Reading as a Formalist critic
- Must first be a close or careful reader who examines all the elements of a text individually.
- Questions how they come together to create a work of art.
- Respects the autonomy of work.
- Achieves understanding of it by looking inside it, not outside or beyond.
- Allow the text to reveal itself.
How is formalism used in literature?
Using formalism, a critic can show how the various parts of a work are welded together to make an organic whole. After analyzing each part, the critic then describes how they work together to make give meaning (theme) to the text. ...
How does formalism done?
Formalism attempts to treat each work as its own distinct piece, free from its environment, era, and even author. This point of view developed in reaction to "... forms of 'extrinsic' criticism that viewed the text as either the product of social and historical forces or a document making an ethical statement" (699).
