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Marxism In Western Culture Essay

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1 INTRODUCTION According to Harrington and Michael (1981:6-22) Marxism is a political theory of Karl Marx, who describes Marxism as the worlds perspective based on the systems of society and a method of the general publics analysis, which focuses on class structure and the conflicts of society, this uses a materialistic connotation of historical development, and a dialectical view of their social transformation. Therefore modernism is an analytical movement that critics the cultural trends and altars, which arises from a variety and beyond change in the Western culture. This essay will be discussing a modernism artwork and analysis based on Marxism’s critic. 2 COMMERCIALISING THE FEMALE NUDE George Lukacs (1975:6) is a Marxist critic his theory plays a vital role based both on his own thought and the following growth of Western culture in Marxism. His theory will be analysing the artwork in the essay. Lukacs (1975:6) has a realist approach to the theory in which he argues, by explaining that all human happenings in relation to the capitalist system have become less only to the discussion of commodities. …show more content…

According to Shields, Keats and Daniels (2012:12) Ramos gained recognition in the 1960’s; women and commercialised subjects are his perspective in his artwork. His work has a contemporary style influenced by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Ramos work wasn’t really appreciated by feminists; reason being, most of his artworks is based on naked women, which comes across as being offensive towards society and provocative (Modernism:2000). The artwork also relates to the Art Nouveau movement, which has decorative art and architecture characteristics. With organic lines that are feminine like are the flowing lines that are being depicted on the subject as she’s holding an object in her hand, which could be a veil that has been stripped off of her

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Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith and “Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels both address selfishness and its effect on society through social and economic means. In Wealth of Nations, Smith defines wealth as the productivity of a nation and the aspects of a commercial society. “The Communist Manifesto” criticizes the idea behind a capitalist society and talks about the class struggle between the working class and the owners of the means of production. Wealth of Nations and “The Communist Manifesto” both analyze how the selfishness of people affects society, however while Wealth of Nations claims selfishness causes increased productivity and increases wages for all, “The Communist Manifesto” argues that selfishness causes injustice

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Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is based on a utopian society with unique social, psychological, political, and cultural features. The novel hinges on the idea of an all-powerful state that controls almost all aspects of life and makes citizens ignorant problems occurring in their society. Bernard Marx is an Alpha male who fails to fit in the structure created by the World Controllers of his society due to his inferior capabilities. His discontent in society leads him to hold unorthodox ideas about many aspects of life and shapes him as an individual. Through Bernard’s exposure to John the Savage and his heightened need for social acceptance, Bernard Marx is shaped from an admirable character who yearns for more out of life than given in his

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How and why is a social group represented in a particular way? In his play The Importance of Being Earnest (1895, London St. James’ theater), Oscar Wilde portrays the attitudes and society of Victorian upper class through character interactions within the ‘Bunburyist’ adventures of Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing. The play’s comedic elements, in addition to the portrayal of power structures, are used as an effective medium to challenge the viewer to reflect upon Wilde’s criticism on institutions and values of the aristocracy. In conjunction to this, deeper analysis can be conducteds about marriage in Victorian aristocracy and their attitudes to members of other social groups.

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During the Modernist movement, many writers were inspired to express their thoughts on events that occured at the time. Their thoughts were expressed in various forms; some being through novels, and others through “literary critiques”, as a way to portray their perspective on the movement. Modern texts include: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, J.D Salinger’s The Catcher In The Rye, and S. Irenaeus’ The Critique of Modernism. Though all these authors took different approaches in portraying their views, they all managed to shares common themes; one prevalent theme being the rejection of the past.

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Marxist Criticism, specifically the Hegelian Dialectic is applicable in Bambara’s short story, “The Lesson”. Social class is predominant at the time “The Lesson” was written and the story focuses on the main character, Sylvia’s perception of her own class, the struggles that it brings and what she is then introduced to by Miss Moore. The Hegelian Dialect can be applied to this story as the transformation ensues within Sylvia upon her enlightenment of the difference in social classes. What appeared to be anger, frustration and resentment within Sylvia, undergoes a conversion into an upheaval curiosity of a newfound “culture”. Does the enlightenment occurring within Sylvia, present a new synthesis of which she uses as a platform for change?

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This common interest of postmodern feminists about women’s bodies and how it serves as a “feminine language” to define identity continues to represent explorations, discovery and opinions of the traditional mind and body dualism, the role of sexual analysis in the development of gender and the self as well as the analytical modes of exploration of the body which all in all defines what it means to discuss about postmodern feminist issues in this twenty-first century. For example, in Mislina Mustaffa’s opinion, the female body directly reflects an artistic subjection to what is considered a norm to women in society today. Nevertheless, the artist disagrees with such manner. The entire discovery of what makes a woman a woman in fact lies in the matter other than the body itself. One route of inquiry along these lines concerns reevaluation of the senses and the conservative materials that are fashioned into forms or ideas that define the identities of women today.

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Marxism is the idea of social science that studies how economic activity affects and is shaped by social processes. Social processes are the way individuals and groups interact, adjust and reject and start relationships based on behavior which is modified through social interactions. Overall marxism analyzes how societies progress and how and society ceases to progress, or regress because of their local or regional economy , or global economy. In this case, Marxism’s theory applies to the novel, Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, where a society where mass satisfaction is the instrument utilized by places of power known as the Alphas in order to control the oppressed by keeping the Epsilons numb, at the cost of their opportunity to choose their own way of life. Marx thinks that an individual had a specific job to do in order to contribute to their community and that is the only way to do so; There is no escaping your contribution either.

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