Russian Formalism is a school of literary theory that emerged in the early 20th century, focusing on the formal elements of literature rather than its content or context. This movement emphasized the importance of structure, technique, and the distinct features of literary language, aiming to separate literature from other forms of art and everyday communication. By analyzing how narrative techniques, devices, and structures shape the meaning and experience of a text, Russian Formalism laid the groundwork for modern literary criticism.
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Russian Formalism emerged in the 1910s as a reaction against traditional literary criticism that prioritized authorial intention and historical context.
Key figures in Russian Formalism include Viktor Shklovsky, Roman Jakobson, and Boris Eikhenbaum, who contributed significantly to its theoretical foundations.
The movement introduced concepts like 'defamiliarization' and 'the literariness' of texts, emphasizing that art should not merely reflect reality but transform it.
Russian Formalists believed that studying the form of a text could reveal its meaning more effectively than analyzing its content or the author's background.
The decline of Russian Formalism came about due to political pressures in the Soviet Union and the rise of other critical theories, but its influence remains significant in contemporary literary studies.
Review Questions
How did Russian Formalism change the way literature was analyzed compared to previous methods?
Russian Formalism shifted the focus from authorial intent and historical context to the formal aspects of literature itself. It emphasized the importance of structure, technique, and language in understanding a text's meaning. This approach allowed critics to analyze how literary devices create effects within a work, thus redefining literary criticism by prioritizing form over content.
Discuss the significance of defamiliarization within Russian Formalist theory and provide an example.
Defamiliarization is a crucial concept in Russian Formalism that involves presenting familiar objects or experiences in unusual ways to enhance perception. For example, a writer might describe an everyday scene with intricate detail or unexpected imagery, prompting readers to see it differently. This technique not only enriches the reader's experience but also emphasizes how literary language can transform reality, illustrating the formalists' belief in the power of art.
Evaluate the lasting impact of Russian Formalism on contemporary literary theory and criticism.
Russian Formalism has profoundly influenced modern literary theory by laying the groundwork for various schools of thought, including structuralism and post-structuralism. Its focus on form and technique has encouraged subsequent critics to explore how language shapes meaning across diverse texts. Furthermore, many concepts introduced by formalists, like defamiliarization and 'literariness,' continue to be relevant today as scholars analyze how narrative structures affect reader interpretation and engagement with literature.
Related terms
Defamiliarization: A key concept in Russian Formalism that refers to the technique of presenting common things in unfamiliar ways to make the familiar strange and provoke new insights.
Literary Device: Tools used by writers to enhance their storytelling, such as metaphor, symbolism, and narrative structure; crucial for formalist analysis.
A theoretical approach that builds on Russian Formalism, focusing on the underlying structures that govern all cultural phenomena, including literature.