Formalism || What is formalism? || Formalism theory || Literary theories || #formalism #literature

Summary

This video explains formalism, a literary theory that emphasizes the analysis of a text's form, structure, and language over its content or historical context. Formalism prioritizes the intrinsic features of a text, such as word choice, syntax, imagery, and literary devices, to uncover its meaning. It advocates for an objective analysis that removes external influences like the author's background or societal context, focusing solely on the text itself. The theory suggests that all necessary insights are embedded within the structure and language of the work, offering a self-contained approach to literary analysis.

Takeaways

• 😀 Formalism is a literary theory that emphasizes the importance of a text's form, structure, language, and style over its content or historical context.
• 😀 The central idea of formalism is that the meaning of a literary work can be understood through an analysis of its intrinsic features like word choice, syntax, imagery, symbolism, and narrative structure.
• 😀 Formalism prioritizes the form of a literary work (structure, style, and language) over its content or themes, focusing on how a story is told rather than what it is about.
• 😀 One of the core principles of formalism is the autonomy of the text; it should be analyzed on its own terms, without considering the author's biography or historical context.
• 😀 Formalism promotes objective analysis by removing personal biases and subjective interpretations, focusing on the observable features of the text.
• 😀 Formalists reject external influences, such as the author's intentions or the societal conditions at the time of writing, as irrelevant to the text's artistic value and meaning.
• 😀 Formalists place significant importance on literary devices like metaphor, simile, symbolism, irony, and imagery as key tools in creating meaning and evoking emotions.
• 😀 The focus in formalist analysis is on language and its complex operations within a text, including word arrangement, sound patterns, and multiple meanings beyond the literal level.
• 😀 Formalism seeks to assess a literary work based on systematic, evidence-based analysis of its form and structure, avoiding personal opinions or emotional responses.
• 😀 A formalist would analyze a poem's structure, language, and use of literary devices to understand its meaning, rather than considering the context of the author's life or the historical period in which it was written.

Q & A

What is formalism in literary theory?

Formalism is a literary theory that focuses on analyzing a text's form, structure, language, and style, rather than its content or historical context.

What do formalists prioritize in their analysis of a text?

Formalists prioritize the structure, style, and literary devices of a text, emphasizing how the story is told rather than what it is about.

What does 'autonomy of the text' mean in formalist theory?

It means that a literary work should be analyzed on its own, as a self-contained entity, without relying on external factors like the author's biography or historical context.

Why do formalists reject external influences in their analysis?

Formalists argue that external factors like the author's intentions or historical background are irrelevant to understanding the artistic value and meaning of the text.

How do formalists approach the analysis of a poem?

Formalists focus on the poem's structure, language, imagery, rhythm, metaphor, and literary devices, rather than the poem's symbolic meaning or the context in which it was written.

What is meant by 'objective analysis' in formalism?

Objective analysis in formalism refers to studying a text based on its observable features, such as word choice, structure, and literary devices, without personal biases or subjective interpretations.

Can you explain the focus on literary devices in formalism?

Formalism emphasizes how literary devices like metaphor, symbolism, irony, and imagery contribute to a text's meaning and emotional impact, considering them as essential tools used by writers.

How do formalists view the role of language in a text?

Formalists analyze how language operates within a text, including its structure, sound patterns, and the multiple meanings that words can carry, often beyond the literal level.

What is the ultimate goal of formalist analysis?

The ultimate goal of formalist analysis is to understand a literary work based on its form and structure, uncovering its artistic value through a systematic study of its language and literary devices.

How would a formalist analyze Emily Dickinson's poetry?

A formalist would focus on Dickinson's use of structure, language, metaphor, and other literary devices, rather than considering her personal life or the historical period in which she lived.