Formalism

Formalism is an aesthetic and critical theory that emphasizes the formal aspects of a work of
art, rather than its content or social context. It originated in the early 20th century and gained
prominence through the works of Russian Formalists and New Critics.

Formalism argues that the most important aspects of a work of art are its structure, form,
style, and technique. It focuses on the artistic elements such as line, color, rhythm,
composition, and texture, and how they are used to create meaning or aesthetic impact.
Formalists believe that the form of a work of art is autonomous and has its own inherent value
and significance.

According to formalism, the content or subject matter of a work of art is secondary to its
form. Therefore, formalist critics often disregard the historical, cultural, or social context in
which a work was created, and instead focus solely on the formal qualities of the artwork
itself.

Formalism has been influential in various art forms, including literature, visual arts, music,
and film. It has been both praised for its attention to the intrinsic qualities of art and criticized
for its neglect of external factors and cultural context.

New Criticism

New Criticism is a literary critical movement that emerged in the early 20th century,
primarily in the United States, and gained prominence in the mid-20th century. It emphasizes
close reading of texts and focuses on the intrinsic qualities of the work itself, rather than
considering external factors such as historical context or authorial intention.

New Critics believe that a literary work should be analyzed autonomously, as an independent
and self-contained entity. They argue that the meaning and value of a text are derived solely
from its internal elements, such as language, imagery, symbol, structure, and theme. The goal
of New Criticism is to uncover the complex interplay of these elements and demonstrate how
they contribute to the work as a whole.

New Critics emphasize the importance of ambiguity, paradox, irony, and tension within a
text. They reject the idea of a single, fixed meaning and instead explore various possible
interpretations. They also advocate for the use of close reading techniques, such as analyzing
word choice, sentence structure, and literary devices, to uncover the nuances and complexities
of a text.

New Criticism had a significant impact on literary studies and influenced the way literature is
taught and analyzed. It has been both praised for its rigorous attention to textual details and
criticized for its limited focus on form and disregard for historical and social context.
 Formalist New Criticism

Formalist New Criticism refers to a specific approach within literary criticism that combines
elements of formalism and New Criticism. It developed in the mid-20th century and
emphasizes the close analysis of formal elements in a literary work to derive meaning and
value.

Formalist New Criticism builds upon the principles of formalism, which focus on the intrinsic
qualities of a work of art, such as structure, language, and style. Formalism seeks to uncover
the techniques and devices employed by the author to create meaning and aesthetic impact.
This approach often involves close reading and examination of the text's formal elements,
including symbolism, metaphor, imagery, rhyme, and rhythm.

At the same time, Formalist New Criticism also incorporates the principles of New Criticism,
which emphasize the autonomous nature of a literary work and the focus on the text itself
rather than external factors. New Critics sought to analyze and appreciate a text as an
independent and self-contained entity, without relying on authorial intention or historical
context.

In this formalist approach, the aim is to closely examine how the formal elements of a literary
work interact and contribute to its overall meaning. Formalist New Critics reject the notion of
a single, fixed interpretation and instead explore the complexities and nuances that arise from
the interplay of form and content within the text. They believe that the formal elements
themselves generate meaning and that a thorough analysis of these elements can reveal hidden
depths and nuances in the work.

Formalist New Criticism has been influential in literary studies and has shaped the way
literature is analyzed and taught. It places a strong emphasis on close reading and the
examination of formal elements, allowing for a detailed and rigorous analysis of the text's
aesthetic and literary qualities. However, criticism has also been directed towards this
approach for its potential limitations in considering the broader socio-cultural and historical
contexts that may influence a work of literature.

Russian Formalism

Russian Formalism refers primarily to the work of the Society for the Study of Poetic
Language founded in 1916 in St. Petersburg.

Russian Formalism was a literary and critical movement that emerged in Russia in the early
20th century. It was a highly influential and groundbreaking approach to the study of
literature and language, focusing on the formal aspects of literary texts. Russian Formalism
sought to establish a scientific and systematic approach to literary criticism.

Russian Formalists, including scholars such as Viktor Shklovsky, Roman Jakobson, Boris
Eikhenbaum, and Vladimir Propp, emphasized the study of the formal devices and techniques
used in literature, such as defamiliarization (ostranenie), plot structure, and linguistic devices.
They believed that the form of a literary work, including its language, imagery, and narrative
structure, was the primary source of its artistic value and meaning, rather than its content or
social context.

One of the key concepts of Russian Formalism is defamiliarization (ostranenie), which refers
to the use of literary devices to make familiar things appear unfamiliar or strange, thereby
stimulating the reader's engagement and active interpretation. This technique aimed to
disrupt habitual perception and revive the aesthetic impact of literary language.
Russian Formalism also introduced structural and functional analysis of narratives, proposing
methods to analyze the plot structure and functions of narrative elements. Vladimir Propp's
Morphology of the Folktale, for example, analyzed the recurring narrative functions found in
Russian folktales, providing a systematic framework for understanding narrative structure.

Despite its significance, Russian Formalism was short-lived due to political and ideological
pressures in the Soviet Union. However, its ideas and methodologies have had a lasting
impact on literary theory and criticism, influencing subsequent movements such as New
Criticism and structuralism. Russian Formalism's emphasis on form, language, and the study
of literary devices pioneered a more systematic and scientific approach to literary analysis,
contributing to the development of modern literary theory.

Viktor Shklovsky
Viktor Shklovsky was a prominent figure in the Russian Formalist movement and made
significant contributions to literary theory and criticism. His ideas and writings have had a
lasting influence on the fields of literary studies and aesthetics.

One of Shklovsky's key contributions is the concept of defamiliarization (ostranenie). He

argued that the primary purpose of literature is to make objects and experiences unfamiliar
and to disrupt the reader's habitual perception. By using various literary devices and
techniques, such as strange metaphors, unusual syntax, or innovative narrative structures,
writers can defamiliarize familiar objects or ideas, thus awakening readers to new
perspectives and fresh interpretations.

Shklovsky's emphasis on defamiliarization aimed to rejuvenate and invigorate the reader's

engagement with literature. He believed that art should challenge and provoke the reader,
preventing passive consumption and encouraging a more active and critical reception of
literary works.

Additionally, Shklovsky contributed to the analysis of aesthetics and form. He examined the
relationship between art and everyday life, arguing that art intensifies and amplifies certain
features of ordinary experiences. His ideas emphasized the importance of form as an artistic
device and advocated for the close analysis of formal elements such as style, language, and
narrative structure.

Overall,Viktor Shklovsky is known for his emphasis on defamiliarization and his exploration
of the formal aspects of literature. His ideas continue to be influential in literary theory and
have inspired subsequent movements and approaches to the study of literature.