Marxist criticism is a method of literary analysis based on the ideas of Karl Marx and focuses on the struggles between social classes in literature. Marxist critics believe that works inherently reflect the conflicts between the bourgeoisie (the rich owners) and the proletariat (the poor workers) in society. To conduct a Marxist critical analysis, one asks how the conflicts in the work relate to struggles between social classes, how the work suggests life for the bourgeoisie is empty, and what the values are of each social class portrayed in the characters.

1. Marxist Criticism Critical Theory

2. Marxist Criticism Based on Marxism , a historical and political theory that deals with society rather than literature Marxism is based on the ideas of Karl Marx , a political scientist

3. Principles of Marxism Focus on matters such as culture, class, race and power Marx believed that history is created and change occurs because of the struggles between social and economic classes

4. Principles of Marxism The current struggle in modern history, is the struggle between the rich (owner) called the “bourgeoisies” and the poor (worker) called the “proletariat”

5. Marxism and Literature The Marxist critic finds a reflection of the same conflicts in literature (whether intended by the author or not) Marxist critics suggest that the struggle is inherent in our society so it is also reflected in our literature

6. Marxist Critical Analysis How do I apply Marxist Criticism?

7. Questions to ask: 1. How are the conflicts in the work connected to the struggle between the haves and the have nots owners and workers rich and poor

8. Questions to ask: 2. How does the work suggest that life in a Bourgeois society is empty? The pursuit of wealth and power is meaningless Money does not buy happiness

9. Questions to ask: 3. What are the values of each social class in the work? Look at the characters that have a high social status – What do they appear to believe about the value of life, money, work, family, love? Now look at the characters that have a low social status and ask the same questions.

10. What you don’t want to hear: You must memorize these 3 questions and be prepared to reproduce them on a test You must also be able to apply these questions to other texts that we study in class and new sight passages

11. Prepared for your viewing pleasure by: Liana Cote-Montminy