The Buried Life

"But, often, in the world's most crowded streets,
But often, in the din of strife, 
There rises an unspeakable desire
After the knowledge of our buried life; 
A thirst to spend our fire and restless force
In tracking out our true, original source;
A longing to inquire
Into the mystery of this heart which beats
So wild, so deep in us..." (lines 45-53)

Arnold’s writing The Buried Life addresses a symbol I find very common in Victorian literature – light and life.  Light meaning progress and change, or knowledge and wisdom. Life meaning women and the soul they bring, and literally they give when giving life to a human.  In the case of my analysis, I will use the life metaphor as being women and the goodness they bring.  Society at this time seems to have needed a lot of light - gentleness, progress, wisdom, goodness. Life was being crushed and destroyed by the harsh conditions of the factories and the cities in which the people lived and worked.  There had been a lot of change, but still more was being sought after. Knowledge was what was pushing the progress and development forward. Yet, as in all things, society wasn't satisfied with what there was to be found, and was, therefore, pushing the gentleness of women down.  By saying that life is buried, I find that Arnold is referring to the true character of women.  Arnold's poem points out faults and contrasts them to the gentleness of nature, almost saying to society that they need to come back to the basics that were given by women at the very beginning of life, and stop forcing them back into the unknown; relying too much on technology and science.
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“And long we try in vain to speak and act 
Our hidden self, and what we say and do 
Is eloquent, is well – but ‘tis not true!” (lines 64-66)

I feel that women are being directly addressed in this.  He is giving them a call to come forth and take charge of their lives and their surroundings.  They have been repressed for to long; their virtues, knowledge, and experience being shielded from society and therefore stunting its growth.