A thought-provoking correspondence in the Guardian's letters page has suggested that a famous quotation by the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci may have earlier roots in the work of the English poet Matthew Arnold.
Between Two Worlds: A Literary Connection
The discussion was sparked by Patrick Wintour's article, 'Into the void: how Trump killed international law', published on 25 December. Wintour opened his piece with the Gramsci line: "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born."
Reader Hugh Macmillan from Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire, pointed out a striking parallel. He noted that Gramsci, as a critical sociologist, would likely have known Arnold's verses from his poem 'Stanzas from the Grande Chartreuse': "Wandering between two worlds, one dead / The other powerless to be born…" Macmillan's letter implies the celebrated Gramsci quote might be an adaptation of this earlier Victorian sentiment.
A Selection of Witty Reader Contributions
The literary debate was part of a wider collection of brief letters covering diverse topics. On the subject of renaming Washington as 'Trumpton', Jim Hatley from Brighton, East Sussex, referenced the 1985 song 'Trumpton Riots' by Half Man Half Biscuit. He noted the track warns of socialists storming the market square to assassinate an autocratic figure.
Another reader, Alan Apperley from Cannock, Staffordshire, chimed in on the story about spoof signs in Christchurch. He shared a gem from Stamford which reads: "On this site Sept. 5, 1782 nothing happened."
Politics, Memory, and Christmas Messages
The letters also tackled contemporary political figures. Rhoda Koenig from London questioned a Guardian phrase describing Nigel Farage's victims as being "on the wrong end of racist or antisemitic abuse" in a report from 28 December. She pointedly asked: "Is there a right end?"
In a festive note, Dr John Doherty from Stratford-upon-Avon observed that Kemi Badenoch was the only party leader to mention the birth of Christ in her Christmas message, wryly pondering if the Tories had found a saviour.
Finally, on a lighter note about modern television consumption, Ian Harley from Fair Oak, Hampshire, proposed a stage of life beyond not having seen the best TV shows of 2025: being unable to remember whether you had seen them at all.
The Guardian's letters section continues to provide a platform for these eclectic, insightful, and often witty public responses to the news of the day.
