Marxism in The House of Seven Gables

18 May 2008

Marxism in The House of the Sven Gables

In the novel The House of the Seven Gables ' by Nathaniel Hawthorne some of the characters show Marxism in their society because of their economic and political status in the community . This essay aims to analyze the novel in the light of the tenets of Marxism . This analysis will include a discussion of the theory of Marxism and an application of the theory to the novel

To begin with , the theory of Marxism considers the past events in the society

to be a result of the class struggle between the capitalist and the working classes . It holds that the social , intellectual and political institutions existing in the society were created base on the economic productions of men . These institutions were largely controlled by the bourgeoisie and the productive forces which are the working class whose efforts to make a living dictate their lives . However , Marxism predicts that there will come a time when the bourgeois relations of economic production would constraint the capitalist class and there will be a social revolution by which the rich and powerful will eventually be brought down to its end . When their acts have become too wicked , the same acts will haunt and destroy them . This will lead the proletariat to rule the society with its own political party and it will control its own economic institutions . With this , a classless society will result which will only be realized after a period of dictatorship . In accordance with this idea , Marxism holds that no one in the society will be rich or poor for everyone owns everything in the society . Moreover no citizen will have a property of his own but all the properties will be owned by the government and that all the resources of the society will be evenly distributed to everyone . These ideas of Marxism can be found in the novel and the fate of the bourgeoisie in the community is illustrated by the tragic end of some of the characters in the novel . Considering the theory of Marxism , this novel is a depiction of what happens to the rich and powerful who are greedy for more wealth and control found in the characters of Colonel Pyncheon and Judge Pyncheon It predicts the future of those who are in the capitalist society Likewise , it expresses the sentiments of the working class in their struggles against a bourgeois society through the characters of Mr Holgrave and Clifford Pyncheon . It demonstrates the triumph and the rule of the proletariat over the bourgeoisie to be possible

Early in the novel , we can read that Colonel Pyncheon like other capitalists was able to possess the land where he built the House of the Seven Gables right after Old Matthew Maule was hanged in the gallows because of allegedly practicing witchcraft . This tragic event was with the direct participation of Colonel Pyncheon . So , it can be said that he got the land after putting Old Matthew Maule...