Marxist Literary Theory in Hamlet: Class Oppression and Social Commodification
Overview
This essay analyzes Shakespeare's Hamlet through a Marxist literary lens to examine class oppression and social hierarchies. The paper argues that Hamlet depicts the commodification of lower social classes and their treatment as objects by the aristocracy, while exploring how authoritarian power structures suppress dissent through ideological control.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to Marxist theory and its application to Hamlet
- Analysis of class stratification between Hamlet and lower-class characters
- Examination of lower classes as commodified objects serving upper-class goals
- Discussion of mind colonization and suppression of dissent in authoritarian systems
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Marxist Literary Theory in Hamlet
Karl Marx, in the Marxist theory, aims at identifying the nature of the society in the light of pointing out on the oppressive behaviour, and tendencies of the different social classes towards the construction of the community. One of the essential aspects of the Marxist theory is the fact that the approach evaluates the portrayal of these concepts in the society, in the element that the nature of the social constructions and oppression as they are depicted in literary texts. One of the literary texts that Karl has shown interest in is the books written by Shakespeare, the Hamlet. In the angle of evaluation, Marxism employs the theory in the book, Hamlet to enhance the understanding of the concept of superiority as well as the oppression of the poor in the society, and the way these issues have been depicted in the play. Some of the evaluations that Marx comes up with after reading the ideas of Shakespeare that are presented in the play gives the impression that these people are having some common ways of thinking. Ideally, evaluating the thoughts of Marx concerning the concepts and ideas that Shakespeare presents in Hamlet can further enhance the understanding of the narrative.
The first point that is evidently pointed out by Marxist in the play Hamlet is the fact that the constriction of classes oppression, as well as the commodification, runs through a large part of the play Hamlet.