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The life and death of Harriet frean - a marxist perspective

            Marxist literary theory presents a challenge to traditional criticism in the sense that it provides a political social perspective upon literary works. The focus with this critical approach is that it attempts to deconstruct the social reality and "givens" within the text. It is essentially a materialist approach and therefore mainly concentrates upon economic factors and influences and how this can lead to the oppression and subjugation of both the Proletariat and indirectly women. Drew Milne (1996) elegantly expresses this with his comment: .
             "Marxism tries to offer a critique of the ideological distortion of human interests, recognising the relation between civilisation and barbarity in literature, but without simply mirroring the current system of production." .
             Therefore, the conceptions within literary and fundamental Marxism can easily be directed towards inequality and the complex economic relations within families. It criticises the oppressive determinist social values and norms in society that govern the individual by common-held morals, expectations and the undermining of free will. A text that can easily be acquainted with this approach is May Sinclair's (1863-1946) novel: The Life and Death of Harriett Frean, as it concentrates upon the Victorian English class system and the willing oppression of the named protagonist. Although May Sinclair's focus in the novel is upon Psychoanalysis and the repression of sexuality, the actions, virtues and social systems within this text are relevant to Marxist literary criticism. The Victorian family in this text are portrayed severely and are seen to be subjected to values that essentially cause the disintegration of both family life and human relationships. The protagonist's life, Harriett Frean, is highlighted by self-inflicted self-sacrifice and by the chant-like repetition of "behaving beautifully". This "chant" (which appears no less than fifteen times throughout the novel) is seen by Harriett as the moral embodiment of all what her parents thought and did.


Essays Related to The life and death of Harriet frean - a marxist perspective

1. Harriet Tubman

Tubman, Harriet (c. 18211913), American abolitionist. ... Originally called Araminta, she later changed her name to Harriet. ... She undertook the most hazardous missions, and employed stern measures, including the threat of death, against frightened fugitives who wanted to give up the flight and return to bondage. ... Tubman, Harriet Harriet Tubman, b. ... After the war she managed a home in Auburn, N.Y., for indigent and elderly blacks until her death; she was buried with full military honors. ...

  • Word Count: 667
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Is Harriet a totally unlikeable child? Are there any redeemi

Harriet M. ... They provide us with different perspectives on her character and so help us to understand and respond better to Harriet. ... Her mother is busy with her social life where as her father is preoccupied with his business. ... Initially, she is not self reflective but writes from her personal perspective. ... For instance, Mrs Agatha Plumber naively believes that the secret to life is to stay in bed (page 286). ...

  • Word Count: 1163
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Harriet Tubman

At the young age of thirteen Harriet experienced an accident that would significantly affect the rest of her life. ... This incident would have devastating effects on Harriet's life in the future. ... Tubman made this quote when she thought on the subject of what was about to occur if rumor proved correct, "I have reasoned this out in my mind, There was one of two things I had a right to -liberty or death (us news)-. ... Her life of slavery was over; a new career was soon to begin-(magill2343).""... Alexandria; Time Life Custom Publishing, 1993. ...

  • Word Count: 971
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Harriet Tubman

Born a slave her life was hard from the beginning. ... Harriet spent her life serving others. ... Harriet had many obstacles to overcome during her incredible life. ... Harriet's life was lived out for God every step of the way. Her parent's were Christians and led her to faith early in life. ...

  • Word Count: 456
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Why Harriet Spies

Harriet chooses many people to spy on, each person with a somewhat failed life. ... Golly also tries to teach Harriet to learn as much as she can about other people and their lives so that she may choose her own life. ... Harriet is an outsider that spies to gain knowledge on the world, so that she may understand them and make her own choices about life. ... Ole Golly is a major source for Harriet's yearn for knowledge and she teaches Harriet that she must take risks, not hide from life, have understanding for others, and above all, to have the freedom of choice. Harriet spies to know...

  • Word Count: 1466
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Biography of Harriet Jacobs

"I would rather drudge out my life on a cotton plantation, till the grave opened to give me rest, than to live with an unprincipled master and a jealous mistress." - Harriet Jacobs Harriet Jacobs didn't have an ideal life she was born a slave and experienced many tragedies in her life. ... She worked for everything in her life no matter what. ... Harriet did not have much of an impact on U.S society when she was young but when she was in her 30s she starting writing books about her life. ... Harriet Jacobs had a very interesting life. ... Even though she had a difficult life she didn&#x...

  • Word Count: 729
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Harriet Beecher Stowe

Well-written and organized, the book is enjoyable and informative to read, although it does not go into detail about any facet of Stowe's life. ... Sadly, her mother died while Harriet was only four years old, leaving the duties of raising the large Beecher family to her older sister, Catherine, who would play a large role in Harriet's life. ... He, too, would have a great influence on Harriet's life, although she would eventually come to disagree with his spiritual beliefs. ... Finally, she had a vision in which she beheld a heartrending scene of a slave being beaten to dea...

  • Word Count: 1635
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Incidents in the life of a slave girl

Incidents in the life of a slave girl (treatment of Black women towards White Males) Harriet Jacobs (Linda Brent) is an incredibly strong willed person, as a black female living in a major slave era. ... Harriet faced many trials in her life, from fighting off a forceful maniac slaveholder, to staying in a blank by balnk room for seven years. ... She had to live a life as a slave under the callous Dr. ... In either case, there is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, from violence, or even from death; all these are inflicted by fiends who bear the shape of men."1 Harriet J...

  • Word Count: 1114
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Biography of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was born in 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland. ... Harriet Tubman was born a slave. ... Minty got better but had headaches for the rest of her life. ... Minty changed her name to Harriet Tubman. ... Remember Harriet's first husband, John Tubman? ...

  • Word Count: 711
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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