Cultural Materialism as Literary Theory

Introduction

Cultural materialism is a literary theory that examines the relationship between literature and the material conditions of society. It emphasizes the impact of economic, social, and political factors on the creation, dissemination, and interpretation of literary works.

By analyzing the material contexts in which literature emerges, it seeks to uncover underlying power structures and ideological influences shaping literary production and reception.

Heading	Explanation
Materialism	Cultural materialism emphasizes that material conditions drive cultural change and development, focusing on resources and technology as primary factors. It contrasts with idealist theories that prioritize ideas and beliefs.
Infrastructure & Superstructure	Cultural materialism proposes a hierarchical relationship between material infrastructure (economy, technology, environment) and cultural superstructure (beliefs, values, institutions). The former forms the foundation for the latter.
Adaptation	Culture is viewed as a product of human adaptation to material conditions, with cultural practices and beliefs arising from the need to fulfill practical needs and solve problems within a given society.
Critique	Cultural materialism offers critical insights into culture and society, revealing how power relations and social inequality are perpetuated through cultural practices and beliefs, including gender and class discrimination.
Historical Analysis	This approach to cultural study focuses on tracing the evolution of cultural practices and beliefs over time, analyzing how they are influenced by historical events and social contexts, particularly economic and social structures.

Criticism Against Cultural Materialism Literary Theory

While it has been influential in fields such as anthropology and literary studies, it has also faced criticism from various perspectives. Here are some common criticisms against cultural materialism:

Criticism	Explanation
1. Reductionism and Oversimplification	Cultural materialism oversimplifies complex cultural phenomena, focusing solely on economic and material factors. Neglects other influences like ideology, symbolism, and human agency.
2. Neglect of Individual Creativity	The theory’s emphasis on socio-economic factors diminishes the role of individual creativity and artistic expression in shaping literature.
3. Lack of Attention to Aesthetics	Cultural materialism’s focus on material conditions may neglect aesthetic considerations, limiting exploration of literary beauty and form.
4. Ethical Concerns	Critics worry that reducing cultural artifacts to economic reflections could justify harmful ideologies and oppressive systems, ignoring ethical implications.
5. Eurocentrism and Cultural Bias	Initial focus on Western literature and Eurocentric perspectives limits the theory’s applicability to non-Western traditions, hindering a global understanding.
6. Inadequate Consideration of Intertextuality	The theory’s inclination towards historical materialism may overlook intertextuality’s significance, hampering analysis of cultural influences on literature.
7. Limited Scope for Symbolism and Metaphor	Emphasizing material and social context might overshadow symbolic and metaphorical elements in literary works, leading to a shallower interpretation.
8. Lack of Empirical Validity	Relying on interpretation over empirical evidence makes the theory susceptible to subjective biases and undermines its credibility as a rigorous analysis framework.
9. Overemphasis on Economic Determinism	The heavy focus on economic determinism oversimplifies human behavior and cultural expressions, neglecting the influence of other factors.
10. Ignores the Role of Technology and Media	Critics argue that the theory overlooks technology and media’s impact on literature’s production, distribution, and consumption in the contemporary era.

Examples of Cultural Materialism Literary Theory

In literary studies, cultural materialism has been applied to various texts to analyze the ways in which economic and material factors shape literary production and reception. Here are some examples of the application of cultural materialism to literary pieces:

Work	Critique in Cultural Materialism
Hard Times by Charles Dickens	Cultural Materialist critics analyze the novel’s depiction of the Industrial Revolution and capitalism’s impact on the characters’ lives. They also explore how the novel itself critiques these material conditions.
Shakespeare’s The Tempest	Cultural Materialist critics examine the play as a reflection of early modern England’s political and economic conditions, including colonialism and capitalism. They also analyze how the play critiques these conditions, particularly in the relationship between Prospero and Caliban.
Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse	Cultural Materialist critics explore the influence of gender, class, and economic factors on the characters, especially the Ramsay family’s relationship with their servants and dependence on the tourism industry.
Toni Morrison’s Beloved	Cultural Materialist critics analyze the novel’s portrayal of historical and economic conditions during slavery and the postbellum period in the US. They examine how the novel reflects and critiques the economic exploitation and dehumanization of African Americans.
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness	Cultural Materialist critics focus on the novella’s depiction of colonialism and imperialism’s influence on economic and political conditions. They also analyze the novella’s reflection and critique of exploitation and the degradation of the protagonist.

Keywords in Cultural Materialism Literary Theory

Here are some of the keywords associated with it:

1. Materialism: It emphasizes the underlying material conditions, encompassing economic and social structures, technologies, and resources, that influence cultural phenomena.
2. Production and Consumption: It examines the specific economic and social contexts within which cultural products, such as literature, are produced and consumed.
3. Ideology: Cultural Materialism analyzes how dominant ideas and beliefs function to reinforce existing power structures and economic systems.
4. Agency: While highlighting the significance of material conditions in shaping cultural practices, Cultural Materialism acknowledges the role of human agency in shaping culture and history.
5. Class: Cultural Materialism underscores the pivotal role of social class in shaping cultural practices and beliefs, elucidating how economic and social structures impact cultural production and consumption.
6. Power: Cultural Materialism investigates the distribution of power within society, considering how economic and political systems influence cultural practices and beliefs.
7. Historical Context: Cultural Materialism recognizes the vital role of historical context in shaping cultural practices and beliefs, including the influence of historical events and processes on cultural production and consumption.
8. Critique: Cultural Materialism involves a critical analysis of cultural phenomena, including literature, to discern how they reflect and perpetuate existing power structures and ideologies.
9. Resistance: Cultural Materialism acknowledges the potential for resistance and subversion within cultural practices and beliefs, including literature, as a means of challenging dominant power structures and ideologies.
10. Globalization: Cultural Materialism also acknowledges the impact of globalization on cultural practices and beliefs, exploring how global economic and social structures affect cultural production and consumption.

Suggested Readings

1. Belsey, Catherine. Critical Practice. Routledge, 1980.
2. Bennett, Tony. Outside Literature. Routledge, 1990.
3. Cohen, Stephen. Shakespeare and Historical Formalism. Oxford University Press, 2017.
4. Dollimore, Jonathan. Radical Tragedy: Religion, Ideology and Power in the Drama of Shakespeare and His Contemporaries. Palgrave Macmillan, 1984.
5. Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. University of Minnesota Press, 1983.
6. Frow, John. Cultural Studies and Cultural Value. Oxford University Press, 1995.
7. Gallagher, Catherine. The Industrial Reformation of English Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1985.
8. Liu, Alan. Wordsworth: The Sense of History. Stanford University Press, 1989.
9. Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading. University of California Press, 1992.
10. Williams, Raymond. Culture and Society. Columbia University Press, 1958.