“Thyrsis” is a pastoral elegy in memory of his friend, the poet Arthur Hugh Clough. The poem reflects on their friendship, their shared experiences as poets, and the loss of youthful ideals. The character Thyrsis was a shepherd in Virgil’s seventh Eclogue, who lost a singing match against Corydon.
The Eclogues also called the Bucolics, is the first of the three major works of the Latin poet Virgil. Corydon is a stock name for a shepherd in ancient Greek pastoral poems and fables, and in much later European literature.
Arnold takes on the persona of the shepherd Corydon, and Clough is represented as Thyrsis a traditional Greek name for a shepherd-poet. The poem mourns Clough’s death but also holds onto the hope that the ideals and aspirations of their youth can still be found, even in the midst of the poet’s busy city life. It reminisces about Clough’s glorious youth and the time when both he and Arnold roamed the Oxfordshire countryside.
These ideals are symbolized through elements such as the elm tree, the Scholar Gipsy, and the endeavor to rekindle them. It’s a tribute to their friendship and a reflection on the passage of time and the enduring power of memory and ideals. The poem is primarily remembered for its evocative lines that capture the picturesque view of Oxford from Boars Hill.
Arnold famously referred to Oxford as the “city of dreaming spires,” drawing inspiration from the stunning architectural beauty of the university buildings that adorn the cityscape.
Matthew Arnold wrote the poem in December 1865 as a tribute to his friend, the poet Arthur Hugh Clough, who had passed away in November 1861 at the age of only 42. The 24-stanza poem eulogizes a 10-line stanza. The poem serves as a heartfelt commemoration of Clough’s life and his significant contributions to literature and thought.
“Thyrsis” has been incorporated into Ralph Vaughan Williams’ composition, “An Oxford Elegy”
The poem conveys themes of nostalgia and loss, reflecting on the past and the ideals that both the poet and Clough once held. However, it also carries a sense of hope. The poet suggests that while these youthful ideals may have faded, they have not entirely vanished. He believes that he can rediscover them even amid the bustling life of the city if he listens to an inner voice that reminds him of his deeper purpose and the enduring values that guided his youth. In this way, the poem offers a sense of optimism and the possibility of rekindling what has been lost.