Marxism and Literature

This book extends the theme of Raymond Williams''s earlier work in literary and cultural analysis. He analyzes previous contributions to a Marxist theory of literature from Marx himself to Lukacs Althusser and Goldmann and develops his own approach by outlining a theory of `cultural materialism'' which integrates Marxist theories of language with Marxist theories of literature.Williams moves from a review of the growth of the concepts of literature and idealogy to a redefinition of `determinism'' and `hegemony''. His incisive discussion of the ''social material process'' of cultural activity culminates in a re-examination of the problems of alignment and commitment and of the creative practice in individual authors and wider social groups.