The Formalist Approach

Summary

This video provides an in-depth introduction to the formalist approach to reading literature. It explores how formalism focuses purely on the form and structure of a text, disregarding external factors like historical and cultural contexts. Viewers learn to identify key literary elements such as tone, imagery, and literary devices, and apply them to analyze poetry and narratives. The video also illustrates how formalism enhances close reading and helps develop a deeper appreciation for the text itself. A step-by-step guide is provided, using Pablo Neruda's poem 'If You Forget Me' as a practical example.

Takeaways

• 😀 Formalism is a literary approach that focuses on the form and structure of a text, disregarding external factors like history, culture, and the author's personal background.
• 😀 The formalist approach is also called Russian Formalism or New Criticism, and it originated in the early 20th century with the Moscow Linguistic Circle and the Society for the Study of Poetic Language.
• 😀 In formalism, a text is analyzed purely for its internal elements—such as plot, character, tone, and literary devices—without considering the social or political context of its creation.
• 😀 Formalism works particularly well for analyzing poetry and short fiction due to their manageable length and dense, self-contained structure.
• 😀 One advantage of formalism is its emphasis on close reading, helping readers develop a deep understanding of the text's inherent meaning through detailed analysis of its components.
• 😀 However, the formalist approach has limitations, particularly in longer texts where external context and broader themes may play a more significant role in understanding the work.
• 😀 In poetry, key elements to focus on include rhyme, rhythm, meter, persona, addressee, and various sound devices such as alliteration, assonance, consonance, and onomatopoeia.
• 😀 In narratives, formalism requires analyzing elements like setting, characters, plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement), conflict, theme, and point of view.
• 😀 A formalist approach also emphasizes literary devices such as similes, metaphors, hyperbole, personification, imagery, symbolism, allusion, irony, and foreshadowing, which contribute to the overall meaning of the text.
• 😀 To apply formalism, follow three major steps: (1) identify the elements in the text, (2) analyze how these elements work together to develop the theme, and (3) assess the overall artistic value of the text based on its form and structure.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the formalist approach to literature?

The formalist approach focuses on the form and structure of a text, disregarding any outside influences such as historical, cultural, or social context. It examines how the elements within the text work together to create a specific effect.

Why does formalism disregard the cultural and historical context of a text?

Formalist theory believes that all the necessary elements for understanding a text are contained within the text itself, and that external factors such as politics, history, or the author's background are irrelevant to the analysis.

What are the advantages of using the formalist approach?

Some advantages of formalism include its emphasis on close reading and the value of the text itself. It helps readers focus on the technical aspects of literature, such as structure, literary devices, and how these elements work together to form meaning.

What is a disadvantage of applying the formalist approach to longer texts?

The formalist approach is more effective for poetry and short fiction because of their manageable length. For longer texts, it may be harder to analyze every element in detail and capture the broader context of the work.

What are some key elements of poetry that a formalist would focus on?

A formalist would focus on elements such as rhyme, rhythm, meter, imagery, persona, sound devices (e.g., alliteration, assonance, consonance), and structure, which are essential to understanding the poem's form and impact.

How does the formalist approach analyze the elements of a poem?

The formalist approach involves identifying key elements in the poem (e.g., persona, tone, literary devices), analyzing how they work together to express the poem's theme, and assessing the overall artistic value based on these elements.

How does tone differ from mood in a literary analysis?

Tone refers to the author's attitude toward the subject of the work, while mood refers to the emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader. Tone is focused on the author’s perspective, while mood is focused on the reader’s experience.

What literary devices are used in Pablo Neruda's poem 'If You Forget Me'?

Neruda's poem uses several literary devices, including imagery (visual and tactile), hyperbole (exaggerating the sweetness and love), personification (attributing human qualities to inanimate objects like flowers), and metaphor (comparing love to fire).

What is the significance of the change in tone throughout 'If You Forget Me'?

The change in tone throughout the poem—from serious and threatening to romantic and loving—mirrors the complexity of the speaker’s emotions, reflecting both the vulnerability and intensity of the love described in the poem.

How can one assess the overall artistic value of a text using the formalist approach?

To assess the artistic value, one should consider the emotional impact of the text, identify which elements worked or didn’t work, and evaluate how effectively the elements such as structure, literary devices, and theme come together to create a unified and powerful effect.