The poem ‘Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse’ into a high extend very personal and seeks to give a description of Arnold’s own predicaments in his bid to settle down for a faith that would guarantee his life importance. Throughout the poem, the themes of alienation and self-discovery are very evident since Arnold has to encounter the aspects of religion, rationalism, romanticism among others in his entire struggle.
All along the text, Arnold sought to exist in a purely ideal society devoid of the chaos concerning the social, moral as well as the political set up of his immediate society. Inasmuch as knowledge, democracy and social conscience were gaining way in the society, challenges related to injustice and desperation still existed. The issue of political conflict fuelled by the urge to undertake social change during the French regime led to incidences of exploitation and
...dehumanization of individuals who were fighting for industrialism. Additionally, discoveries in science encouraged spiritual enhancement notwithstanding the truths. The whole period within which all this took place was characterized by cases of inadequacy and spiritual deprivation. It is exactly at this situation where Arnold was placed, a clear indication of a highly idealistic individual who existed in the breadth of spiritual apprehensiveness. He fought greatly against the personal challenges that came along with the current age.
Moreover, Arnold is depicted as a man who lived a deeply buried lifestyle. The entire Victorian age encompassed a life whereby the sense of self was completely submerged hence an individual could not make a complain but only subscribe to the already set societal traditions and spiritual set up. The discovered science of evolution brought along more harm
than good to matters relating to materialism and spiritual advancement of individuals. Additionally, the struggle to attain equality as well as freedom brought along high levels of social tension and egotism. Given that all this took place in an age where growth and development were the key elements, the current state of affairs blurred hope which led to the despair of individuals.
Nevertheless, the poem serves to manifest the manner in which the sense of self is made to retreat into an enclosed situation which is dominated by spiritual hibernation. The poet states:
” The chapel, where no organ's peal
Invests the stern and naked prayer—
With penitential cries they kneel
And wrestle; rising then, with bare
And white uplifted faces stand,
Passing the Host from hand to hand;”
The poet uses buried life as a metaphor symbolic of the bad state of life that he was undergoing. Furthermore, it serves to show the real sense of self while upholding the social and spiritual values all of which are the constituents of an all-round individual. It is also imperative to note that the use of metaphor serves to show the position of an individual while taking into consideration the aspects of time and nature. The manner in which Arnold tries to portray the idea of self is rather far-reaching.
On the other hand, the aspects of questioning religious beliefs and seeking for another form of truths in matters like agnosticism evolved into a major factor as far as the new spiritual revolution brought about by the French revolution was concerned. However, despite of the fact that the changes in modernism led to freedom from the past illogical states of bondage, it was also discovered
that the current spirit posed a challenge of vulgarizing the society and posing destructive influences to the society.
The state of isolation or even loneliness is very detrimental and demeaning in one’s life. In connection to this, Arnold is in exactly this state and he is very concerned about it since it makes the society very dehumanized. He still holds to his stand which aims at living a perfect social, political and religious life which in real sense proves to be a difficult undertaking since some of the elements have been prohibited by the societal beliefs.
At some point, Arnold writes a letter to his friend displaying the situation in the Victorian age as well as his opposition of the Zeitgeist which eventually betrayed his sad state consequentially leading to perseverance amidst all the state of moral decadency. This is Oh, hide me in your gloom profound,
Ye solemn seats of holy pain!
Take me, cowl'd forms, and fence me round,
Till I possess my soul again;
Till free my thoughts before me roll,
Not chafed by hourly false control!
It is apparent that in making this statement, the author aims at exposing the social problems that were dominant in the Victorian age as well as highlight the various moral concerns that were brought about by the scramble for materialism and insincerity between individuals. The message here is Arnold’s resolution to fight against all the odds in a bid to do away with the retrogressive habits related to the Victorian age. All along, it is very evident that Arnold was fiercely fighting for his freedom as well as trying to discover more about humanity and their various beliefs. The poet says:
Oh, hide me
in your gloom profound,
Ye solemn seats of holy pain!
Take me, cowl'd forms, and fence me round,
Till I possess my soul again;
Till free my thoughts before me roll,
Not chafed by hourly false control!
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