How did Karl Marx influence modernism in literature? ?
Well…I’ll keep it very short. Marx was and a proponent of the classless society. He attacked the elites (bourgeoisie) and theorised a political and economic system that would eliminate the heirarchical structure in society. It would bring equality, brotherhood and liberty to societies. This view has profound implications in aesthetics, especially in literature. Up until Marx the novel could well be seen as an elitist product, dealing with a certain kind of protagonist and a certain kind of language, voice and perspective. Post-Marx, and indeed post-Nietzsche, the novel ruptures…art itself ruptures. We start to see literature appearing that gives voice to characters and experiences from society at large. Society is attacked, man is attacked! All because suddenly, people are starting to ask the question….why THIS kind of society? Why THIS kind of man? Marx’ ideas inspire a generation of avant-gardists, modernists and bohemians to defy artistic conventions…to write their self, to
