Capitalism in the first industrial revolution English society in Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol: A Marxist Literary Criticism

ABSTRACT

This analysis uses Marxist Literary Criticism, because it deals with aspect of capitalism to be formed in the character of Scrooge. Marxist’s literature shows the relation between literature and society. Abrams states Marxist Literary Criticism deals with historical evolution determined by economical production. It causes struggle for economic, social and also political. Marx and Engels idea is normative philosophy which has explicit ideas about epistemological question. It causes struggle between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat.

After conducting this research, she finds the result of study about capitalism is a reflection of English society during that period. The researcher analyzes the distinction between proletariat and bourgeoisie. Concerning to the study, the research is aimed at getting attention to description about capitalism condition that influenced by the condition of Industrial Revolution. The objectives of study are: To find out the evidences of capitalism in the novel, to find out the impacts of capitalism in novel, to find out the author’s criticizes different classes between Proletariat and Bourgeoisie, and the last to find out the reflection of capitalism to the real condition of English Society during Industrial Revolution.

The researcher uses some methods to get the objective of the research, and how the researcher arranges her steps works. This method to achieved the purpose of the research and give clear description of what the researcher has done in this design, source data, data collection, and data analysis. In collecting data, the researcher takes the data from novel A Christmas Carol, find the similarities of capitalism in novel and the real condition of English Society during Victorian Era, then find the theory of Marxist that suitable for the objective study. And the last, the researcher highlight the data in novel and match the suitable theories.

After analyzing the novel, the researcher finds many evidences of capitalism that occurred in the novel. Moreover the capitalism in novel is reflected on real life during Victorian Era. In this research, the researcher has many results that the impact of capitalism especially affected in economics. It is proved by the theory of Marxism that capitalism causes the differences classes and the economics’ exploitation toward working class. The researcher concludes the content of novel reflected the real condition of English society during Industrial Revolution. And Dickens clearly shows the distinction of Proletariat and Bourgeoisie in England. His novel gives a new perspective about his critics among his society through literary work.