Marxist Literary Theory In “Hamlet”. Marxism Is A Theory

This unique perspective allows them to illuminate certain aspects of Marxism that Shakespeare was critical of. Shakespeare uses them like ‘couch commentators’, speaking as outsiders looking upon the upper classes, and how influential their wealth is. They criticize how the social classes interact, questioning the right of Ophelia to essentially have paid her way to heaven. Shakespeare actually had much the same aspect on society. He may have been a famous playwright, but he was by no means wealthy or influential in the court. He lived only through selling his own labor. Shakespeare makes another important point in this scene when the gravedigger says, “There is no ancient gentlemen but gard’ners, ditchers, and grave-makers. They hold up Adam’s profession” (Shakespeare 5.1.27-8). Here, the gravedigger implies that the proletariat, being the more ancient and established class, should instead be the higher of the two classes. The working class has been around since the beginning, which gives them more right than the “great folk” to decide on how society should operate. The constant opression of the common class always leads to revolt by the proletariat. The ‘push-back’ of the common man is what creates the conflict with Laertes, leading the people to revolt.

Class struggle is noticeable in Hamlet. The royals exploit the lower class to satisfy their ambitions. People from the working class carry out the Aristocrats commands and they hold an insignificant rank in their society. The Aristocrats notably Hamlet, Claudius, and even Gertrude oppress others to obtain what they want and show that they are superior. Claudius poisons his own brother and marries Gertrude to have a stronger chance at being king since she is “the imperial jointress,” to the throne; he does not marry Gertrude because he loves her; he is using her to obtain the power (I.ii.9). Even when he gets the throne, he still wants more power and seeks to murder Hamlet because the prince knows his secret. Claudius also uses Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to spy on his nephew. The men carry out his orders without protest; they are “like an ape, in the corner of/ [Claudius’] jaw;” the king is using them to find out the reason for Hamlet’s sudden madness and when he will get what he wants; he will get rid them (IV.ii.18-19). Claudius uses Laertes to get rid of Hamlet because he wants his nephew to remain inferior to him because the people of Denmark love Hamlet and they will want him as their ruler; Hamlet is a menace to Claudius and an obstruction between him and the ultimate power.

Marxism is a theory that analyses social hierarchy and class struggle though the proletariats (lower class) and the

Marxism (1895–1900) is the economic and political theory and practice originated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels that holds that actions and human institutions are economically determined, that the class struggle is the basic agency of historical change, and that capitalism will ultimately be superseded by communism. They include the notion of economic determinism that political and social structures are determined by the economic conditions of people. Marxism calls for a classless society where all means of production are commonly owned, a system to be reached as an inevitable result

Marxism is a conflict theory founded by German Philosopher and Sociologist Karl Marx in the 19th Century. It brings forth the idea that society is imbalanced and biased.

After the death of King Hamlet, Claudius marries Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. Claudius marries Queen Gertrude for the “betterment” of the country. Claudius stated, “I am still possessed of those effects for which I did the murder: my crown, my own ambition, and my queen." (3.3) “My words rise upward, but my thoughts remain below. Words without sincerity never reach heaven. (3.3 101-102). Claudius’s motive was to become king, to become important and powerful. Hamlet was the next in line for King after his father’s death and Claudius did not want that. Hamlet is disturbed that his mother married his uncle and doesn’t mourn her husband’s death. Hamlet sees the overall picture unlike his mother. At first, Queen Gertrude doesn’t see anything wrong with marrying her brother in-law. Claudius murdered King Hamlet by pouring poison in his ear while he was sleeping. Claudius’s actions give Hamlet a reason for his

Gertrude appears oblivious to the fact that Claudius killed King Hamlet to take over the crown and to have her. Her decision to marry her deceased husband’s brother had a lot of people questioning her sanity also. “The funeral baked meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables” (Shakespeare 17). Gertrude had gotten married so quick after the funeral of King Hamlet that the food from the funeral catered for the wedding. During the play that Hamlet produced to show people what Claudius had done, she was blind to the fact that it was actually Claudius that he was talking about. Due to Hamlet knowing the truth, Claudius has been trying to kill him.

Marxism tries to explain things by look at the world differently, the purpose is to look at the existence of a world or of forces beyond the natural world around us, and the society we live in. It looks for concrete, scientific, logical explanations of the world. The Marxist theory developed when Karl Marx and his friend Frederich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848, focuses on class in societies, Marxism attempts to change the world while other philosophies look to merely understand it. Marx wanted to better understand how so many people could be in poverty in a world where there is so much wealth. His answer was simple: capitalism.

In his article "'Funeral Bak'd Meats:'  Carnival and the Carnivalesque in Hamlet," Michael D. Bristol mingles Marxism and Bakhtin's notion of double discoursed textuality into an unique reading of Shakespeare's drama as a struggle between opposing economic classes.  Bristol opens with a two paragraph preface on Marxism, highlighting Marx's own abnegation of Marxism:  "Marx is famous for the paradoxical claim that he was not a Marxist" (Bristol 348).  While he acknowledges some of the flaws inherent in Marxist criticism, Bristol uses the introductory paragraphs to assert the "enormous importance" of "the theory of class consciousness and class struggle" which Marxist theory includes (349).  Having prepared readers

It is hard to decipher the real meaning behind Hamlet when the author focuses on Hamlet’s mind being in a constant state of war with himself. A critical theory lens allows people to view things from a different viewpoints. Marxism claims that a human’s motivation can trace back to the struggle between the upper and lower class. Social division targets the social class. Owners and workers have different ideas about the division of wealth, but in the end the owners makes the final verdict. William Shakespeare writes a play, Hamlet that examines a work of literature from the Marxist perspective. Looking through the Marxist lens, the people in Hamlet value the royal family, which is the reason why King Claudius and Hamlet have the most power, but King Claudius acquires possessions for his social value, not for its usefulness.

Derived from opinions and views of the Father of Communism and adapted to fit literature both modern and classic, the Marxist lens is a particular way to view literature in relation to a powerful bourgeoisie that abuses a less powerful or economically prevalent proletariat. Upon viewing a text through this lens, common themes such as said abusement and commonly struggles for power become commonplace. Through these lens, one can view Shakespeare’s Hamlet and find social classes set in the book and desires for power within and between them. While viewing Hamlet through the Marxist lens, one could identify the tragedy as a struggle for power and a lesson on retaliation and violence overall.

What is Hamlet about? Maybe a summary of the plot could answer this question but it wouldn’t do it justice. However it’s impossible to narrow down any of William Shakespeare’s work to one theme. The fact is, that all of Shakespeare’s plays are about many things. There are many ways to look at a Shakespearean play, and none are wrong of course, but it is not entirely true to say that one theme is the most important. Some of the more common and dominate themes that can be found in any of Shakespeare’s works are: conflict, appearance and reality, order and disorder, and change.

Marxism is the theory of Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels, it’s based on the economical and social system. Marxism emphasizes on the importance of class struggle in society. They thought that economic processes and class struggles laid the groundwork for every important era and movement in history, and would lead to the downfall of the upper class and the rise of an egalitarian communist society. Under capitalism, the working class or “the people,” own only their capacity to work; they have the ability only to sell their own labor. According to Marx a class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production. The worker is alienated because he has no control over the labor or product which he produces. The

Claudius is introduced before Hamlet, but the audience is already aware that the ghost of the old king has appeared with a message for his son. Claudius is a skilful diplomat: ingratiating, self-confident, and a good orator, he has persuaded the Danish court to accept him as king. The incestuous nature of the marriage is hinted at by Claudius himself, who calls Gertrude his "sometime sister, now [his] queen." He presents himself as someone of wisdom and good judgment: a fitting replacement for his "dear brother." The speech shows him to be Hamlet's cunning and worthy adversary.

Claudius killed his brother and came into Gertrude’s life not to be support system for her, but to eventually become King of Denmark. In the beginning of the play, young Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost. The ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered while he taking a nap in a nearby orchard by his uncle Claudius. The ghost gets angry and explains, “Ay, that incesturous, that adulterate beast, With witchcraft of his wits, with traitorous gifts--O wicked wit and gifts that have the power So to seduce!-- won to his shameful lust The will of my most seeming virtuous queen” (I.v.42-91). As readers, we can tell that the new King used his sense of charm and cleverness to win over the love of the queen by killing her husband. Later in the play, Hamlet asks some local players to act out a scene that should be well known by one