“English Poets: The Decline Of Capitalism” By Christopher Caudwell: Summary and Critique

• The Decline of Bourgeois Ideals in English Poetry: Arnold, Swinburne, Tennyson, and Browning each encapsulate the gradual disintegration of bourgeois ideals in their poetic works, mirroring the historical transition and the inherent contradictions within capitalist society. Caudwell argues that these poets, through their unique styles, reflect the “tragic” stage of bourgeois illusion as it confronts its limitations and inevitable decline.

• Tennyson’s Conflict Between Beauty and Reality: Tennyson’s poetry exemplifies the tension between the idealized world of beauty and the harsh realities of life, a conflict that shatters his Keatsian worldview. This tension is particularly evident in In Memoriam, which Caudwell identifies as one of the most pessimistic poems in English literature. The poem successfully engages with contemporary issues, revealing Tennyson’s struggle to reconcile aesthetic ideals with the real world’s misery.

• Nature as a Reflection of Capitalist Society in Tennyson’s Work: Tennyson’s portrayal of nature in his poetry serves as a metaphor for the ruthless dynamics of capitalist society. Caudwell suggests that the depiction of nature’s “unconscious ruthlessness” mirrors the brutal competition and survival struggles inherent in a society where capitalists are pitted against one another, driving their peers into proletarian despair. This projection of capitalist conditions onto nature underscores the interdependence of societal and natural forces in Tennyson’s work.

• Browning’s Romanticization of the Past: In contrast to addressing the realities of his time, Browning escapes into the glorified past of the Italian bourgeoisie, romanticizing its vigor and vitality. Caudwell criticizes this retreat into historical nostalgia, arguing that Browning’s avoidance of contemporary issues diminishes the relevance of his poetry. His focus on past glories, rather than engaging with the present, reflects a broader trend among bourgeois poets to evade the contradictions of their class.

• Swinburne’s Superficial Revolutionary Sentiment: Swinburne’s response to the bourgeois-democratic revolutions across Europe, while emotionally charged, is ultimately superficial and lacks depth. Caudwell observes that Swinburne’s poetry, though inspired by the revolutionary fervor of the mid-19th century, fails to engage meaningfully with the political and social realities of the time. This shallowness, according to Caudwell, reflects the declining significance of these movements in an era where the proletariat was becoming a more dominant force.

• Arnold’s Pessimism and the Struggle Against the Philistine: Arnold’s poetry embodies the characteristic pessimism of the declining bourgeoisie, as he battles against the Philistine – a figure representing the very mediocrity and materialism that his own class perpetuates. Caudwell notes that Arnold’s struggle is ultimately futile, as he is caught within the same societal categories that generate the Philistine. This internal conflict highlights the inherent contradictions in bourgeois society, where the poet’s opposition to the Philistine is, paradoxically, an extension of the same societal forces.

• The Rise of Commodity-Fetishism in Poetry: The increasing pessimism in bourgeois poetry inevitably leads to the rise of “art for art’s sake,” a movement that separates art from reality and reduces it to a mere commodity. Caudwell argues that as poets like Arnold and Tennyson withdraw from engaging with contemporary issues, they fall victim to commodity-fetishism. This process alienates poetry from its social roots, making it a product for consumption rather than a medium of genuine expression, and ultimately leads to its detachment from reality.

• Alienation of the Poet in Capitalist Society: The capitalist mode of production, with its emphasis on market exchange, alienates the poet from the society he once sought to influence. Caudwell explains that the poet, now producing for an anonymous “public,” loses the social character of his art, which was once rooted in communal experience. The development of the bourgeois market, driven by the expansion of colonization and trade, forces the poet to cater to a faceless audience, thereby stripping poetry of its social significance and reducing it to a commodity.

• The Poet’s Ineffectual Revolt Against Capitalism: Although poets often rebel against the constraints of capitalism, their efforts are rendered ineffectual by their entrapment within bourgeois ideology. Caudwell argues that while poets may critique the system of profit-making and the commodification of art, their revolts remain confined within the parameters of bourgeois thought. This limitation prevents them from fully escaping the influence of the capitalist system, rendering their protests ultimately superficial and self-defeating.

1.     Marxist Literary Theory

• Economic Base and Superstructure: Caudwell explicitly demonstrates how economic conditions (capitalism) shape cultural production (poetry).
• Ideology Critique: He analyzes how poetry reflects and reinforces dominant ideologies of the bourgeoisie.
• Historical Materialism: Caudwell applies a historical materialist framework to understand the evolution of poetry in relation to societal changes.
• Class Analysis: He highlights the class position of poets and how it influences their artistic output.

2.     Sociological Criticism

• Reflectionism: Caudwell’s work can be seen as an example of reflectionist criticism, where literature is viewed as a mirror of society.
• Cultural Materialism: While not explicitly named as such, Caudwell’s analysis aligns with cultural materialist approaches, emphasizing the material conditions of production and consumption of cultural artifacts.

3.     New Historicism

• Contextualization: Caudwell’s work underscores the importance of historical and cultural context in understanding literary texts.
• Power Relations: His analysis implicitly touches on power relations between classes, as reflected in the poetry.

4.     Postcolonial Theory (to a lesser extent)

• Center and Periphery: While not the primary focus, Caudwell’s discussion of the global reach of the capitalist market can be seen as a precursor to postcolonial concerns about the center and periphery.

• Economic Determinism:

• Overemphasis on economic factors as the sole determinant of literary production.
• Neglect of other social, cultural, and psychological influences on poetry.
• Reductionist Approach to Poetry:

• Treating poetry as a mere reflection of economic conditions, ignoring its aesthetic and formal qualities.
• Failure to account for the complexity and autonomy of artistic creation.
• Limited Scope:

• Focus on a specific group of poets and a particular historical period, limiting the generalizability of his findings.
• Neglect of other poetic traditions and forms.
• Oversimplification of Literary Movements:

• Tendency to categorize poets into rigid groups based on their perceived ideological alignment.
• Ignoring the nuances and complexities within literary movements.
• Deterministic View of the Poet:

• Treating poets as passive agents of their social and economic conditions, rather than active creators shaping cultural discourse.
• Neglect of the poet’s agency and individuality.

Books

1. Eagleton, Terry. Criticism and Ideology: A Study in Marxist Literary Theory. Verso, 2006.
2. Caudwell, Christopher. Illusion and Reality: A Study of the Sources of Poetry. International Publishers, 1937.
3. Williams, Raymond. Marxism and Literature. Oxford University Press, 1977.
4. Thompson, E. P. The Poverty of Theory and Other Essays. Monthly Review Press, 1978.

Academic Articles

• Thompson, E. P. “Christopher Caudwell.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 21, no. 2, 1995, pp. 305–53. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1343926. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.
• Browne, Paul. “An Unclaimed Legacy: Caudwell’s Marxist Dialectics.” Science & Society, vol. 48, no. 2, 1984, pp. 192–210. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40402577. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.
• Hawley, Andrew. “Art for Man’s Sake: Christopher Caudwell as Communist Aesthetician.” College English, vol. 30, no. 1, 1968, pp. 1–19. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/374504. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.
• Frankel, Hyman. “Marxism and Physics: A New Look.” Science & Society, vol. 55, no. 3, 1991, pp. 336–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40403157. Accessed 17 Aug. 2024.