How did Marx and Engels view literature?Marx and Engels didn't regard literature as insignificant, it is stated that 'art and literature were part of the very air that Marx breathed' which suggests that Marx valued Literature.
What is the sociology of literature?
Concerned with the means of literacy production, distribution and exchange in a certain society, how books are published, the social composition of the authors and it also examines texts for their sociological relevance.
What did Matisse believe about all art?
'all art bears the imprint of its historical epoch but that great art is that in which this imprint is most deeply marked'
What is 'original' about Marxist literary criticism?
The originality of Marxist criticism, then, lies not in it's historical approach to literature, but in it's revolutionary understanding of history itself.
Why is art part of the superstructure?Art, then, is for Marxism part of the 'superstructure' of society. It is part of a society's ideology - an element in that complex structure of perception which ensures that the situation in which one social class has power over the others is either seen by most members of the society as 'natural' or not seen at all.
What, according to interpretations of Conrad's work was the crisis facing the Western bourgeois class?
The pessimism of the bourgeois class.
Which four elements make up the levels of 'unity' which Marxist criticism focuses on?
Text, ideology, social relations and productive forces.
In his letter Joseph Bloc, what did Engels want to deny about the base and superstructure?
He denied that the base and the superstructure were connected.
Why does Marx believe we enjoy classical Greek literature?
Tuesday 24 November 2015
Them and (Uz) by Tony Harrison
Tony Harrison adresses the class divide between the bourgeois and proletariat in the poem 'Them and (uz)'. A marxist may believe that a capitalist society is a divided society in which the upper class are viewed as superior to the working class and also that your social background will determine your future. Tony Harrison's uses his working class background and regional dialect to emphasize how the people using dialect or 'slang' which was more common in the north, were seen as less intelligent as apposed to people in the south who would use standard english and received pronunciation more commonly.
Harrison presents his vast knowledge on literature and language when he uses the greek speech such as 'αία' and then the english translation 'ay, ay'. Here Harrison is isolating the non-greek reader to mock those who cannot speak greek and emphasize how he was mocked for his regional accent. This also highlights Harrisons knowledge of culture which goes against the stereotype that people from a working class background may be less cultured.
Harrison recalls his 'nicely spoken' class mate in the second stanza. When he refers to the other student as 'nicely spoken' it suggests that the child speaks 'correctly' using standard english. The word 'nice' connotes positive meanings which demonstrates how those who speak using standard english and received pronunciation were praised on their speech as speaking in this way would suggest a upper class upbringing. On the other hand Harrisons regional accent was condemned - 'can't have our glorious heritage done to death'. This suggests that Harrisons accent was mocked by a teacher as it did not up hold the 'glorious' heritage of literature. From a marxist perspective this may suggest that there is a strong class divide between those who are seen to keep the 'glorious heritage' (usually the bourgeois) and those who tarnish it (the proletariat).
Harrison demonstrates a common idea that highly regarded literature can only come from someone well spoken. This is presented when he says 'Poetry's the speech of kings. you're not one of those', this suggests that respected literature generally comes from the bourgeois and people who did not speak in the 'correct' way were seen as unintelligent. Standard english would be spoken by people of high importance such as politicians, people working at BBC and other member of high social ranking which means that people would associate standard english with intellect and non standard english with stupidity. A king would use standard english and received pronunciation which indicates that those who did not were not seen as able to write great literature. This highlights a stereotype that people who don't speak using standard english and RP would be from a working class family. When Harrison says 'you're not one of those' he's mocking standard english speakers for thinking he is unworthy of writing great literature. This highlights how it was believed that the social background of a person determined how well they could do in life because Tony Harrison was from a working class family in Leeds and his accent portrayed this. Therefore it was believed he would not be able to write well because of his class and upbringing.
The proletariat are presented as victims in part one of the poem 'Them and (Uz)'. Tony has separated the poem in to part one and part two which may have been done to highlight the class divide between the proletariat and the bourgeois. However in part two, Harrison demonstrates how his speech and accent is out of choice and does not determine his intelligence. He describes how 'we'll occupy your lousy leasehold poetry' to mock the upper class who believed that all great literature had come from people who spoke 'correctly'. However that is not the case as presented by Harrison when he describes great writers such as shakespeare who may have had a regional accent. By describing the poetry as leasehold 'poetry' Harrison is highlighting how the upper class would steal work from people who didn't speak as they did and claim it as there own.
To conclude Harrison demonstrates how social class does not determine the intelligence of a person. He demonstrates how even though he comes from a working class northern background he is still well cultured and intelligent.
Harrison presents his vast knowledge on literature and language when he uses the greek speech such as 'αία' and then the english translation 'ay, ay'. Here Harrison is isolating the non-greek reader to mock those who cannot speak greek and emphasize how he was mocked for his regional accent. This also highlights Harrisons knowledge of culture which goes against the stereotype that people from a working class background may be less cultured.
Harrison recalls his 'nicely spoken' class mate in the second stanza. When he refers to the other student as 'nicely spoken' it suggests that the child speaks 'correctly' using standard english. The word 'nice' connotes positive meanings which demonstrates how those who speak using standard english and received pronunciation were praised on their speech as speaking in this way would suggest a upper class upbringing. On the other hand Harrisons regional accent was condemned - 'can't have our glorious heritage done to death'. This suggests that Harrisons accent was mocked by a teacher as it did not up hold the 'glorious' heritage of literature. From a marxist perspective this may suggest that there is a strong class divide between those who are seen to keep the 'glorious heritage' (usually the bourgeois) and those who tarnish it (the proletariat).
Harrison demonstrates a common idea that highly regarded literature can only come from someone well spoken. This is presented when he says 'Poetry's the speech of kings. you're not one of those', this suggests that respected literature generally comes from the bourgeois and people who did not speak in the 'correct' way were seen as unintelligent. Standard english would be spoken by people of high importance such as politicians, people working at BBC and other member of high social ranking which means that people would associate standard english with intellect and non standard english with stupidity. A king would use standard english and received pronunciation which indicates that those who did not were not seen as able to write great literature. This highlights a stereotype that people who don't speak using standard english and RP would be from a working class family. When Harrison says 'you're not one of those' he's mocking standard english speakers for thinking he is unworthy of writing great literature. This highlights how it was believed that the social background of a person determined how well they could do in life because Tony Harrison was from a working class family in Leeds and his accent portrayed this. Therefore it was believed he would not be able to write well because of his class and upbringing.
The proletariat are presented as victims in part one of the poem 'Them and (Uz)'. Tony has separated the poem in to part one and part two which may have been done to highlight the class divide between the proletariat and the bourgeois. However in part two, Harrison demonstrates how his speech and accent is out of choice and does not determine his intelligence. He describes how 'we'll occupy your lousy leasehold poetry' to mock the upper class who believed that all great literature had come from people who spoke 'correctly'. However that is not the case as presented by Harrison when he describes great writers such as shakespeare who may have had a regional accent. By describing the poetry as leasehold 'poetry' Harrison is highlighting how the upper class would steal work from people who didn't speak as they did and claim it as there own.
To conclude Harrison demonstrates how social class does not determine the intelligence of a person. He demonstrates how even though he comes from a working class northern background he is still well cultured and intelligent.
Sunday 15 November 2015
The Large Cool Store
The poem is about an M&S in the 1960s which at the time was a cheaper store where the proletariat were about to afford 'fashionable' clothes. Karl Marx believed that capitalist valued commodities and materialism which is supported by the poem which presents the proletariat societies feeling they need commodities to feel accepted in society. Phillip Larkin presents themes of class in the poem 'The large cool store'. He demonstrates how the proletariat have a false consciousness by believing that buying cheaper versions of bourgeoisie fashion, will make them equal.
The title of the poem 'The Large Cool Store' connotes two different meanings. Firstly the word 'cool' may suggest that the poem is referring to the store having the most fashionable pieces of clothing. However alternatively the word 'cool' may indicate the store is cold or unwelcoming. This may suggest to the reader that although the store offers what appears to be in fashion for the proletariat, it is uninviting for the bourgeoisie due to the ideology of commodification and that items should be expensive in order to be good.
Larkin describes how the clothes are set out in 'simple sizes plainly'. The use of the words 'simple' and 'plainly' may be interpreted to be describing the proletariat who shop at the store which indicates that Larkin believes that the lower class are unintelligent. This suggests that at the time of the poem, the bourgeoisie would have believed they were better than the proletariat and indicates that they believed they were more intelligent. Larkin highlights the dull lives of the proletariat further when he describes the colours of the clothes as 'Browns and grey, maroons and navy'. The dull and dark colours Larkin has used to describe the clothes could be interpreted as a metaphor for the lives of the working class. This indicates that the proletariat's lives were monotonous and boring which may be due to their need to work. These colours connote colours of factory workers, therefore Larkin is demonstrating how the people who shop here will be at the same professional level as a factory worker.
Larkin demonstrates how the customers of the shop 'leave at dawn low terraced houses'. By describing how they leave at 'dawn' it indicates that they are leaving early in the morning to go to work. This presents how the proletariat have to work very long hours in factories. This creates a sense of irony in the poem as it suggests that the proletariat will spend many hours in factories producing the clothes that are sold in places such as the 'large cool store' just to buy them back off the bourgeoisie for a higher price. This also indicates that the workers have a false consciousness because they are presented as following the status quo and the daily routine of working for the bourgeoisie and then giving the money they're paid back to them at the shops and showing no signs of resistance. Larkin describes their houses as 'Low terraced houses' the word 'low' suggests that the proletariat live in small houses and the word 'terraced' indicates that the proletariat class all live very close to each other as their houses are attached.
The false consciousness of the proletariat class is highlighted when Larkin says 'to suppose they share that world, to think their sort is, matched by something in it' here the reader is exposed to how at the time, the proletariat would have believed that by buying something that appears more expensive and more fashionable that they are the same as the bourgeoisie. This demonstrates how both the working class and the bourgeoisie were materialistic and wanted commodities. This suggests that people believed that something was better because it was more expensive. This suggests that the society at the time had a cultural mindset that people should have 'cool' things or they won't be accepted. However, Larkin expresses how he doesn't agree that the proletariat are equal to the bourgeoisie when he describes them as 'they and their' this suggests that he believes that they think they share his world but they don't.
The poem highlights the zeitgeist of the 1960's, otherwise known as the 'swinging sixties' because during this decade there were many developments in fashion. This is presented by the shop selling 'cool' clothes. This suggest that during this time people wanted to look like they had expensive clothes. A marxist may believe that this was wrong because they believe in people all being equal and fashion means that people can advertise their wealth and in return their poverty. This contributes to a marxist belief of a capitalist society being a 'split society' and a marxist may not like fashion due to it emphasizing the social class of a person.
The 'large cool store' has an ABABA rhyming pattern throughout the poem such as 'clothes', 'hose', and 'those' rhyming on line 1,3,5 and 'plainly' and 'navy' rhyming on line 2 and 4. This may have been used to create a monotonous and repetitive atmosphere to emphasize the boring life of the proletariat class. However, in contrast caesura and enjambment are used in the poem which breaks up the rhythm, this may have been used to build up tension and create a more dramatic effect to the poem.
To conclude the poem demonstrates how the proletariat are desperate to be considered equal to the bourgeoisie yet they are not expected in society by the upper class as they are viewed as unintelligent and inferior.
The title of the poem 'The Large Cool Store' connotes two different meanings. Firstly the word 'cool' may suggest that the poem is referring to the store having the most fashionable pieces of clothing. However alternatively the word 'cool' may indicate the store is cold or unwelcoming. This may suggest to the reader that although the store offers what appears to be in fashion for the proletariat, it is uninviting for the bourgeoisie due to the ideology of commodification and that items should be expensive in order to be good.
Larkin describes how the clothes are set out in 'simple sizes plainly'. The use of the words 'simple' and 'plainly' may be interpreted to be describing the proletariat who shop at the store which indicates that Larkin believes that the lower class are unintelligent. This suggests that at the time of the poem, the bourgeoisie would have believed they were better than the proletariat and indicates that they believed they were more intelligent. Larkin highlights the dull lives of the proletariat further when he describes the colours of the clothes as 'Browns and grey, maroons and navy'. The dull and dark colours Larkin has used to describe the clothes could be interpreted as a metaphor for the lives of the working class. This indicates that the proletariat's lives were monotonous and boring which may be due to their need to work. These colours connote colours of factory workers, therefore Larkin is demonstrating how the people who shop here will be at the same professional level as a factory worker.
Larkin demonstrates how the customers of the shop 'leave at dawn low terraced houses'. By describing how they leave at 'dawn' it indicates that they are leaving early in the morning to go to work. This presents how the proletariat have to work very long hours in factories. This creates a sense of irony in the poem as it suggests that the proletariat will spend many hours in factories producing the clothes that are sold in places such as the 'large cool store' just to buy them back off the bourgeoisie for a higher price. This also indicates that the workers have a false consciousness because they are presented as following the status quo and the daily routine of working for the bourgeoisie and then giving the money they're paid back to them at the shops and showing no signs of resistance. Larkin describes their houses as 'Low terraced houses' the word 'low' suggests that the proletariat live in small houses and the word 'terraced' indicates that the proletariat class all live very close to each other as their houses are attached.
The false consciousness of the proletariat class is highlighted when Larkin says 'to suppose they share that world, to think their sort is, matched by something in it' here the reader is exposed to how at the time, the proletariat would have believed that by buying something that appears more expensive and more fashionable that they are the same as the bourgeoisie. This demonstrates how both the working class and the bourgeoisie were materialistic and wanted commodities. This suggests that people believed that something was better because it was more expensive. This suggests that the society at the time had a cultural mindset that people should have 'cool' things or they won't be accepted. However, Larkin expresses how he doesn't agree that the proletariat are equal to the bourgeoisie when he describes them as 'they and their' this suggests that he believes that they think they share his world but they don't.
The poem highlights the zeitgeist of the 1960's, otherwise known as the 'swinging sixties' because during this decade there were many developments in fashion. This is presented by the shop selling 'cool' clothes. This suggest that during this time people wanted to look like they had expensive clothes. A marxist may believe that this was wrong because they believe in people all being equal and fashion means that people can advertise their wealth and in return their poverty. This contributes to a marxist belief of a capitalist society being a 'split society' and a marxist may not like fashion due to it emphasizing the social class of a person.
The 'large cool store' has an ABABA rhyming pattern throughout the poem such as 'clothes', 'hose', and 'those' rhyming on line 1,3,5 and 'plainly' and 'navy' rhyming on line 2 and 4. This may have been used to create a monotonous and repetitive atmosphere to emphasize the boring life of the proletariat class. However, in contrast caesura and enjambment are used in the poem which breaks up the rhythm, this may have been used to build up tension and create a more dramatic effect to the poem.
To conclude the poem demonstrates how the proletariat are desperate to be considered equal to the bourgeoisie yet they are not expected in society by the upper class as they are viewed as unintelligent and inferior.
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