GOOD AFTERNOON

FORMALISM
• Is a philosophical doctrine which espouses the idea of strictly
adhering to prescribed structural forms of particular text.
• The central argument in formalism revolves around the idea that
the forms of:
“A work of literature is inherently a part of it’s content and that
the attempt to separate the two is fallacious”
• Commonly employed in literary criticism where focus is more:
ON STRUCTURAL FORMS OF THE LITERARY TEXT
• The “TEXT” alone without taking into account the “CONTEXT”
or any outside factors
BIOGRAPHICAL INTELLECTUAL HISTORICAL CONTEXTS
 For the purpose of analysis: Focuses more on:
• A FORMALIST REJECTS MODES,GENRES,
• SIMPLY BRACKETS IDEAS. DISCOURSES,STYLES
= authorship
= society influence
“By focusing on literary form and excluding superfluous contexts, the formalists
believed that it would be possible to trace the evolution and development of literary
forms, and thus, literature itself”

“ART” in general = it is the “FORM” that makes art truly an “ART”

LITERARY CRITICISM & LITERARY THEORY

the “FORM” is the specific element that makes a literary art work really an “ART”, and
not just any piece of journalism
FORMALIST always treats an art work as “its own distinct piece” = free from any context:

BIOGRAPHICAL INTELLECTUAL HISTORICAL CONTEXTS

in assessing the value of an art work:

1. it does not matter whether it is produced in the First World country

2. written or produced by a famous artist

Leonardo da Vinci

whether the particular art work follows the prescribed form and style of the art work’s relevant
genre