Presentation Semester 3

1. Presentation Semester 3
Presented by : Pina Gondaliya
Subject: Cultural Studies
Topic : Marxism Theory
Submitted To : Department of
English M.K.Bhavnager

2. What is Marxism?
● Marxism is a social, political, and economic theory originated
by Karl Marx, which focuses on the struggle between
capitalists and the working class.
● Marx wrote that the power relationships between capitalists
and workers were inherently exploitative and would
inevitably create class conflict.
● He believed that this conflict would ultimately lead to a
revolution in which the working class would overthrow the
capitalist class and seize control of the economy.
● Capitalist society is made up of two classes—the
bourgeoisie, or business owners, who control the means of
production, and the proletariat, or workers, whose labor
transforms raw commodities into valuable economic goods.

3. Terey Eagleton
English literary
theorist, critic, and
public intellectual.
His Marxism and
literary criticism
(1976)
Karl Marx
Germon philosopher,
critic of political
economy.
‘Das Capital’
Fredric Jameson
American literary
critic, philosopher and
Marxist political
theorist.
Marxism and
Form(1971)
Marxist Critics

4. Marxism Within Film
● Marx explained how society is a complex
structure based on the relationships of
power between the different sections of
society.
● He also said how media is still seen as part
of this structure, and because of that
Marxist critique of films is a good critical
approach when viewing film.

5. Way of looking Film
● Marxism is now one of the main way of looking at
film and has taken over from liberal pluralism as
the dominant perspective of looking at film.
● As Marxism offers a critique of liberal pluralism.
● This is because liberal pluralism is defined as
when people are able to operate freely within
society and the media is used as a from of free
expression.
● Marx’s theories can be seen within many films.

6. Applying Marxist Theory in Titanic movie
● Titanic makes the Marxist class
struggle obvious, and is one of
the most obvious films, which
portrays a difference in class
and the struggle between
them.
● It is also a great example of
Capitalism.
● To start I’m going to explore
some different elements of the
film.

7. ● The Titanic itself is symbol
of capitalism and greed, the
way the owners of the ship
were striving to make the
ship faster, stronger and
more luxurious for the
upper classes is a
representation of what Karl
Marx meant when he was
talking about materialism
and said:
The Ship

8. “If ever there was an industrial
creation that served little
purpose other than creating a
new mode of gratification”
● The ship itself showed the class struggle, showing the
first class passengers on the upper decks and the third
class passengers unable to reach the higher decks. This is
good use of positioning as a metaphor for the struggle the
proletariat has of reaching the heights of the ruling
classes.

9. The Characters
● As for the two main characters, Rose
and Jack, they are complete opposites,
Rose is a rich young women who has
everything she could want, where Jack
has nothing, at the beginning of the film
he is trying to gamble his way to
America by trying to win third class
tickets in a poker game.
● The top deck scene is a great example
of how the class difference is shown in
Titanic, in this scene everyone is
dressed in either top hat and tails or in a
gown, while Jack is wearing tatty
clothing, suitable for his class and is the
only one slouching, you can see how
the idea that the upper class members
are sat up straight where jack is sat
casually.

10. Continue….
● The way the different classes are treated by the bourgeoisie is obvious
in the scenes depicting the sinking of the ship where the ruling class
orders that the third class passengers are to be locked in the lower
decks while the first class passengers have the chance to get aboard
the lifeboats.
● The characters themselves show how the different classes can work
together and are not totally exclusive, but only can work together if
they are willing to or are in a crisis and how in general life the
proletariat are forced and manipulated into what the bourgeoisie or
the ruling class want. This is a good example of what Karl Marx said
about how socialism can rise up in the face of capitalist oppression.

11. Avatar
● Avatar was described as
Yong Tang as a ‘Marxist
Saga on a Far Distant
Planet’ It is one of the only
films to show how Marxist
ideas in a film can be
reflected literally in real
society.

12. ● In January 2010 the Chinese Government banned Avatar despite
its popularity. People have speculated that this is because the
film shows the rise of socialism and how it can overcome
capitalist nature, this is shown within the film as the Na’vi fight
against the Human population and is speculated that people
may think they can rise up against the current regime and have
a similar situation as in Avatar appear in China. This may sound
extreme but it has happened.
● In 2010 Palestinian Activists in the West Bank dressed up as
Avatars and protested against the Israeli population of the area,
and the barrier built across their land. Even while they were
dressed up the Israelis gassed the protesters while they were
demonstrating near the border.

13. Five elements of mise-en-scene applied into
the movie ‘Titanic’?
● Through the content analysis, findings showed
that the film ‘Titanic’ has successful with well
done of mise-en-scene elements.
● These five mise-en-scene elements are acting
style, setting, space arrangement, costume and
lighting.
● All the above elements was applied into the
film ‘Titanic’ to enhanced the storyline and also
make the story run smoothly.

14. ● Based on the findings of content analysis in chapter 4, the setting
in this film has created the contrast between higher and lower
classes.
● The vivid acting style by several main and supporting characters
has enhanced the storyline, and also made the story run smoothly.
● Lighting in this film has created meaning in all scenes, the mood
has enhanced through different lighting in several scenes. The
costume in this film is functional in telling audiences that the
different characteristic of the characters in the scene, it’s also
enhanced the contrasted class level in this film.
● Space arrangement in this film has giving the meaning to the
particular scene through different camera placement and camera
shot.
● So, these five mise-en-scene elements in the film ‘Titanic’ is the
important key to make this film successfully and memorable.

15. Work Citation
● Adam, Leach. “Marxism within Film.” Critical Approaches
to Film & TV, 27 Nov. 2012,
https://criticalfilmtv.tumblr.com/post/38306884511/
marxism.
● “Mise En Scene of Titanic Film Studies Essay.” UK Essays,
UK Essays, 12 Aug. 2021,
https://ukessays.com/essays/film-studies/mise-en-
scene-of-titanic-film-studies-essay.php.
● Team, The Investopedia. “Marxism: Theory, Effects, and
Examples.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 13 Oct. 2021,
investopedia.com/terms/m/marxism.asp.