Catherine Belsey's theory of ideology and its relevance to Joseph Conrad's novel Nostromo - Essay Example

This was basically done to link the social history, politics and literature “by showing that in essence things are as they have always been. . . . The function of scholarship . . . is finally to reinstate the continuity of felt life . . . . No history: no politics." Belsey’s literature does not criticize against culture but it is a combination of variety of cultures. In her definition of culture and meaning, she wanted to explain the concept of narrative structure. She advocated changing the traditional ways of criticizing literature and she thus came up with different styles of work (Belsey 7).

There are variety of terms which she criticized including; modernism, empiricism, postmodernism, rationalism and idealism which did not qualify to the standards of art and modern literature. In her theory of common sense, she observed literature as just a natural way to the understanding and analysis of literature works. Literature should not be misleading and interfering with the natural way of peoples understanding. The ideological construction of the common sense basically depends on the social status of an individual (Belsey 10).

In her argument she investigated that common sense to some extend does contradict itself. The major problem with a theory is that individuals have a perception that something can exist practically without the theory itself (Belsey 12). Common sense is not just in the minds of conscious individuals but it’s in the minds of how individual have experienced the world. Common sense does contradict itself and thus it is driven by the desire to be open minded and informed. Joseph Conrad's novel Nostromo is a novel set in the imaginary country of costaguana whereby there is a native costaguanero (senior Gould) who owns a silver mining concession in Sulaco.

He has experienced political instability and corruption in the country due to tyrannical and dictatorial nature of leadership (Conrad 98). Due to wars he entrusts his mine to Nostromo so that it is not destructed. Nostromo left his country to America. He is respected by people and he is called” a man of the people” At the end of the novel Nostromo uses his power and fame to hide the silver while the people thinks that it’s all lost at the sea. This silver is hidden in the shoreline of an island.

He is known to be a betrayer whereby he later on betrays himself. Nostromo is later killed by his fiancees father (old viola) being accused of trespass while attempting to trace the treasure. On examining the character of Nostromo in the novel, he is seen to be very sensitive to other people’s feelings. This is shown by the fact that he betrays himself in order to gain fame of being a hero. He misused the concept of taking theories he had and using the common sense to make his decision rather than dealing with reality (Conrad 154).

When considering the difference between meaning and power, we get to understand the various forms of controls and the resistance to the control. The major issue in the study is to incorporate literature to the culture and empower it to contribute to political and historical information in order to give value to it. The story deploys a cynical test of humour (Conrad 197). The novel emphasizes on issues to do with the lawlessness, endless journey in civil strife and crime. The author demonstrates the cynical nature of the leading government authorities.