Cultural materialism
A critical method examining how cultural texts (including literature) serve ideological purposes, reinforce power structures, and are shaped by economic conditions and social forces. Cultural materialism combines Marxist analysis with cultural study.
Real World
A cultural materialist reading of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' examines how Prospero's mastery over Caliban mirrors Elizabethan colonial ideology, arguing the play naturalises the idea that Europeans have a right to subjugate indigenous peoples.
Exam Focus
When applying cultural materialism, explicitly link the text's language choices to the ideological power structures they reinforce or challenge.
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