...Pride and Prejudice: Marxist Theory 27 January 2014 Pride and Prejudice: Marxist Theory Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen illustrates how money shapes the attitude and the behavior of people. The main idea that Jane Austen presents is the Marxist Theory. This theory states that the underlying reason for . Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the story, faces many characters who believe that money is the underlying factor to which someone should marry. A main example of this is Elizabeth’s mother Mrs. Bennet, who in fact believes that all of her daughters should get married, however marriage is not entirely about true love; Mrs. Bennet’s view on marriage is that her daughters should chase after a man who have great wealth. Throughout the book, Jane Austen consistently shows the upper class looking down toward the middle class, which is fairly ironic for the fact that they are not that poor if they are considered to be middle class. To continue, Jane Austen’s portrayal of, not all but quite a few, wealthy characters summarize the main theme of the novel, which is the power of societal reputation and money. In Pride and Prejudice nothing was further stressed than having economic power, money, and marriage. The first quote, “It is truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Austen 1) establishes what type of book this is going to be. Right out of the gate this quotation introduces the importance of economic...
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...Pride and Prejudice: Marxist Theory Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen illustrates how money shapes the attitude and the behavior of people. The main idea that Jane Austen presents is the Marxist Theory. This theory states that the underlying reason for . Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the story, faces many characters who believe that money is the underlying factor to which someone should marry. A main example of this is Elizabeth’s mother Mrs. Bennet, who in fact believes that all of her daughters should get married, however marriage is not entirely about true love; Mrs. Bennet’s view on marriage is that her daughters should chase after a man who have great wealth. Throughout the book, Jane Austen consistently shows the upper class looking down toward the middle class, which is fairly ironic for the fact that they are not that poor if they are considered to be middle class. To continue, Jane Austen’s portrayal of, not all but quite a few, wealthy characters summarize the main theme of the novel, which is the power of societal reputation and money. In Pride and Prejudice nothing was further stressed than having economic power, money, and marriage. The first quote, “It is truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Austen 1) establishes what type of book this is going to be. Right out of the gate this quotation introduces the importance of economic power; this also shows the reader(s) that this is the...
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...I would add that any Marxist reading of the book would also necessarily consider Marx's concept of alienation. Marx saw alienation as a basic estrangement of the individual, as a person, from his role in society. In a capitalist society, according to Marx, the worker, who actually through his labor produces wealth, is nevertheless alienated from the thing that he produces, since the capitalist owns the means of production. The worker is only a cog in the capitalist machine. Characters like Lady Catherine or Mr Darcy might seem at first to have little to do with the production of wealth; in fact, the definition of a "gentleman" is someone who lives off the labor of others. However, in my view Darcy and the rest are as much victims of capitalist alienation, as much "cogs in the machine," as any worker. By this I mean not only the property law that would strip Mr Bennet of his estate on his death, but the rigid social rules that determine rank and subordinate personal values or inclination to status and money. Almost every character in the book is reified in this way, that is, their identity as a person is replaced, or erased, by their position in society, as determined by their wealth. One possible avenue such a Marxist reading could pursue would be to examine the attitudes of characters to this social hegemony. Charlotte, for example, makes a calculated choice in marrying Mr Collins in order to obtain her own home and some measure of independence. Bingley is another interesting...
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...<Feminist theory>: What are traditional gender roles? Men: “rational, strong, protective, and decisive” Women: “emotional (irrational), weak, nurturing and submissive” What are traditional gender roles? Men: “rational, strong, protective, and decisive” Women: “emotional (irrational), weak, nurturing and submissive” Gender studies： * Feminist theory * Patriarchy * Male role * Female role （Patriarchy is a system of social organization that traces descent through the male line and bestows privilege and power to males on the assumption of their physical and intellectual superiority over women.） * Purpose of feminist analysis: * A writer of a feminist analysis intends to closely examine how male dominance and female powerlessness manifest themselves in specific aspects of society through a text. Format of Feminist Analysis * General tension and thesis： * Tension will stem from some aspect of patriarchy in the text * Thesis: what is author saying about tension? * Resolve/lack of resolve? Character transgress/submit? * Body: Integrate feminist theory with literary devices * Organize paragraphs by literary device/chronology/order of thesis * Weave in feminist theory as you go along, defining terms as you delve into each device. * Use feminist jargon appropriately and in context * Conclusion <Marxism>: Gender studies： Marxist Literary Theory： ...
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...Marxist theory of class and ideology suggests that society is driven by money and economy. All the social, historical changes that take place in a society are guided by changes in modes of production and class struggle. Marx also stated that the ruling class not only dominates the material sources of society, but also controls the intellectual modes of production. The ruling class circulates its ideas as the only rational, ideal, universal ideas, to maintain their hegemony. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was written much earlier, however even then class expectations restricted the English society. The novel is a critique of society through social satire by the means of social caricatures embodied in Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Burgh. The plot of the text largely centers on the idea of class. Not only does the novel concern itself with the class of various characters, but also describes their mode of production and by what means each character gained their status. Lady Catherine De Burgh and Mr. Darcy are a member of the landed aristocracy, whereas Mr. Collins and Mr. Phillips belong to the bourgeoisie class. The Gardiners, Mr. Bingley and The Lucases earned their status through a respectable line of trade. In the novel, Mrs. Bennet is the embodiment of Marx’s ideology of class and economy. Her singular goal is to marry off her daughters to wealthy, high class men. That is the reason why Mr. Bingley’s visit to Netherfield puts her in frenzy and she constantly pesters...
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...Literary works can always be analyzed through various lenses. Does each author intend for his/her work to be dissected in such a manner ? When looking at various modernist writers it is evident that their short stories can be dissected or critiqued through a Marxist lens. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels arise an economic and social system based on economic and political theories called Marxism. The ideology of Marxism can be summed up in Encarta Reference Library as “a theory in which class struggle is a central element in the analysis of social change in Western societies.” Marxists view literature as social institutions that have specific functions influenced by the author’s background and philosophy. Authors Willa Cather in A Study in Temperament,...
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...A MARXIST READING OF JANE AUSTEN’S PERSUASION Abstract This essay analyzes how issues related to money and social class are presented in Jane Austen’s Persuasion . The method used will be a close reading as well as aspects of Marxist literary criticism, a theory that will be presented in the second chapter. Background information about the author and her time will then be given in the third chapter. In chapter four, the character of Sir Walter Elliot will be analyzed, in chapter five Elizabeth Elliot, and in chapter six William Elliot. Some of the other characters will be analyzed, more briefly, in the seventh chapter. Conclusions will then be drawn in the eighth and final chapter. 1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 2. Theory and method .............................................................................. 2.1 Close reading ............................................................................................ 2.2 Marxist literary criticism ................................................................................ 3. Background .......................................................................................... 3.1 Jane Austen and her time ......................................................................... 3.1.1 Titles and ranks .......................................................................................... 3.2 Class in Jane Austen’s novels .....................
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...Halmstad Sektionen för Humaniora Engelska 61-90 The Importance of Class and Money A Marxist Analysis of Jane Austen’s Persuasion Therese Andersson C-essay Tutor Kristina Hildebrand Abstract This essay analyzes how issues related to money and social class are presented in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. The method used will be a close reading as well as aspects of Marxist literary criticism, a theory that will be presented in the second chapter. Background information about the author and her time will then be given in the third chapter. In chapter four, the character of Sir Walter Elliot will be analyzed, in chapter five Elizabeth Elliot, and in chapter six William Elliot. Some of the other characters will be analyzed, more briefly, in the seventh chapter. Conclusions will then be drawn in the eighth and final chapter. 2 Table of contents Abstract.....................................................................................................2 Table of contents.......................................................................................3 1. Introduction.........................................................................................4 2. Theory and method..............................................................................5 2.1 Close reading............................................................................................5 2.2 Marxist literary criticism...................................................................
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...must read and refer the official study material provided by the university. Answer all the questions. Q. 1. Trace the development of modern English fiction with specific reference to the major shifts in literary perspective during the nineteenth century. Ans. While Ian Watt in The Rise of the Novel (1957) suggests that the novel came into being in the early 18th century which witnessed the rise of increasingly realistic fiction, and with a distinction made between fiction and history. This development reduced the importance of works of disreputable fiction. Fiction became valued as a defender of a higher truth, a truth beyond the flat, factual and historical truth of everyday experience. In the second half of the 18th century theories of aesthetics praised the “imitation of nature” and the artist’s almost divine...
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...Nietzsche: His philosophy and “Beyond Good and Evil” And Marxists vs. Mill’s view of socialism 1- Describe Nietzsche’s basic philosophy and his “New Morality” as revealed in his “Gay Science”, “Twilight of the Idol’s” books. Then choose one of his writings in his book “Beyond Good and Evil” and describe the philosophy he attempts to reveal. Conclude with your opinion on his philosophy of religion and his view of the Cosmos. Born on October 15, 1844 in the small town of Röcken, near Leipzig, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German poet and philosopher, a classical philologist and a professor of Greek at the University of Basle. He was the author of many works that talked about religion, morality, culture, philosophy, science using a unique style and radical questioning of the value and objectivity of truth. In his writings, Nietzsche called for revision of all values; he rejected organized religion attacking Christianity and other religious institutions as contributors to what he called “slave morality”. He was, also, equally critical of democratic institutions whose singular vision and courage, according to him, produce a “master morality” and he called the rule by mass mediocrity. Nietzsche also believed that European materialism have led to decadence and decline. He died on August 25, 1900. In his works, he voiced the sentiments of radical moralists. He was deeply critical of his own times and he called for a revision of all values. The major...
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...UNDERSTANDING THE ARYANS A roadmap for students and beginners Burjor Avari (Manchester Metropolitan University) It is a known fact of history that the British curiosity and interest in Indian cultures increased phenomenally after the East India Company came to acquire a territorial hold on Bengal from the late 1750s onwards. Their paramountcy over India’s millions depended upon their thorough understanding of the cultures of the sub-continent which required a mastery in its languages.[i] The small circle of dedicated and assiduous students of India’s languages included Sir William Jones, the eminent jurist and polymath who resided in India between 1783 and 1794.[ii] After studying Sanskrit for just under three years he observed, in 1786, that Sanskrit, Greek and Latin and Old Persian had all descended from an original speech. His observation has proved correct; and, since his time, most learned philological opinion has accepted that, in terms of language classifications, the common source of these tongues was what is now called proto-Indo-European. Its geographical focus was presumed to be the area around the Caspian Sea. It is also generally accepted that the eastern branch of the Indo-European family of languages is known as the Indo-Iranian whose first speakers called themselves Aryans. Whether the Aryans, speaking some variety of Indo-European languages, invaded or migrated into Iran and India from their original trans-Caspian homeland or...
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...Nineteenth Century European Realism(i) Option B: Classical Literature (i) Option C: Forms of Popular Fiction (i) Paper 11: Concurrent – Interdisciplinary Semester IV Semester V Paper 12: English Literature 2(ii) Paper 13: English Literature 3(i) Paper 14: Option A: Nineteenth Century European Realism(ii) Option B: Classical Literature (ii) Option C: Forms of Popular Fiction (ii) Paper 15: Concurrent – Discipline Centered I Paper 16: English Literature 3(ii) Paper 17: English Literature 5(i) Paper 18: Contemporary Literature(i) Paper 19: Option A: Anglo-American Writing from 1930(i) Option B: Literary Theory (i) Option C: Women’s Writing of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (i) Option D: Modern European Drama (i) Paper 20: English Literature 5(ii) Semester VI Paper 21: Contemporary Literature(ii) Paper 22: Option A: Anglo-American Writing from 1930(ii) Option B: Literary Theory (ii) Option C: Women’s Writing of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries (ii) Option D: Modern European Drama (ii) Paper 23: Concurrent – Discipline Centered II 1 SEMESTER BASED UNDER-GRADUATE HONOURS COURSES Distribution of Marks & Teaching Hours The Semester-wise distribution of papers for the B.A. (Honours), B.Com. (Honours), B. Com., B.Sc. (Honours) Statistics and B.Sc....
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...Beginning theory An introduction to literary and cultural theory Second edition Peter Barry © Peter Barry 1995, 2002 ISBN: 0719062683 Contents Acknowledgements - page x Preface to the second edition - xii Introduction - 1 About this book - 1 Approaching theory - 6 Slop and think: reviewing your study of literature to date - 8 My own 'stock-taking' - 9 1 Theory before 'theory' - liberal humanism - 11 The history of English studies - 11 Stop and think - 11 Ten tenets of liberal humanism - 16 Literary theorising from Aristotle to Leavis some key moments - 21 Liberal humanism in practice - 31 The transition to 'theory' - 32 Some recurrent ideas in critical theory - 34 Selected reading - 36 2 Structuralism - 39 Structuralist chickens and liberal humanist eggs Signs of the fathers - Saussure - 41 Stop and think - 45 The scope of structuralism - 46 What structuralist critics do - 49 Structuralist criticism: examples - 50 Stop and think - 53 Stop and think - 55 39 Stop and think - 57 Selected reading - 60 3 Post-structuralism and deconstruction - 61 Some theoretical differences between structuralism and post-structuralism - 61 Post-structuralism - life on a decentred planet - 65 Stop and think - 68 Structuralism and post-structuralism - some practical differences - 70 What post-structuralist critics do - 73 Deconstruction: an example - 73 Selected reading - 79 4 Postmodernism - 81 What is postmodernism? What was modernism? -...
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...What Is LGBT? LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and along with heterosexual they describe people's sexual orientation or gender identity. These terms are explained in more detail here. Lesbian A lesbian woman is one who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to women. Many lesbians prefer to be called lesbian rather than gay. Gay A gay man is one who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to men. The word gay can be used to refer generally to lesbian, gay and bisexual people but many women prefer to be called lesbian. Most gay people don't like to be referred to as homosexual because of the negative historical associations with the word and because the word gay better reflects their identity. Bisexual A bisexual person is someone who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to people of both sexes. Transgender or Trans Is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity (internal feeling of being male, female or transgender) and/or gender expression, differs from that usually associated with their birth sex. Not everyone whose appearance or behaviour is gender-atypical will identify as a transgender person. Many transgender people live part-time or full-time in another gender. Transgender people can identify as transsexual, transvestite or another gender identity. Gender Identity One's gender identity refers to whether one feels male, female or transgender (regardless of one's biological...
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...However, this long-term campaign involved widespread support in educated circles to replace the term “tribe” or “tribal” with the more universally applicable concept of ethnicity. What if we insert element of this feminist theory into the history of our people by claiming we are from the same ancestral cord despite our linguistic differences. The Nupes regard Yoruba as brother from the same mother, that is why we hardly hear of clash between the two ethnic group. Nevertheless, older beliefs died slowly, and ethnic identities were still a vital part of national life since 1990. An untamed emphasis on ethnicity like this gives birth to...
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