a) He challenges the traditional notion of “high culture.”
- Williams critiques the long-standing separation between “high culture” (art, literature, elite traditions) and the rest of social life.
- He argues that equating culture only with elite artistic achievement is limiting and ideologically loaded.
This makes Statement A true.
b) He expands the meaning of culture to include everyday life.
- For Williams, culture is not confined to the arts; it encompasses shared practices, beliefs, values, and social institutions.
- His influential definition: “Culture is ordinary.”
- This aligns fully with the idea that culture is a “whole way of life.”
This makes Statement C true.
Statement B: “It overlooks the idea of high culture.” — FALSE
- Williams does not overlook high culture; in fact, he analyzes it deeply.
- He discusses thinkers like Arnold, Carlyle, Ruskin, and Leavis precisely to show how high culture was historically constructed as a response to industrial modernity.
- He critiques high-culture ideology but never ignores it.
Statement D: “It equates culture with science.” — FALSE
- Williams does the opposite.
- He distinguishes cultural values from scientific rationalism and argues against reducing culture to technical or scientific progress.
- He critiques the narrowing of culture to scientific measurement.
Year-wise PYQs
