Exploration of Self in Matthew Arnold's The Buried Life
One of the modes of poetry theme and content was that of psychological exploration of self, as characterized by the poem "The Buried Life" by Matthew Arnold. Class structure and gender roles were vividly looked at in depth, "definitions of masculinity and femininity were earnestly contested throughout the period, with increasing sharp assaults on traditional roles..." (Longman, p. 1888). What it was to be a man (or woman) was frequently in question, and much of Victorian poetry addressed this.
Arnold felt that, "literature must directly address the moral needs of readers." (Longman, p. 2017) He felt a need to instruct and educate society to a fuller understanding of its democratic goals. "The Buried Life" can be seen as man's struggle against society's forced class and gender roles.
The poem speaks with an "I" point of view, something that was new for the Victorian era, yet which became an increasing mode throughout poetry. We know not who the "I" is in this poem, and I would doubt that it reflects the author himself.
The character of this poem, right from the beginning feels a sadness that comes from the inner struggle between what society depicts as "should" and what a person really feels, "I feel a nameless sadness o'er me roll,/ yes, yes, we know that we can jest,/ we know we, we know that we can smile!/ But there's a something in this breast/ to which thy light words bring no rest." (3-7) There is the beginning sense here that he is starting to see conflict within himself, first characterized by his emotions.
In the second stanza of the poem, nearly all the lines reflect the characters feeling of powerlessness to put a voice to this inner struggle, to be...
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...coolness play upon his face,/ and an unwonted calm pervades his breast." (94-95)
Freudian theory would call this poem a conflict between the pleasure principle "craves only pleasures...ignoring moral and sexual boundaries established by society" and the reality principle "that part of the psyche that recognizes the need for societal standards and regulations." (Bressler, p. 180) "The Buried Life" adequately portrays this inner struggle between the self and society, between was is felt and what is acceptable. I believe that is what Arnold was attempting, to enlighten his readers of this inner struggle and sense of self in a time when strong moral character was being questioned.
WORDS CITED
1. Bressler, Charles. Literary Criticism. Prentice Hall, New Jersey, C. 1999
2. Longman Anthology of British Literature. Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, C. 2000.
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