Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A form of critique or
discourse for
interrogating all societies
and their texts in terms
of certain specific issues
including race, class,
and the attitudes shared
within a given culture.
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, through
economic policies and control of the
production of goods
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 the
superstructurea 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 keep
members of the working class in check.
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
Marxist Criticism
1. The authors social class
2. Its effects upon the authors society
3. Examining the history and the culture of
the times as reflected in the text
4. Investigate how the author either
correctly or incorrectly pictures this
historical period
Key Terms
Proletariat
Bourgeoisie
Capitalism
Materialism
Classism
Commodification
Ask Questions
Is there an objection to socialism?
Does the text raise criticism about the emptiness
of 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?
How to Use
Expose class conflict
Who or what is the
dominant class?
What does the
dominant class
believe?
How do they impose
their beliefs on
others?
Committed Criticism
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
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 of
important social questions)
that we as readers are socially constructed
subjects
the idea that literature is a part of ideology
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
<http://athena.english.vt.edu/~hbrizee/marxindex.htm >.
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 >.
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.