Marcia Marxist Theory

7/27/2019 Marcia Marxist Theory

1/21

Marxist Literary TheoryMarxist Literary Theory

A form of critique or

discourse forinterrogating all societies

and their texts in terms

of certain specific issues

including race, class,

and the attitudes shared

within a given culture.


2/21

Historical Development

Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883)

Friedrich Engles (1820-1895)

German Writers, Philosophers, Social Critics Coauthored The Communist Manifesto

Declared that the capitalists, or the

bourgeoisie, had successfully enslaved the

working class, or the proletariat, througheconomic policies and control of the

production of goods


3/21

Who was Karl Marx?

Born in Trier, Germany in 1818

German philosopher who rejectedthe tenets of Romanticism in favor ofphilosophy of dialectical materialism.

Criticized the injustice inherent in the

European class/capitalist system ofeconomics operating in the 19thCentury.

Believed that capitalism allowed thebourgeoisie to benefit at the expense

of the workers. The Commun ist Manifesto.

Das Kapital, analyzes the capitalistform of wealth production and itsconsequences for culture.


4/21

Assumptions

In America, for example, the capitalists exploit

the working classes, determine their salaries

and working conditions, and other elements of

their lives. From this base, arises thesuperstructurea multitude of social and legal

institutions, political and education systems,

religious beliefs, values, and a body of art and

literature that one social class uses to keepmembers of the working class in check.


5/21

Marxist Criticism

A Marxist critic may begin such an analysis

by showing how an authors text reflects

his or her ideology through an examination

of the fictional worlds characters, settings,society, or any other aspect of the text.

The critic may then launch an investigation

into


6/21

Marxist Criticism

1. The authors social class

2. Its effects upon the authors society

3. Examining the history and the culture ofthe times as reflected in the text

4. Investigate how the author either

correctly or incorrectly pictures thishistorical period


7/21

Marxist Literary Theory

Focuses on the representation of

class distinctions and class conflict inliterature

Focuses more on social and political

elements than artistic and visual(aesthetic) elements of a text


8/21

How does the authors social andeconomic class show through the work?

Does the work support the economic andsocial status quo, or does it advocate

change?

What roles does the class system play inthe work?

Questions Raised By the

Marxist Literary Lens


9/21

Questions Raised By the Marxist

Literary Lens

What role does class play in the work; what

is the authors analysis of class relations?

How do characters overcome oppression?

What does the work say about oppression;or are social conflicts ignored or blamed

elsewhere?


10/21

Questions Raised By the Marxist

Literary Lens

Does the work propose some form ofutopian vision as a solution to the problemsencountered in the work?

In what ways does the work serve aspropaganda for the status quo; or does it try

to undermine it?

Does the literature reflect the authors ownclass or analysis of class relations?


11/21

Key Terms

Materialism

Classism

Commodification

ProletariatBourgeoisie

Capitalism


12/21

Ask Questions

Is there an objection to socialism?

Does the text raise criticism about the emptinessof life in bourgeois society?

What does the author portray about society?

What is emphasized, what is ignored?

Are characters from all social levels equally

sketched?

Are the main problems individual or collective?


13/21

How to Use

Expose class conflict

Who or what is thedominant class?

What does thedominant classbelieve?

How do they imposetheir beliefs onothers?

Show how the

working class is

trapped

Show how the

working class is

oppressed Show how the

working class can end

their own oppression


14/21

Marxist Literary Theory

Materialist Criticism

Social Criticism

Committed Criticism


15/21

Applying Marxist Literary

Theory to Texts


16/21

Excerpt from Run w i th the

Horsemenby Ferrol Sams The colored folk were beginning their revival service, which

they called Big MeetingThey were, however, having dinneron the grounds today, and the boy was eager to go. He hadextracted an invitation from Ole John Tom the eveningbeforeThere were certain unwritten but nonetheless well-

defined barriers of mutual respect between the races. Nowherehas the doctrine of religious freedom been more openlyextended than in the rural post-Reconstruction South, except,of course, to Catholics and Jews. As long as a groupdesignated itself Baptist, almost any code of behaviour was

acceptable. One did not, however, attend a strange church outof idle curiosity. Certainly one did not traverse racial lines as atitillated spectator. Although no one had ever bothered to tellthe boy that he should not go to a colored church, he knewwithin his heart that such a venture was strictly taboo. Heconsequently went about obtaining permission to go with Ole

John Tom in a very circuitous fashion (Sams 241).


17/21

Excerpt from Run w i th the

Horsemenby Ferrol Sams The boy stayed busy on the farm all that summer. Buddy came

to him early in the season and persuaded him to talk to hisfather. As a result he and Buddy had five acres of watermelonsthat they were raising on halves. The father furnished the land,

the mules, the fertilizer, and the seed. Buddy and the boyfurnished the labor. It would be their responsibility to harvestand sell the melons. When the crop was finished, they wouldhave a settling-up day. All the money would be turned in, thefertilizer and seed bills would be presented and halved, and

then the profits would be split down the middle, one half to thefather, the other half to Buddy and the boy. That was standardprocedure for all the tenants on the farm, except that the twoboys would not have to pay a grocery bill in addition (Sams205).


18/21

Union

Not me alone

I know now

But all the whole oppressed

Poor world,

White and black,Must put their hands with mine

To shake the pillars of those temples

Wherein the false gods dwell

And worn-out altars stand

Too well defended,

And the rule of greeds upheld

That must be ended.

Langston Hughes


19/21

Activity Re-cap

What should we expect to see through a

Marxist lens?

the political context of the text itself (places

the study of literature in the context ofimportant social questions)

that we as readers are socially constructed

subjects the idea that literature is a part of ideology


20/21

References

Appleman, Deborah. Critical Encounters in High School English: Teaching Literary Theory to

Adolescents. New York, Teachers College Press, 2000.

Brewton, Vince. Marxism. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2002.

14 Sept. 2004 < http://www.iep.utm.edu/literary.htm >.

Brizee, Allen. Karl Marx. Marxist Literary Criticism. 2000. 18 Sept. 2004.

Karl Marx. 15 Sept. 2004 < http://ni206173181.blogspot.com >.

Mansour, Dr. Wisam. Marxist Literary Theory. 2000. 16 Sept. 2004

< www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy4573/Lectures/marxism.html >.

Schakel and Ridl.Approaching Poetry: Perspectives and Responses.New York: St. Martins Press,

1997.

Marxism. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 14. Sept. 2004 < en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism >.
http://www.iep.utm.edu/literary.htmhttp://athena.english.vt.edu/~hbrizee/marxindex.htmhttp://ni206173181.blogspot.com/http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy4573/Lectures/marxism.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy4573/Lectures/marxism.htmlhttp://ni206173181.blogspot.com/http://athena.english.vt.edu/~hbrizee/marxindex.htmhttp://www.iep.utm.edu/literary.htm


21/21

Works Cited

Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticism: An

Introduction to Theory and Practice.

Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1994.

Murfin, Ross and Ray, Supryia. The

Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary

Terms. Boston/New York: Bedford/St.

Martins, 2003.

Documents

Marcia Marxist Theory