Formalism: An Emphasis on Textual Structures

Formalism is a branch of literary theory and criticism that focuses solely on the structures and elements within the text. It excludes considerations of external factors such as culture, politics, authorial intent, or societal influences. The main focus of formalism is the technical purity of the text, including aspects like grammar, syntax, signs, and literary tropes. It also examines structural tendencies within the text or across texts, such as genre and categories. Autonomous Texts and Scientific Analysis Formalism asserts that a text is an autonomous entity, independent of the author's intentions or external influences. It emphasizes scientific and technical analysis of the text, demanding a higher degree of mental intelligence from readers instead of emotional intelligence. Russian Formalism: A School of Literary Criticism in Russia Russian Formalism was a prominent school of literary criticism in Russia from 1910 to 1930. Scholars like Viktor Shklovsky, Yuri Tynianov, Vladimir …