Edwin Arnold

Sir Edwin Arnold (10 June 1832 – 24 March 1904) was an English poet and journalist. He is best known for his 1879 work, The Light of Asia.

Born in Gravesend, Kent, Arnold's early education at King's School, Rochester, and later at King's College London and University College, Oxford, laid the groundwork for his career. Initially a schoolmaster and later the Principal of the Deccan College in India, Arnold's experiences abroad influenced his literary endeavors. He became associated with The Daily Telegraph, serving as its editor-in-chief, and facilitated H. M. Stanley's exploration of Africa. Arnold's poem, The Light of Asia, an exploration of Buddhist philosophy through the life of Prince Gautama, earned him widespread acclaim. Despite the success of this work, his later attempts to emulate its triumph with The Light of the World centered on Jesus Christ, faced mixed reception. Arnold's personal life was marked by multiple marriages, including one to a Japanese woman, reflecting his deep engagement with Japanese culture as evidenced in his writings. An advocate for vegetarianism, he played a significant role in the West London Food Reform Society alongside figures like Mahatma Gandhi. Arnold died at the age of 77, in London, in 1904.