Marxism

Marxism

1. Literature= a social institution + has an ideological function based on the background + ideology of the author

2. Literature can cause a revolution

3. Analyse societal conflict + class relations using materialist interpretation of historical development

4. Originates from Karl Marx + Friedrich Engels

5. In all literature a power struggle is present

6. Whoever controlled production in society controlled the society

7. Factory owners = political power

8. Frankenstein

   • The Bourgeoisie (Victor Frankenstein) creates the Proletariat (the Monster) and exploits their labour (birth and working).
   • The monster is the symbol of oppressed people, he is made from a mixture of different segments fro, various parts.
   • The Monsters appearance and build reflects that of the workers, they were composed of many different types of people, there were a large number of them, and they were stronger and didn’t depend on luxury.
   • Victor is self-centred and is ignorant of his friends, he thinks he is better than the monster and also ignores his needs too
   • The monster must settle with what he can get and his given rather than what he deserves, like the proletariat that had to settle for any work and conditions they could get

9. The Bloody Chamber

   • The Courtship of Mr Lyon: shows the corruption that wealth brings to the upper-class, the Lyons house is full of lavish decorations and is already set up, there is a lack of human presence showing that they do not need to work for their luxuries, the lower class is not present
   • The Tigers Bride: the wealth that enables the disguise of the tiger is what distances him from others and creates that divide, the robot shows how he proletariat were not viewed as humans as he is manufactured and unnatural, they lack identity
   • The Snow Child: Gains riches quickly yet these riches and luxuries lead to her demise, the Countess' rage and jealousy is based on possession and money,
   • The Bloody Chamber: Jean Yeves is representative of the Proltariat and he has nothing yet he makes the girl happy and lives. The Marquis is representative of the Bourgeoisie and has everything yet her loses everything to the prolitariat and dies. Shows what will happpen when the Prolitariet gets fed up of this mistreatment.

10. The Duchess of Malfi

    • Upper Class: Ferdinand, Cardinal, Duchess
    • Lower Class: Antonia, Julia, Cariola, Bosola
    • The upper class is extremely corrupt and isolated
    • The sole focus of characters is economic gain and loss
    • Lower class is disrespected incredibly
    • Royal and Religious figures are in charge of society
      • Ironic as the Cardinal is driven by power and wealth yet the church is meant to be socialist and sharing

11. The Merchants Tale