1) CUET-ready definition
Marxist literary criticism interprets literature in relation to:
- economic structures,
- class relations,
- ideology,
- labour and material conditions,
- and power.
Core idea:
- literature is not produced in a vacuum; it is shaped by historical material forces and can reproduce or challenge dominant ideologies.
2) Key concepts (high-yield)
A) Base and superstructure
- Base: economic relations, production forces.
- Superstructure: law, politics, culture, religion, art. Marxist analysis explores how culture relates to economic base (not always direct or simple).
B) Ideology
Ideology is a system of ideas that:
- makes certain social arrangements appear “natural,”
- hides exploitation or inequality,
- shapes what people believe is common sense.
C) Class and representation
Marxist criticism asks:
- which class perspectives are represented,
- how labour is shown or erased,
- who has agency and voice.
D) Commodity and commodification
Literature itself can become a commodity:
- market shapes publishing, taste, canon.