly after "Sohrab and Rustum".
- It was first published in Arnold's Poems (1853) and later appeared in various anthologies, including The Oxford Book of English Verse and Palgrave's Golden Treasury.
Critical Opinions
- The poem has been criticized for only evoking a "pleasing melancholy" and not animating or ennobling the reader.
- Others have praised the poem as capturing the essence of Oxford and representing the "living ghost" of each individual's recollections and wishes.
- Some have seen the poem as a symbol of Victorian poetry, offering a charm of relaxation and a holiday from serious aims.
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Description
Explore the story behind Matthew Arnold's poem, which tells the tale of an Oxford student who joins a band of gipsies and uncovers their secrets of traditional learning and imagination.
