Shakespeare
Matthew Arnold
Detailed Explanation Of The Poem
Stanza 1
The poet says that other poets and dramatists put up with the questioning of the other people but he
(Shakespeare) doesn’t answer their questions. Though the other poets and dramatists keep on asking him, he
keeps quiet and merely smiles in a mysterious way; the reason for it being beyond the knowledge of all. This is
because even the highest mountain which makes the top most sky its abode and the sea its base, where it stands
very firmly, allows merely a hazy view of its borders to fulfill the vain searching attempts of mankind. Like this
mountain, whose greatness is known only to god, we cannot understand the depth of Shakespeare’s mind and all
our efforts to comprehend his greatness prove pointless.
Stanza 2
In the second stanza of the poem, the poet addresses Shakespeare and says that his thoughts and imaginations
soared high upto the sky, in the midst of the stars and the sun, much beyond the readers’ capability to
understand his thoughts.
The poet praises Shakespeare as being a man who was self taught in the school of life. He himself examined
and critically scrutinized his own works. He honoured himself as nobody honoured him during his lifetime. He
was convinced of the excellence of his works. He lived on earth without being understood by anyone. However,
the poet says that it was good for all.
Stanza 3
In the third stanza the poet says that human souls have to bear all the sufferings and sorrows. Humans have to
suffer many hardships and misfortunes throughout their life. Shakespeare depicted these sorrowful experiences
in his works. Without himself being affected, he gave them expression and emerged triumphant from his painful
trial.
Poem Notes
Others: Other writers and poets.
abide: put up with / stick to.
ask and ask: keep on asking.
Out-topping: going over the top / exceeding the limit.
uncrowns: exposes / to expose.
steadfast: determined.
heaven of heavens: the uppermost sky.
cloudy border of this base: the hazy border of its foundation.
foil’d: beaten, failed.
mortality: here, mankind.
self-school’d: self-taught.
self-scann’d: self-examined.
tread: walked.
unguess’d: not estimated.
immortal spirit: the soul.
endure: tolerate.
impairs: cause harm.
griefs: sorrows.
sole: one and only.
victorious brow: successful and on the top.
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