Formalism

Definition

Formalism is a critical approach in literary theory that emphasizes the formal elements of a work, such as its structure, style, and language, rather than its content or context. This approach suggests that the meaning of a text is derived from its form and the relationships between its components, often focusing on aspects like imagery, symbolism, and narrative techniques. It connects to New Criticism by prioritizing close reading and analysis of the text itself over external factors like authorial intent or historical background.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Formalism became prominent in the early 20th century as a reaction against romantic and biographical interpretations of literature, which were seen as overly subjective.
2. Key figures associated with formalism include Russian Formalists like Viktor Shklovsky and Roman Jakobson, who emphasized devices such as defamiliarization to reveal the mechanics of art.
3. Formalism's emphasis on text leads to a focus on literary devices such as metaphor, rhyme, and meter as essential to understanding a work’s meaning.
4. In contrast to historical criticism, formalism rejects the notion that outside contexts—like the author's life or social conditions—should influence literary interpretation.
5. The rise of structuralism built upon formalist principles by extending them beyond literature to all cultural texts, asserting that meaning arises from the relationships between elements within a system.

Review Questions

• How does formalism differ from other literary critical approaches in its method of analyzing texts?
  • Formalism primarily focuses on the intrinsic elements of a text itself—its structure, language, and style—rather than considering external factors such as authorial intent or historical context. This contrasts with other approaches like historical criticism, which would examine how a text reflects its time period or the author's life experiences. By prioritizing close reading and textual analysis, formalism seeks to uncover the layers of meaning inherent within the work's formal characteristics.
• Discuss how New Criticism builds upon formalist principles and what distinguishes it from earlier forms of literary criticism.
  • New Criticism builds on formalist principles by emphasizing a close reading of texts and considering them as self-contained entities. Unlike earlier literary criticisms that might rely on author biography or historical context for interpretation, New Criticism advocates for an analysis rooted solely in the text itself. This approach highlights how elements such as imagery, symbols, and structure create complex meanings, reinforcing the idea that meaning is embedded within the literary form rather than derived from outside influences.
• Evaluate how formalism laid the groundwork for later theories like structuralism and post-structuralism.
  • Formalism laid crucial groundwork for later theories like structuralism by emphasizing the importance of form and structure in understanding texts. Structuralism took these ideas further by analyzing not just literature but all cultural products as systems of signs governed by underlying structures. Post-structuralism then challenged these foundational concepts by arguing against fixed meanings and proposing that interpretations are fluid, thus expanding upon formalist insights while critiquing their limitations regarding meaning stability. This evolution showcases a shift from strict focus on form to a more dynamic understanding of texts within broader cultural frameworks.

Related terms

New Criticism: A literary movement that emerged in the early to mid-20th century, focusing on the text itself as the primary source of meaning, emphasizing close reading and the interplay of form and content.

Structuralism: An intellectual movement that analyzes cultural phenomena in terms of underlying structures, particularly in language and literature, emphasizing how elements within a system relate to one another.

Deconstruction: A critical approach that challenges the idea of fixed meanings in texts, suggesting that meanings are constructed through language and are inherently unstable, leading to multiple interpretations.