2.1 Russian Formalism: Origins and Key Figures

Defamiliarization is a literary technique that seeks to make the familiar strange, compelling the reader to see common experiences in a new light. By disrupting the ordinary perception of everyday objects, situations, or feelings, this technique encourages deeper engagement and reflection, making readers more aware of their own assumptions and perceptions. It often plays a crucial role in creating a heightened sense of awareness in literature, prompting readers to question what they take for granted.

Russian Formalism: A movement in literary theory that emphasizes the formal aspects of literature, focusing on the techniques and structures used to create meaning rather than the content itself.

Literary Devices: Techniques employed by writers to produce specific effects in their writing, such as metaphor, simile, and imagery, all of which can enhance defamiliarization.

Estrangement Effect: A technique used in literature and theater that aims to distance the audience from emotional involvement with the characters or story, similar to defamiliarization.

Literariness refers to the quality or characteristics that distinguish literary texts from non-literary ones. It encompasses elements such as style, form, and artistic intent, highlighting how a text engages the reader's imagination and evokes emotional responses. This concept is particularly important in Russian Formalism, as it emphasizes the techniques and devices that create a text's unique literary identity.

Defamiliarization: A technique used in literature to make the familiar seem strange or new, prompting readers to see ordinary experiences from a fresh perspective.

Formalism: An approach to literary analysis that prioritizes the structure and form of a text over its content, focusing on how literary devices contribute to its overall meaning.

Aesthetic Function: The aspect of a literary work that prioritizes beauty and artistic expression, often distinguished from practical or informative functions.

In literary theory, the term 'dominant' refers to the prevailing or most influential elements within a text or a cultural context that shape meaning and interpretation. This concept often addresses how certain themes, ideologies, or narrative techniques can overshadow others, establishing a hierarchy of significance in literary works. Understanding what is dominant helps in analyzing the structures and values that govern both the creation and reception of texts.

Hegemony: The dominance of one group over others, often maintained through cultural means and social consensus, influencing how narratives are constructed and understood.

Intertextuality: The relationship between texts, where one text references or draws upon another, allowing dominant themes to emerge through comparison and contrast.

Genre: A category of literary composition characterized by similarities in style, form, or content, which can dictate dominant conventions within a particular type of literature.

The Russian Revolution refers to a series of events that took place in 1917, leading to the overthrow of the Tsarist autocracy and the establishment of a communist government in Russia. This monumental shift not only altered the political landscape of Russia but also had significant implications for literary movements, especially Russian Formalism, which emerged as a response to the radical changes in society and culture following the revolution.

Bolsheviks: A faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labor Party that, under Lenin's leadership, seized power during the October Revolution, advocating for a radical socialist transformation of society.

Tsar Nicholas II: The last Emperor of Russia whose reign saw immense social unrest, culminating in his abdication during the February Revolution of 1917, paving the way for the Bolshevik takeover.

October Revolution: A key phase of the Russian Revolution where the Bolsheviks overthrew the provisional government in October 1917, leading to the establishment of a Soviet government and subsequent civil war.

Victor Shklovsky was a prominent Russian literary theorist and a key figure in the Russian Formalism movement, which emerged in the early 20th century. He is best known for his concept of 'defamiliarization,' which refers to the technique of making the familiar strange to enhance perception and appreciation of art. His work focused on the formal properties of literature, emphasizing how narrative techniques shape the reader's experience.

Defamiliarization: A technique proposed by Shklovsky that involves presenting familiar objects or experiences in an unfamiliar way to provoke a new perspective and deeper understanding.

Russian Formalism: A literary movement that prioritized the analysis of literary forms and devices, focusing on how these elements contribute to the meaning of a text, rather than on historical or social contexts.

Estrangement: A concept closely related to defamiliarization, suggesting that art should make everyday life feel distant or alien, allowing audiences to perceive its structures more clearly.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one is the other, often highlighting a particular quality or aspect shared by both. This tool is essential in literature as it enriches language, evokes emotions, and adds layers of meaning to texts. Metaphors allow readers to see connections between different ideas, facilitating deeper understanding and engagement with the material.

Simile: A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as' to highlight similarities.

Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, allowing for deeper interpretations beyond the literal meaning.

Allegory: A narrative that uses metaphorical figures and events to convey a deeper moral or political meaning.

Imagery refers to the use of vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the senses, helping readers visualize scenes, hear sounds, or feel emotions. This literary device enhances the reader's experience by creating a more immersive and emotional connection to the text. Imagery can evoke strong feelings and establish mood, influencing how a reader interprets a narrative or theme.

Sensory Language: Words and phrases that engage the five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell) to create rich and vivid descriptions.

Symbolism: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, often adding deeper meaning to imagery by connecting concrete images with abstract concepts.

Metaphor: A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things, often enhancing imagery by providing new perspectives and insights.

Roman Jakobson was a key figure in the development of structural linguistics and literary theory, best known for his contributions to Russian Formalism and the field of semiotics. His work emphasized the relationship between language and meaning, and he introduced critical concepts like the functions of language, which greatly influenced how we understand texts and their interpretations.

Linguistic Sign: The basic unit of meaning in structuralism, consisting of a signifier (the form of a word or phrase) and a signified (the concept it represents).

Poetics: The study of the art of poetry and literature, focusing on the structures, forms, and techniques used to create meaning in texts.

Functionalism: An approach in linguistics that focuses on how language functions in communication rather than on its formal structures alone.

Boris Eichenbaum was a prominent Russian literary theorist and critic known for his contributions to Russian Formalism, a movement that emphasized the study of literary structures and techniques over the content of literature. He played a critical role in the development of Formalist thought, focusing on the artistic devices of literature and how they shape meaning, which shifted the focus from the author and historical context to the text itself.

Russian Formalism: A school of literary criticism that emerged in Russia in the early 20th century, focusing on the formal properties of texts and their structure rather than historical or biographical contexts.

Defamiliarization: A concept introduced by Russian Formalists, particularly Eichenbaum and Viktor Shklovsky, referring to the technique of presenting familiar objects or experiences in an unfamiliar way to enhance perception and make the ordinary seem new.

Literary Device: Techniques used by writers to produce specific effects in their writing, which include tools like metaphor, imagery, and symbolism that Eichenbaum analyzed within texts.

Yuri Tynianov was a prominent Russian formalist critic, theorist, and writer who played a key role in the development of literary theory in the early 20th century. His work focused on the formal elements of literature, exploring how these elements contribute to the meaning and experience of literary texts. Tynianov is particularly known for his innovative ideas about the relationship between literature and history, as well as his emphasis on the dynamic nature of language and form in literature.

Russian Formalism: A school of literary criticism that emerged in Russia in the 1910s, focusing on the study of literary forms and devices rather than content or authorial intent.

Victor Shklovsky: A key figure in Russian Formalism known for his concept of 'defamiliarization,' which suggests that art makes familiar objects strange to enhance perception.

Literary Device: Techniques used by authors to create special effects in their writing, such as symbolism, metaphor, and alliteration.

Literary evolution refers to the gradual development and transformation of literature over time, influenced by cultural, historical, and social factors. This concept emphasizes that literature is not static but instead evolves in response to changes in society, language, and artistic expression. Understanding literary evolution helps to recognize patterns and shifts within literary movements, allowing for a deeper comprehension of how different schools of thought, like Russian Formalism, emerged and impacted the literary landscape.

Literary Movements: A historical grouping of literature characterized by shared themes, styles, or philosophies, often reflecting broader cultural trends and ideologies.

Intertextuality: The relationship between texts and how they influence each other through references, quotes, or themes, highlighting the interconnected nature of literary works.

Formalism: An approach to literary analysis that focuses on the form and structure of a text rather than its content or context, emphasizing the techniques used by authors.