G.

B Bagus Tri Wicaksono

Literary Criticism
Marxist Theory

THE THEORY OF MARXIS AND ITS APPLICATION IN MODERN ARABIC

LITERATURE

Literature is the product of human thought and feeling, in literary works such as
prose and drama. Basically Modern Arabic literature uses Arabic and contain of Islamic
themes. Meanwhile Marxist literary works have a bassist of Marxist philosophy; both of
them have different theoretical bases. But if Marxist theory is studied more deeply, the
theory of Marxism contains of class struggle of the proletariat within the capitalist, and it
is capable to use Marxist theory to analyze several phenomenons in modern Arabic
literature.
Arab society can produce culture, as we can see from the product culture of the
literary works in the form of poetry, prose, and drama. As a phenomenon the Arabic
culture has additional local character and national, but also breaking the regional and
transregional lines through means Arabic and Islam (Feener,2004: 59). However Arabic
literary work has been studied with a limited theory, especially in literary works of poetry,
prose, and modern Arabic novels. The literary theories that are often used to study are
structural and semiotic theories.
Therefore, in this paper the writer explains and gives an additional discourse analysis
to the researchers and Arabic literary researcher that the theory of Marxism could be
applied to the modern Arabic literature. In several literary works of modern Arabic such
as novels, poems, and prose, as we could find from the Arabic literary works written by
famous Arabian writers such as Najib Mahfudz, Taufiq Al-Hakim, Najib Al-kailany,
Gibran Khalil Gibran, Michael Nuaymah, and Butrus al-Bustâni. Basically the novels has
similar concept to Marxism about the class struggle, which is used views by Gregory
Castle (2007) and Ann Jefferson with David Robey (1987). Especially in social class
struggle and ideological concepts influenced by individuals or community groups. The
theory of Marxism will be applied in the study of Arabic modern poems, novels, short
stories or modern Arabic dramas, because, in the novels and short stories of Arabic
writers are telling about the struggle of the lower social class against the upper social
class, to get their right.
And the followings are the reasons that the Marxist theory can be studied in modern
Arabic literature; firstly, the researchers of modern Arabic literature in Arab does not
recognized Marxist theory, and they though the Marxist theory is a communist. Secondly,
researchers of modern Arabic literature, especially in Indonesia, does not recognized
Marxist literary theory is capable to analyze the novels and short stories Modern Arab
literary works. Finally, the study of Marxist theory have not been applied by the lecturers
of literature, so this theory is still foreign and does not interesting for students and
lecturers of Arabic literature.
In this writing the writer gives supporting ideas namely; reviewed of literary theory,
the theory of Marxist literature (literary works as the product of social forces and
ideology), Paradigm of Superstructure and Ideology of hegemony, and Arabic literary
reviewed from theory of literary Marxism.
Based on the above supporting ideas the writer concludes that "Literary theory
Marxist and its application on Arabic modern literary work", and then writer gives several
conclusion; First, literary theory is essentially reflected by social life and the life of the
author. Second, according to the literary perspectives of Marxists, literary texts are the
product of a particular person or person in a particular society and culture at that time,
there are shown to the reader about the whole of literary works. Third, literary of the
theory Will give the readers about the phenomenon specific contexts as ideological which
is producing the texts of literature. Fourth, the history in society is dialectical
transformation; in literature it is called relationship between the author and their literary
works. Fifth, social class struggle on capitalist society is the logical output of a historical
process of the lower class to leads the capitalism which is called "dictatorship of the
proletariat". Sixth, theory of Marxism in literature using paradigm of superstructure and
infrastructure, and infrastructure refers to the mode of production relationship and class
formations generated by superstructure. Seventh, theoretically, literary theory of Marxists
can be applied in research works of modern Arabic literature, which is poetry, prose and
drama, because some modern Arabic literary works are explicit nor implied about class
struggle.

Reference
Text: TEORI SASTRA MARXIS DAN APLIKASINYA PADA PENELITIAN KARYA
SASTRA ARAB MODERN ( Fadlil Munawwar Manshur; Fakultas Ilmu Budaya
Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta )

Feener, Michael. 2004. Islam in World Cultures, Comparative Perspectives. Santa

Barbara, California : ABC Clio.

Castle, Gregory. 2007. The Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory. Malden USA : Blackwell
Publishing.

Jefferson & Robey, Ann & David (ed). 1987. Modern Literary Theory. Second Edition.
London : B.T. Batsford Ltd.