In literary theory, a Marxist interpretation reads the text as an expression of contemporary class struggle. Literature is not simply a matter of personal expression or taste. It somehow relates to the social and political conditions of the time. How it relates is of course up for debate.
Moreover, how can Marxism be used to analyze a literary text?
A Marxist analysis of a text will explore the ways in which the ruling influencers of society can be said to oppress the lower class in some shape or form, while acting with their own interests. This includes the act of commodification and exploitation of the labour of the working class.
Also to know is, what are the 7 elements of Marxism?
7 Basic Premises of Marxism | Communist Thought
- Dialectical Materialism:
- Historical Materialism:
- Stages of History:
- Labour theory:
- Class Struggle:
- Socialist Society:
- Withering Away of the State:
What are the basic principles of Marxist literary criticism?
Marx believed that economic determinism, dialectical materialism and class struggle were the three principles that explained his theories. (Though Marx does attribute a teleological function to the economic, he is no determinist.
What are the Marxist terms?
Terms Used by Marxism
| A | |
|---|---|
| Alienation (Marx): | |
| Capitalism: | |
| A socio-economic system based especially on private ownership of the means of production and the exploitation of the labor force. See especially the Marx module on stages of socioeconomic development and the module on capital. | |
| Class: | |
What is the basic formula of Marxism?
One sells in order to buy something else of use to the consumer; Marx writes this formula as C-M-C (or Commodity-Money-Commodity). Money allows this formula to be transformed, however: now one can buy in order to sell (at a higher price) or M-C-M, which becomes for Marx the general formula for capital.
What is the Marxist approach in literature?
Marxist approach relates literary text to the society, to the history and cultural and political systems in which it is created. It does not consider a literary text, devoid of its writer and the influences on the writer. A writer is a product of his own age which is itself a product of many ages.
What is the most important part of literature for Marxist?
One of its most famous foundational texts is the book by Karl Marx (and Friedrich Engels), The Communist Manifesto. Marxist criticism focuses on class struggle, especially on the oppression of the proletariat (the have-nots) by the bourgeoisie (the haves).
Which of the following are the key terms of Marxism?
Key concepts covered include: the dialectic, materialism, commodities, capital, capitalism, labour, surplus-value, the working class, alienation, means of communication, the general intellect, ideology, socialism, communism, and class struggles.