1. POLITICAL CRITICISM

2. INTRODUCTION http://www.politicalnovel.org/politicallit erarycriticismcondensed.html (1955) Joseph L. Blotner, The Political Novel: "In The Charterhouse of Parma the witty and urbane Stendhal says, 'Politics in a work of literature are like a pistol-shot in the middle of a concert, something loud and vulgar yet a thing to which it is not possible to refuse one's attention.'

3. A political novel written from a point of view favouring a particular faction is a political instrument in effect even if not in intent. A writer may sternly tell himself at the outset that he will be completely impartial, only to have reviewers note all sorts of bias, real or imagined, of which he may not have been conscious. A political novel written from a point of view favouring a particular faction is a political instrument in effect even if not in intent. A writer may sternly tell himself at the outset that he will be completely impartial, only to have reviewers note all sorts of bias, real or imagined, of which he may not have been conscious.

4. If a novelist gains a reader's support for a cause, arouses his distaste for a course of action, or simply produces a re-evaluation of previously accepted beliefs, his work has served as a political instrument just as surely as a pamphlet mailed by a national committee or a handbill stuffed into the mailboxes of a sleeping city." If a novelist gains a reader's support for a cause, arouses his distaste for a course of action, or simply produces a re-evaluation of previously accepted beliefs, his work has served as a political instrument just as surely as a pamphlet mailed by a national committee or a handbill stuffed into the mailboxes of a sleeping city."

5. (1956) Walter B. Rideout, The Radical Novel in the United States--1900-1954: “Whether wrong-headed or right, protest will always be essential in order to stir our civilization into self- awareness and thus prevent it from stiffening into an inhuman immobility...." (1956) Walter B. Rideout, The Radical Novel in the United States--1900-1954: “Whether wrong-headed or right, protest will always be essential in order to stir our civilization into self- awareness and thus prevent it from stiffening into an inhuman immobility...."

6. (1990) Toni Cade Bambara, Black Women Writers at Work (Claudia Tate, Ed.): "I do not think that literature is the primary instrument for social transformation, but I do think it has potency. So I work to tell the truth about people's lives; I work to celebrate struggle, to applaud the tradition of struggle in our community, to bring to center stage all those characters, just ordinary folks on the block...." (1990) Toni Cade Bambara, Black Women Writers at Work (Claudia Tate, Ed.): "I do not think that literature is the primary instrument for social transformation, but I do think it has potency. So I work to tell the truth about people's lives; I work to celebrate struggle, to applaud the tradition of struggle in our community, to bring to center stage all those characters, just ordinary folks on the block...."

7. (1990) Audre Lorde, Black Women Writers at Work (Claudia Tate, Ed.): "Art for art's sake doesn't really exist for me. What I saw was wrong, and I had to speak up. I loved poetry and I loved words. But what was beautiful had to serve the purpose of changing my life, or I would have died. If I cannot air this pain and alter it, I will surely die of it. That's the beginning of social protest." (1990) Audre Lorde, Black Women Writers at Work (Claudia Tate, Ed.): "Art for art's sake doesn't really exist for me. What I saw was wrong, and I had to speak up. I loved poetry and I loved words. But what was beautiful had to serve the purpose of changing my life, or I would have died. If I cannot air this pain and alter it, I will surely die of it. That's the beginning of social protest."

8. Assumptions 1. Your interpretation is influenced by your own status, including gender, class, race, religion, and much more. 2. In the production and reception of literature, all people have not had equal access to writing, publishing, and reading. People of colour, women, and working-class people often have been excluded. 3. Literature is an arena for influencing social change.

9. What is Political Criticism? In order to analyse a text using political criticism, a reader should read with an awareness of its political implications. In order to analyse a text using political criticism, a reader should read with an awareness of its political implications.

10. Feminist Criticism Feminist criticism became a dominant force in Western literary studies in the late 1970s, when a more broadly conceived feminist theory was applied to linguistic and literary matters. Since the early 1980s, feminist literary criticism has developed and diversified in a number of ways and is now characterized by a global perspective. Feminist criticism became a dominant force in Western literary studies in the late 1970s, when a more broadly conceived feminist theory was applied to linguistic and literary matters. Since the early 1980s, feminist literary criticism has developed and diversified in a number of ways and is now characterized by a global perspective.

11. French feminist criticism garnered much of its inspiration from Simone de Beauvoir who argued that associating men with humanity (as many cultures do) relegates women to an inferior position in society. Subsequent French feminist critics focused on language as a tool of male domination, analyzing the ways in which it represents the world from the male point of view and arguing for the development of a feminine language and writing. French feminist criticism garnered much of its inspiration from Simone de Beauvoir who argued that associating men with humanity (as many cultures do) relegates women to an inferior position in society. Subsequent French feminist critics focused on language as a tool of male domination, analyzing the ways in which it represents the world from the male point of view and arguing for the development of a feminine language and writing.

12. Although interested in the subject of feminine language and writing, North American feminist critics of the 1970s and early 1980s began by analyzing literary texts, not only by discussing language abstractly, via close textual reading and historical scholarship. In fact, one group practised "feminist critique," by examining how female characters are portrayed, exposing the patriarchal ideology implicit in the so-called classics, and demonstrating that attitudes and traditions that reinforce systematic masculine dominance are perpetuated in the literary canon. Although interested in the subject of feminine language and writing, North American feminist critics of the 1970s and early 1980s began by analyzing literary texts, not only by discussing language abstractly, via close textual reading and historical scholarship. In fact, one group practised "feminist critique," by examining how female characters are portrayed, exposing the patriarchal ideology implicit in the so-called classics, and demonstrating that attitudes and traditions that reinforce systematic masculine dominance are perpetuated in the literary canon.

13. Another group practiced what came to be called "gynocriticism," studying writings by women and examining the female literary tradition to find out how women writers across the ages have perceived themselves and imagined reality. Another group practiced what came to be called "gynocriticism," studying writings by women and examining the female literary tradition to find out how women writers across the ages have perceived themselves and imagined reality.

14. By the early 1990s, the French, American, and British approaches had so thoroughly critiqued, influenced, and assimilated one another that nationality no longer automatically signaled a practitioner’s approach. Today’s critics seldom focus on "woman" as a relatively monolithic category; rather, they view "women" as members of different societies with different concerns. Feminists of colour, postcolonial feminists, and lesbian feminists have stressed that women are not defined solely by the fact that they are female; other attributes such as religion, class, and sexual orientation are also important. By the early 1990s, the French, American, and British approaches had so thoroughly critiqued, influenced, and assimilated one another that nationality no longer automatically signaled a practitioner’s approach. Today’s critics seldom focus on "woman" as a relatively monolithic category; rather, they view "women" as members of different societies with different concerns. Feminists of colour, postcolonial feminists, and lesbian feminists have stressed that women are not defined solely by the fact that they are female; other attributes such as religion, class, and sexual orientation are also important.

15. Marxist Criticism Marxist criticism is a type of criticism in which literary works are viewed as the product of work and whose practitioners emphasise the role of class and ideology as they reflect, propagate, and even challenge the prevailing social order. Rather than viewing texts as repositories for hidden meanings, Marxist critics view texts as material products to be understood in broadly historical terms. In short, literary works are viewed as a product of work (and hence of the realm of production and consumption we call economics). Marxist criticism is a type of criticism in which literary works are viewed as the product of work and whose practitioners emphasise the role of class and ideology as they reflect, propagate, and even challenge the prevailing social order. Rather than viewing texts as repositories for hidden meanings, Marxist critics view texts as material products to be understood in broadly historical terms. In short, literary works are viewed as a product of work (and hence of the realm of production and consumption we call economics).

16. Marxism began with Karl Marx, the nineteenth- century German philosopher best known for Das Kapital (1867), the seminal work of the communist movement. Marx was also the first Marxist literary critic, writing critical essays in the 1830s on writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and William Shakespeare. Even after Marx met Friedrich Engels in 1843 and began collaborating on overtly political works such as The German Ideology (1846) and The Communist Manifesto (1848), he maintained a keen interest in literature. Marxism began with Karl Marx, the nineteenth- century German philosopher best known for Das Kapital (1867), the seminal work of the communist movement. Marx was also the first Marxist literary critic, writing critical essays in the 1830s on writers such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and William Shakespeare. Even after Marx met Friedrich Engels in 1843 and began collaborating on overtly political works such as The German Ideology (1846) and The Communist Manifesto (1848), he maintained a keen interest in literature.

17. Marxist criticism, agreeing with Marx, divides society into the aristocracy, the bourgeosie, and the proletariat. It argues that in a capitalist society, the bourgeosie exploit and oppress the proletariat. This in turn creates a society that does not have a shared ideology. Marxist criticism, agreeing with Marx, divides society into the aristocracy, the bourgeosie, and the proletariat. It argues that in a capitalist society, the bourgeosie exploit and oppress the proletariat. This in turn creates a society that does not have a shared ideology.

18. Building a Response using Political Criticism The practitioners of this criticism believe that literature is an arena for influencing change. When analysing a text using this approach, they will normally identify the qualities of gender, class, religion, race, etc. of the author and/or the characters and explain how individuals are portrayed as members of some group. The practitioners of this criticism believe that literature is an arena for influencing change. When analysing a text using this approach, they will normally identify the qualities of gender, class, religion, race, etc. of the author and/or the characters and explain how individuals are portrayed as members of some group.

19. They then consider whether the text promotes or undermines stereotypes. They may also imagine how the text might be read by a certain type of reader; or how a text might have been neglected by a certain type of reader. They then consider whether the text promotes or undermines stereotypes. They may also imagine how the text might be read by a certain type of reader; or how a text might have been neglected by a certain type of reader.