Applying Marxist Literary Theory to "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
Marxism and Marxist literary criticism are fundamental theories that analyze literature through an economic lens. Founded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid-nineteenth century, Marxism proposes that society is divided into the proletariat (working class) and the bourgeoisie (upper class). It suggests that the bourgeoisie manipulates societal structures to suppress the working class. The objective of Marxism is to establish a classless society based on collective ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. When applying Marxist literary theory, literature is examined from an economic standpoint.
The analysis involves determining whether the text reflects or challenges the dominant ideology, as well as identifying the class to which the characters belong. An essential aspect is understanding the influence of economic status on the characters' lives. The examination also involves exploring class conflicts and their impact on characters. For instance, the consequences of class struggle often include alienation and fragmentation. Therefore, observing whether any character becomes a victim of these effects is crucial.
A Marxist Reading of "The Necklace":
Now let us analyze the short story "The Necklace" through a Marxist lens. Upon close examination, the story's primary theme emerges as the conflict between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. At first glance, the narrative appears to revolve around a woman who loses a borrowed necklace and subsequently endures significant suffering. However, a deeper analysis of the story using Marx and Engel's economic theories reveals its true essence—an exploration of the structure of capitalist society.
The story begins by introducing Mathilde, a woman who should have been raised in a wealthy family but is instead born into a family of clerks, placing her in the proletariat. The author highlights Mathilde's exceptional beauty, emphasizing that she was born into her particular family "as if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks." This remark gains significance as the story unfolds, revealing that due to her middle-class background, she has no opportunity to marry a rich or respectable husband from the bourgeoisie. Hence, the author establishes from the outset that economic conditions dictate the separation of social classes.
The turning point in Mathilde's life occurs when her husband brings home an invitation to a ball. This event marks the beginning of their suffering as members of the lower class. Society dictates that participants must wear exquisite attire to the ball. As Mathilde obsesses over luxury, she realizes that she lacks the means to acquire the best clothes and jewellery. However, her financial constraints lead her to borrow a diamond necklace from a bourgeois friend. Though the necklace is not genuine, Mathilde's upper-class friend chooses not to disclose this fact, either intentionally or inadvertently. The friend believes that presenting the necklace as authentic will enhance Mathilde's social standing. Consequently, this act deepens the class conflict between them and creates a mental distance despite their friendship.
Mathilde attends the ball and enjoys a splendid evening. However, when it is time to depart, she finds herself compelled to wear her old clothes in public. Ashamed, she hastily flees the scene. The conventions of upper-class society deprive Mathilde of her necklace. Had she felt accepted among these people of her own class, she would not have rushed and lost the necklace. Subsequently, additional manifestations of bourgeois influence erode Mathilde's way of life. Upon discovering the necklace's disappearance, she hides the truth from her friend. Believing that her friend's discovery of the loss would further diminish her social standing, Mathilde decides to replace the necklace secretly. To repay the borrowed money, she endures a decade of hardship. Once again, the upper classes and their avaricious ways push the couple to the lowest point in society.
"The Necklace" serves as a captivating piece for Marxist analysis, as most characters are shaped by their material conditions. The story exemplifies how society is divided into distinct classes based on the means of production. Moreover, individuals belonging to the upper classes determine the standards of exceptional behaviour in society. Those in the lower strata of society have no choice but to blindly adhere to the rules established by the economically privileged class. Thus, the young couple in the story falls victim to the laws, aesthetic values, and social norms of a society dictated by material conditions favouring the affluent class.
By applying Marxist literary theory to "The Necklace," we gain a deeper understanding of the social and economic dynamics at play within the narrative. This analysis illuminates the class conflict and its impact on the characters, shedding light on the underlying power structures in capitalist societies.