Literary Theory: Marxist Theory

The Marxist Theory believes that literary works and other arts forms are a result of the social institutions they are from. There is a major emphasis on social classes, their order, and the differences between the classes. The use of classes in the works can review, promote the continuance, or challenge the accepted social order, which is dependent on the background of the author/artist. The order is usually seen as rather binary, the haves and the have-nots, the elite vs. the working class, the bourgeoise and the proletariat. The bourgeoise control and own the way to produce goods, and therefore reap the rewards monetarily. The proletariats on the other hand are the working class, that provide the labor to create the goods, yet do not own or control the ways to make the goods. Marxist theory shows that the state of the economy and the class struggles it makes creates history.

Important Marxist theorists and their works that relate to Marxist Literary theory:

Karl Marx

(1818-1883)

A revolutionary socialist. His anticapitalist works create the basis of Marxism. Class differences in capitalism creates contradiction and tension, which results in a revolution led by the proletariats against the bourgeoise. This power struggle he predicts ends with the creation of an ideal society of all people sharing all goods, labors, and money.

"The Communist Manifesto"1848

"Das Kapital"1867

"Consciousness Derived form Material Conditions" from the German Ideology

written circa 1846 published 1932