Class Perspective/Marxist Criticism or Perspective (Class 12 Optional English)

Class Perspective/Marxist Criticism or Perspective

Class perspective or Marxist criticism is a social, political and economic philosophy or perspective or criticism. A German philosopher and economist Karl Marx is the propounder of this philosophy or perspective or criticism, and this perspective or philosophy or theory is called Marxism. According to the theory, people involve in different activities in their societies for getting economic power, and those people, who have economic control, are in power. So, there is struggle between two social classes: the bourgeoisie or capitalists (rich/haves) and the proletariat (poor/working class/have-nots). In such societies, bourgeoisie dominate proletariat for their social, political and economic benefit. So, there is huge gap between them regarding their identity and existence. The theory even believes that after realizing domination, dominated people will be united one day and struggle against the bourgeoisie for creating classes less and unity based societies. In literature, Class Perspective is a way of analysing whether there is exploitation and domination of the poor by rich or not. In literary works, creators create their works presenting the situation of the two classes, and to analyse the works to find whether they are raising voice for the poor or weak refers to Class Perspective or Criticism in literary criticism. In fact, Class Perspective or Criticism provides power to the dominated or poor or weak people to write and fight. So, this perspective or criticism states that literature should be written to change societies by raising the voice of weak or poor or dominated class against the powerful or rich class. Georg Lukas., Karl Korsch, Antonio Gramsci., Herbert Marcuse, Jean-Paul Sartre, Walter Benjamin, etc. are some famous Marxist critics.