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Questions and Answers
According to Marx, what emerges when any group of people engage in the production of goods?
According to Marx, what emerges when any group of people engage in the production of goods?
- An emphasis on individual competition
- A complex network of social relationships (correct)
- A hierarchical structure based on wealth
- A system of barter and trade
Who is considered the founding father of Marxist literary criticism?
Who is considered the founding father of Marxist literary criticism?
- Antonio Gramsci
- Georg Lukacs (correct)
- Louis Althusser
- G.K. Plekhanov
What concept did Louis Althusser introduce in relation to ideology?
What concept did Louis Althusser introduce in relation to ideology?
- Revolutionary consciousness
- Class polarization
- Interpellation (correct)
- Cultural assimilation
What does Georg Lukacs emphasize in his literary analysis?
What does Georg Lukacs emphasize in his literary analysis?
What did Antonio Gramsci argue about the bourgeoisie?
What did Antonio Gramsci argue about the bourgeoisie?
What does the Frankfurt School focus on developing?
What does the Frankfurt School focus on developing?
What is the core belief of Marxism?
What is the core belief of Marxism?
According to Marx, what characterizes the bourgeoisie?
According to Marx, what characterizes the bourgeoisie?
What historical period does socialism entail according to Marx?
What historical period does socialism entail according to Marx?
What does the superstructure in a society encompass according to the text?
What does the superstructure in a society encompass according to the text?
What did Marx and Engels declare in 'The Communist Manifesto'?
What did Marx and Engels declare in 'The Communist Manifesto'?
According to 'Das Capital,' what determines people's actions and beliefs?
According to 'Das Capital,' what determines people's actions and beliefs?
What is the main focus of Marxism according to the text?
What is the main focus of Marxism according to the text?
What is the responsibility of a critic in the context of Marxism?
What is the responsibility of a critic in the context of Marxism?
What does Marxism aim to reveal about the dominant class?
What does Marxism aim to reveal about the dominant class?
In Marxism, what aspect of a text does the ideology expressed by the author interact with?
In Marxism, what aspect of a text does the ideology expressed by the author interact with?
What does a critic examine to showcase an author's ideology according to Marxism?
What does a critic examine to showcase an author's ideology according to Marxism?
Which aspect of a text is NOT a central concern of Marxism as mentioned in the text?
Which aspect of a text is NOT a central concern of Marxism as mentioned in the text?
According to Fredric Jameson, what is the function of literary analysis?
According to Fredric Jameson, what is the function of literary analysis?
What does Terry Eagleton believe is the root of literature?
What does Terry Eagleton believe is the root of literature?
In Marxist theory, what determines who we are according to the text?
In Marxist theory, what determines who we are according to the text?
What is the role of critics according to Terry Eagleton?
What is the role of critics according to Terry Eagleton?
According to Marxism, what does the superstructure of society refer to?
According to Marxism, what does the superstructure of society refer to?
What does Marxism suggest is the basis of societal conflicts?
What does Marxism suggest is the basis of societal conflicts?
What was the primary purpose of Egypt's first pyramid?
What was the primary purpose of Egypt's first pyramid?
What material was primarily used in the construction of Egypt's first pyramid?
What material was primarily used in the construction of Egypt's first pyramid?
What significant purpose did the pyramid serve for the afterlife of the king?
What significant purpose did the pyramid serve for the afterlife of the king?
What architectural revolution did Djoser's pyramid spark?
What architectural revolution did Djoser's pyramid spark?
Which dynasty built the most iconic monuments in Egypt, including the pyramids of Giza?
Which dynasty built the most iconic monuments in Egypt, including the pyramids of Giza?
What was created at the bottom of the giant shaft inside Djoser's pyramid?
What was created at the bottom of the giant shaft inside Djoser's pyramid?
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Study Notes
Marxism and Literary Criticism
- Marxism addresses the concerns of the working class, recognizing the interrelatedness of all human activities.
- It deals with more than conventional literary themes, focusing on the ideology expressed by the author.
Key Concepts in Marxism
- Class Struggle: The struggle between the bourgeoisie (wealthy class that rules society) and the proletariat (class of society without ownership of the means of production).
- Ideology: The beliefs, values, and culture of a society, determined by the upper class.
- Base and Superstructure: The base refers to the economic system, which controls all human institutions and ideologies. The superstructure includes all social and legal institutions, political and educational systems, religions, and art.
Marxist Theorists and Their Contributions
- G.K. Plehanov: Translated "The Communist Manifesto" into Russian, making Russia the first country to promote Marxist principles.
- Leon Trotsky: Authored "Literature and Revolution" (1925), becoming the founding father of Marxist literary criticism.
- Georg Lukacs: Believed that a detailed analysis of symbols, images, and literary devices would expose class conflict and the relationship between the superstructure and the base.
- Antonio Gramsci: Focused on the complex relationship between the base and the superstructure, stating that the bourgeoisie establish and maintain hegemony.
- Louis Althusser: Developed the Production Theory, which suggests that the superstructure can influence the base, and that the prevailing ideology forms people's attitudes through interpellation.
Key Texts in Marxism
- The Communist Manifesto (1848): Written by Marx and Engels, it states that the history of all existing societies is the history of class struggle.
- Das Capital (1867): Written by Marx, it is a historical basis for 20th-century Marxism, socialism, and communism.
Marxist Literary Critics
- Fredric Jameson: Believes that literary analysis should uncover the political unconscious present in a text, and that critics must be aware of their own ideology.
- Terry Eagleton: Thinks that literature is a product of an ideology, shaped by social interactions, and that the critic's task is to reconstruct an author's ideology.
Assumptions of Marxism
- Marxism is not primarily a literary theory, but a set of social, economic, and political ideas.
- All human actions and responses are related to our culture.
- Our cultural and social circumstances determine who we are.
- The structure of society is built on ongoing conflicts between social classes.
- Capitalists control society's ideology or social consciousness (hegemony).
- The focus of literature is the relationship between a society's superstructure and the base.
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