>[!citation] >Arnold, M. (1880). The study of poetry. http://www.bartleby.com/28/5.html. >![[Index of references.base#citation|no-toolbar]] >[!abstract] >Matthew Arnold's "The Study of Poetry" (1880) is a foundational literary essay arguing that poetry will increasingly replace religion and philosophy as humanity's primary guide. He advocates for strict critical standards, evaluating poetry based on its "high seriousness" and its capacity to act as a genuine "criticism of life".