Name-Sujail Yunus ,Id-22301757 , Sec-03
Assignment: Using Marxist Theory to Study Social Stratification in the Film "Titanic"
James Cameron's film Titanic offers a unique viewpoint on the problems of societal inequality.
The movie provides a striking depiction of the economic disparities and social mobility barriers
that defined early 20th-century society by concentrating on the class conflicts aboard the Titanic.
This paper will examine Titanic from a Marxist standpoint, focusing on how class conflict and
economic power dynamics are portrayed in the movie utilizing Karl Marx's theory. Comparing
the movie's depiction of class with theoretical ideas and incorporating ideas from academic
publications and YouTube videos that are relevant to the subject will enhance the analysis.
1. Social Stratification in "Titanic" from a Marxists Viewpoint
Titanic takes place against a backdrop that includes major societal differences, which the
film successfully depicts through its characters and plot. The plot concentrates around the
lives of two main characters, Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson, whose differing
socioeconomic classes shape their experiences and interactions. Rose, an upper-class
member personifies the bourgeoisie—the economic elite who control wealth and
opportunities. Jack, a working-class artist, represents the proletariat, or laborers who sell
their work for salaries in a system that profits from their surplus value.(Hadi, 2011).
According to Marx (1848), social stratification in capitalist countries is defined by ownership of
the means of production. This theme is strongly demonstrated in Titanic by the contrast between
Rose's wealthy upbringing and Jack's economic problems. Rose's engagement to Cal Hockley is
a deliberate union designed to preserve her family's status and money. This relationship shows
how the bourgeoisie use marriage to build up wealth and power so insuring the continuation of
their class standing (Hadi, 2011). The film's depiction of this union illustrates Marx's idea that
the ruling class controls not just the means of production but also the reproduction of class power
via social institutions (Marx & Engels, 1848).
On the other hand, Jack represents the proletariat—someone with low resources and limited
access to the upper class's social and economic benefits. Despite his talent and passion, Jack
struggles to rise above his working-class roots. Marx's notion of class struggle is clear here, as
Jack's hopes for upward mobility are stifled by structural barriers built into the capitalist system.
The character's tragic end—dying for love—is a critique of the unequal social order,
demonstrating how individual efforts are frequently ineffective in fighting society's dominant
class structures (Hadi, 2011).
Titanic is a strong example of how capitalism maintains social inequality through control
over wealth and resources. The film's location aboard the Titanic, which is divided into
first, second, and third classes, exemplifies the division of labor and the consolidation of
power at the top. First-class passengers, including Rose and Cal, have luxurious
accommodations and are safe from the perils that lower-class passengers endure. This
segmentation directly reflects Marx's concept of surplus value, in which the bourgeoisie
appropriates the proletariat's resources (Marx & Engels, 1848)The movie's illustration of
class distinctions serves as a critique of a society that values profit over human life, as seen
by the lack of lifeboats for third-class passengers during the sinking.
The Titanic story additionally shows how individuals cannot solve structural inequity. The
romanticization of socioeconomic mobility in capitalist society is exemplified by Jack's
relationship with Rose. But because it doesn't question the fundamental systems of wealth and
power that shape their lives, their love is doomed. According to Marx's thesis, real social
transformation cannot occur until the proletariat rebels against the bourgeoisie as a whole (Hadi,
2011). In line with Marx's criticism of capitalism's dehumanizing consequences on the working
class, the film's climax, in which Jack gives his life to save Rose, emphasizes the pointlessness of
individual bravery in the face of structural injustice.
2.Synthesis and Analysis of Theory
The socioeconomic divisions portrayed in Titanic can be better understood by applying Marxist
theory to the examination of the movie. Rose and Jack's relationship serves as an example of
how individual attempts to cross class lines in a capitalist economy are limited. The economic
reality of Jack's position as a worker crushes his hopes of becoming a painter, which can be
explained by Marx's theory of class struggle and surplus value (Marx & Engels, 1848). Jack's
persona is used in the movie to highlight how the bourgeoisie benefits greatly from the labor of
the proletariat while receiving nothing in return. The harsh working circumstances endured by
Titanic employees, whose effort guarantees the opulence of the upper-class passengers, serve as a
representation of this dynamic (Hadi, 2011).Although Weber's idea of status is also pertinent in
this context, Marx's emphasis on economic power offers a clearer explanation of Titanic's class
divisions. The economic forces that shape upper-class people's life choices are reflected in Rose's
unwillingness to marry for love and instead being compelled to enter into a calculated
partnership with Cal. Marx emphasized that in a capitalist system, this economic determinism is
what restricts actual social mobility (Hadi, 2011). Jack's final sacrifice is portrayed in the movie
as a critique of how people are valued in capitalist countries more for their economic worth than
for their humanity.
The provided YouTube videos are useful extra content that enhances the sociological analysis of
Titanic by providing contextual and visual insights. By connecting theory and real-world
examples of social stratification, these films can assist students in comprehending the practical
ramifications of the class systems portrayed in the movie (The Rest Is History). They offer a
deeper understanding of the ways in which societal power and influence structures interact with
individual stories of aspiration and constraint.
3. conclusion
In addition to telling an unforgettable story of love, Titanic offers a potent critique of the
social hierarchy that characterizes capitalist countries. This essay illustrates how the movie
emphasizes the economic differences that influence people's lives and restrict social
mobility by concentrating on Marxist theory. The story emphasizes how persistent class
conflict is and how structural impediments keep the working class from advancing above
their economic standing. Jack Dawson's tragedy is more than simply a personal loss, it is a
larger indictment of a society that permits a small number of people to have unlimited
wealth and power at the expense of the majority.
References
Davis, K., & Moore, W. E. (1945). Some Principles of Stratification. American Sociological
Review, 10(2), 242-249.
Hadi, S. (2011). The Representation of Class Struggle in the Movie Titanic (Doctoral
dissertation, University of Diponegoro). Retrieved from- http://eprints.undip.ac.id/33648/
Marx, K., & Engels, F. (1848). The Communist Manifesto. Retrieved from
https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm
YouTube. (n.d.).The Migrants of The Titanic. YouTube. Retrieved December 12, 2024, from
https://youtu.be/ArssoG8bngo
YouTube. (n.d.). Rich vs Poor: Class Divisions On The Titanic Exposed. YouTube. Retrieved
December 15, 2024, from
https://youtu.be/JfwbjeBEFIg
