MARXISM AND LITERATURE
EDMUND WILSON
Lecture
notes for M.Phil scholars—S. Sreekumar
Please
read the original for better comprehension
Edmund Wilson was deeply influenced by Marxism. In 1932, he started a work on the
Russian Revolution—To the Finland
station. When this work was in progress, Wilson became disillusioned with Marxism as
it was preached and practised under the dictatorship of Stalin. This
disillusionment is reflected in this essay.
Relationship between Art and society (Marxian principles)
è According to Marxism human society in
any given country or epoch grows out of the means of production which prevailed
at that place and time.
è
Out of the
relations between society and means of production arose a ‘super structure’.
è
This ‘super structure’
is related to higher activities such as politics, law, religion, literature
etc.
è These activities showed the mould of
social configuration below them.
è Each was trying to get away from its roots in
the social classes and constitute a professional group with its own standards
of value which cut across class lines.
è
Art of a great
period may reach a point of vitality where it can influence the life of the
period down to its very economic foundations. Thus the interaction is
reciprocal.
