Marxist-Criticism--Introduction

Page1MarxistCriticismKarlMarx(1818.5.5-1883.3.14)Page2OutlineTheDefinitionTheDivisionTheDevelopmentPage3MarxismWhatisMarxism?asetofsocial,economicandpoliticalideashelpstointerpret&changethesocietythroughtheconflictsbetweensocialclassesthecontrolrightsofeconomicresourcesshapethesociety'ssuperstructure\literature)Function:Marxismprovidesacomprehensive,positiveviewofhumanlifeandhistoryandattemptstoshowhowhumanitycansaveitselffromameaninglesslifeofalienationanddespair.Page4MarxistLiteraryCriticismDefinitionMarxistliterarycriticismisaloosetermdescribingliterarycriticismbasedonsocialistanddialectictheories.Marxistcriticismviewsliteraryworksasreflectionsofthesocialinstitutionsfromwhichtheyoriginate.AccordingtoMarxists,evenliteratureitselfisasocialinstitutionandhasaspecificideologicalfunction,basedonthebackgroundandideologyoftheauthor.Nomatterwhethertheauthorisconsciousornot,novelisthesocio-economicandideologicproductofacertainperiodandacertainlocation.E.g.TheGreatGatsbyisthesocio-historicalrealityandideologyofthe1920sAmericaPage5ClassicalMarxismEarlyWesternMarxismLateMarxismNote:Itistobenotedthatthisdivision,thoughchronologicalinnature,bynomeansindicatesthatthelaterperiodwastoreplacetheformer.Theyinfactco-existwithacomplexinter-connectioninbetween.TheDivisionofMarxismPage6RaymondWilliamsthewritingsofKarlMarxthesystemsdevelopedbylaterMarxistsoutoftheirwritingsMarxismspopularatgivenhistoricalmomentsFredricJamesontheMarxianSystemdevelopedbyKarlMarxhimselfthelaterdevelopmentofvariouskindPage7DevelopmentofMarxistCriticismliterarycreationisaresultofbothsubjectiveinspirationandtheobjectiveinfluenceofthewriter'ssurroundingssystematizedimpetus:1917,OctoberRevolutionofRussiachangeinbeliefaroundsocialistidealintertwinedwiththeemergingideologiesofthenewRussianmovementandspreadthroughouttheworld.1920sSincethenSincethenPage8CompanyLogoRepresentatives(Development)EarlytimeVulgarMarxisteconomicdeterminismTwoWWsEffectofthesuperstructureContemporaryProsperityVarioustypesPage9EarlytimeFeatureLimitedwithintheformulathateconomicbasedeterminesthesuperstructureMainideasLiterature:reflectionofthesocialreality,whichisdetermineddirectlybyeconomicpowerRepresentativesVladimirMaksimovichFriche,CaudwellPage10BetweenthetwoWorldWarsFeatureWesternMarxismwasmoreconcernedwiththeeffectontheeconomicbasebythesuperstructureRepresentativesGeorgLukácsBertoltBrechtTheFrankfurtSchoolPage11WesternMarxismStructuralMarxismNeo-Marxism(FrankfurtSchool)New-LeftMarxsimAnalyticalMarxismMarxistHumanismPostMarxismMarxismFeminismContemporaryPage12ItistobenotedthatateveryhistoricalmomentwhenMarxismseemedintrouble,Marxistcriticismwouldgainanewdevelopment.Theearly1920ssawtheheydayoftheanthropologicalMarxism;1930switnessedastrongleftistliterarycriticisminthewest.MarxismisonceagainseverelychallengedinthelastyearsofthetwentiethcenturybeginningwiththeiceageofReagan-Thatcherism,anditwillneverbethetruebutsuperfluous,simplybecauseMarxismprovidethebestanalysisonthecontradictionsofcapitalism(Eagleton&Milne1996:6).Page13