Marxism Overview
material means of production, distribution, and exchange in Marxist model of society
What is a Base?
Believed “a culture is not only a body of intellectual and imaginative work; it is also and essentially a whole way of life.”
Who is Raymond Williams?
method of Marxist literary criticism arguing that literature is a direct product of socio-economic forces
what is determinist position?
cultural world of ideas, art, religion law in Marxist model of society
What is a Superstructure?
Rejected the division of classes in culture, believing culture is an “experience lived, experience interpreted, experience defined.”
Who is Stuart Hall?
method of Marxist literary criticism arguing that socio-economic influence on literature is more distant and subtle as it can be affected by other non-economic factors such as culture or ideology
what is liberal position?
Author’s social class, political circumstances, and ideology influence literature product
What is general Marxist criticism?
He asserts production theory and that the dominant classes hegemony prevents the insurrection of the working class
Who is Louis Althusser?
literary analysis technique that claims literature should be independent from direct political influence and should be analyzed via a lens of class struggle and economic forces
what is Engelsian Marxist Criticism?
proponent of idea of the production controlling class dominating the economic base and establishing a superstructure
Who is Antonio Gramsci?
literary tool used to make a familiar world appear new to a reader with the purpose of critiquing societal norms
what is defamiliarization?
proponent of the detailed analysis of symbols and other literary devices that expose relationship between base and superstructure
Who is George Lukas?