Defamiliarization project gutenberg selfpublishing. Defamiliarization distancing effect of bertolt brecht. How does it differ from other formalistic ideology. Art and literature have the ability to make us see the world anew to make that which has become familiar, because we have been overexposed to it, strange again. By nasrullah mambrol on march 17, 2016 3 the russian formalists concept of defamiliarization, proposed by viktor shklovsky in his art as technique, refers to the literary device whereby language is used in such a way that ordinary and familiar objects are made to look different. Jun 11, 2014 this is a picture of viktor shklovsky, one of the main voices behind a way of thinking about literature that today is known as russian formalism.
The formalist school of thought refused to naturalize text by attributing it to the state of mind of the author, but instead it focused its critical writing on. Russian formalism was probably the first school in literary theory that looked at poetry and literature in general as true linguistic phenomena. What are the major differences between russian formalism. Viktor shkolvskys critical writing was the most prominent work of russian formalism. Formalism, innovative 20thcentury russian school of literary criticism. Art as technique, defamiliarization, jan mukarovsky, r, roman jakobson, russian formalism, viktor shklovsky.
View defamiliarization distancing effect of bertolt brecht research papers on academia. Art makes language strange, as well as the world that the language presents. Art as technique 1917 viktor shklovsky art is thinking in images. Mar 17, 2016 defamiliarization by nasrullah mambrol on march 17, 2016 3 the russian formalists concept of defamiliarization, proposed by viktor shklovsky in his art as technique, refers to the literary device whereby language is used in such a way that ordinary and familiar objects are made to look different. Viktor shklovsky russian formalist criticism in literature. Whereas symbolism thought of literature as a means to apprehend a universal truth a truth that could only be revealed by. Important formalists included roman jakobson and viktor shklovsky. Art as technique shklovsky pdf art as technique by victor shklovsky. The attempt of this school was to make the study of literature more scientific in nature. Get an answer for what is russian formalism, and what was its effect on literature. According to the russian formalists who coined the term, it is the central concept of art and poetry. Russian formalism emerged in the opening decades of the twentieth century as a reaction to the mystification of literature found in the influential paneuropean arts movement of symbolism. Literary criticism 336 eng iirussian formalism dr mohammed fahmy raiayh 2.
It is a process of transformation where language asserts its power to affect our perception. Russian literature from 1750 onwards and on the basis of this corpus. The initial perspective was aestheticist, ahistorical, reductive, and mechanistic and is. One of the key concepts of russian formalism is defamiliarization. V iktor shklovskys name has become synonymous with the russian formalist movement that he helped to found in the early decades of the 20 th century. Formalism is a literary theory that was spearheaded by two main bodies russian formalists and new critics which focused on understanding the literary text through the text itself. Russian formalism s major contributions can be approached in terms of basic perspectives and major research areas. Defamiliarization is viewed as one of the ways of creating such imagery in the text. According to this theory, literary creation should be aimed at achieving the effect of defamiliarization, which means to employ all kinds of devices to make the familiar objects unfamiliar to the readers so as. Linguostylistic and cognitive aspect of defamiliarization in literary texts. What is russian formalism, and what was its effect on. Imagery as a predominant feature of a literary text as well as a poetic one has always been in the focus of investigation of the poetics of fiction.
Russian formalism influenced the literary theory of structuralism. Pdf permanent defamiliarization as rhetorical device or. Shklovsky, widely viewed as the founder of russian formalism, identifies defamiliarization as the artistic technique able, in his famous example. Automatization swallows up things, clothing, furniture, ones wife, and the fear of war. If you have a serious interest in literature or literary theory, this is an invaluable resource. Unlike the symbolists he tried to perceive and define the techniques which are. The word defamiliarization was coined by the early 20thcentury russian literary critic viktor shklovsky in his essay art as technique. His aim was to define the techniques of art which writers employed to produce specific effects. Russian formalism, one of the twentieth centurys most important movements in literary criticism, has received far less attention than most of its rivals. The influence of russian formalism on twentiethcentury art and culture is largely due to the literary technique of defamiliarization or making strange, and has also been linked to freuds notion of the uncanny.
He argued that defamiliarization is, more or less, the point of all art. Form and content according to russian formalism, to understand literature one has to look at the form as well as the content. The essential point for the verification of a hypothesis of. Get an answer for what are the features of russian formalism. Defamiliarization theory, as an important concept of the russian formalism, was first proposed by victor shklovsky 18931984 in1917. Russian formalism was an influential school of literary criticism in russia from the 1910s to the 1930s. Jan 16, 2017 before the twentieth century, most literary theorists tended to view the relation between text and meaning through the prism of history, psychology, symbolism, and literary biography. Art as technique by viktor shklovsky pdf victor shklovosky, a founder of the opayaz group in russia, occupies a significant position in russian formalism. He is one of the major figures associated with russian formalism viktor shklovskys theory of prose was published in 1925. Brecht and russian formalism in britain in the 1970s. If we start to examine the general laws of perception, we see that as perception becomes habitual, it becomes automatic. Russian formalism was a school of literary criticism in russia from the 1910s to the 1930s.
Petersburg through the group opoyaz, and in moscow via the moscow linguistic circle. If the entire complex life of many people passes by unconsciously. Viktor shklovsky boris eichenbaum roman jakobson vladimir propp yuri tynianov understand artworks. Kuntakas theory of vakrokti and russian formalism consider that a certain obliqueness or indirection or defamiliarization is the most distinguishing characteristic. Aesthetic and rhetorical modes of experiencing television michael b. Russian formalism challenged the traditional idea of critical literary analysis that art should conceal its literary devices. Most leaders dont even know the game theyre in simon sinek at live2lead 2016 duration.
It had its heyday in the 1920s and it acquired its name from its emphasis on form rather than on content. Examining formalism in light of more recent developments in literary theory, peter steiner here offers the most comprehensive critique of formalism to date. The opojaz group, the society for the study of poetic language pomorska. Formalism russian a brief but influential 20thcentury critical method that originated in st. In this essay, shklovsky defines estrangement in the following terms. Its central tenant is that the text of the writers work should be the focus of any inquiry or criticism regarding the work. A survey of recent empirical studies of literary comprehension shows that little attention has been paid to the effects of literary style, often known as foregrounding. For a fuller account, consult peter steiner, russian formalism 1984. I personally feel that defamiliarization is found almost everywhere form is found. Apr 06, 2012 literary criticism, ii, russian formalism 1. Defamiliarization pangborn major reference works wiley. The art of defamiliarization one of the concepts of formalism is defamiliarization, which victor shklovsky argues makes objects, unfamiliar to make forms difficult to increase the difficulty and length of perception because the process of perception is an aesthetic end in itself and must be prolonged 16.
Russian formalism quick reference a school of literary theory and analysis that emerged in russia around 1915, devoting itself to the study of literariness, i. Formalism s scientific language and methodical aspirations are discussed. Opoyaz, an acronym for russian words meaning society for the study of poetic language, founded in 1916 at st. In other words, the difference between potebnyas point of. Russian formalism is distinctive for its emphasis on the functional role of literary devices and its original conception of literary history. He founded opoyaz society for the study of poetic language in the year 1916 which planted the seeds of. The new critics and the russian formalists underpin all of the immense range of topics, ideas, and considerations in the field of literary theory in the twentieth century. Defamiliarization and the unprompted not innocent eye. Defamiliarization is an old concept, stemming from russian formalism which can be placed in the period between 1915 and 1930 approximately. One of his most attractive concepts was the notion of defamiliarization. Rediscovered in the west in the 1960s, the work of the russian formalists has had an important influence on structuralist theories of literature, and on some of the more recent varieties of marxist literary criticism. Defamiliarization in russian literature to illustrate what he means by defamiliarization, shklovsky uses examples from tolstoy, whom he cites as using the technique throughout his works. Eikhenbaums dependency on core ideas of marxist and darwinian philosophies of struggle and evolution is explained.
Petersburg later leningrad and led by viktor shklovsky. By nasrullah mambrol on march 17, 2016 10 russian formalism, which emerged around 1915 and flourished in the 1920s, was associated with the opojaz society for the study of poetic language and with the moscow linguistic society one of the leading figures of which was roman jakobson and read more. Russian formalism and defamiliarization on world literature. The term defamiliarization was coined by victor shklovsky, one of the most accomplished practitioners of russian formalism in his dawn breaking essay art as technique. Jul 21, 2019 art as technique by viktor shklovsky pdf victor shklovosky, a founder of the opayaz group in russia, occupies a significant position in russian formalism by introducing his literary concept of. A commentary on defamiliarization midway word that through some of part the i of lilliputians gullivers have travels found, gulliver a great receives black word that some of the lilliputians have found a great black substance. Defamiliarization is a core concept of russian formalism. Two modern examples of the literary strategy of defamiliarization are james joyces stream of consciousness writing, and the use of magical realism by gabriel garcia marquez in his novels. Defamiliarization comprises both the slowing down and the increased difficulty impeding of the process of reading and comprehending and an awareness of the literary procedures devices. He begins by distinguishing russian formalism from hermeneutics. The narrator of kholstomer, for example, is a horse, and it is the horses point of view rather than a persons that makes the content of the. The definition of estrangement first appeared in print in shklovskys essay art as device iskusstvo kak priem i n 1916. The initial perspective was aestheticist, ahistorical, reductive, and mechanistic and is associated with the early shklovskii. Form, rather, is where its atthe defining feature of the literary work and the singular determinant of its.
Woal introduction the idea of defamiliarization originated with the russian formalist critic victor shklovsky as a formula to characterize aesthetic discourse and set it apart from nonart. Formalism is a school of literary criticism that originated in the former soviet union during the first world war. Russian formalism second edition 2005 russian formalism is the name for a group of literary scholars and linguists who between 1916 and 1929, while most were still in their twenties, developed a series of innovative theoretical concepts, claims, models, and methodological norms concerning various aspects of the literary system and its study. Define defamiliarization, stream of consciousness, reflexive novel, and writerly give examples of defamiliarization in literature to unlock this lesson you must be a member. Viktor shklovsky, who is a theorist of russian formalism, has pointed out that the technique of art is to make objects unfamiliar, to make forms difficult, to increase the. But jameson, in his lucid analysis of formalism s pitfalls and relevance, goes even further. The presentation explicates the school of theory and analysis which emerged around 1915 in russia and aimed teo create the science of literature. Such habituation explains the principles by which, in ordinary speech, we leave phrases unfinished and words half. The russian formalists concept of defamiliarization, proposed by. Shklovskys work pushes russian formalism towards understanding literary activity as integral parts of social practice, an idea that becomes important in the work of mikhail bakhtin and russian and prague school scholars of semiotics. Victor shklovosky, a founder of the opayaz group in russia, occupies a significant position in russian formalism.
Application of the concept of defamiliarization in. Four essays, second edition regents critics by lee t. According to russian formalism defamiliarization is the basic function of all devices 1987. Crucial formalist distinctions between plot and story, practical and poetic language. Verfremdung in german, which refers to the intentional deviation from practical, everyday language in poetry and literature. Mar 19, 2020 it is left to the writers to find new approaches to defamiliarization. The art of defamiliarization in adgar allan poes short. Victor shklovskys 1914 essay on futurist poetry, the resurrection of the word marked the beginning of russian formalism. Its principles posed a great shift from the traditional approaches during its time, and so it sparked a movement in the field of literary studies. Viktor shklovsky, in full viktor borisovich shklovsky, born january 24 january 12, old style, 1893, st. It is a school of literary criticism that originated in the former russia around 1915.
Fueled by illusions of scholarship, i attempted to evaluate this great italian filmmaker through the lens of russian formalist literary criticism. Russian formalism is a school of literary criticism formed in russia that became highly influential in the early decades of the 1900s. Russian formalism was a literary movement a school of literary criticism that emerged in former soviet union in early phase of 20 th century. In the preface to her book of interviews with viktor shklovsky, the italian writer and translator serena vitale describes her third meeting with the aged founder of russian formalism still. Shelley in defence of poetry 1840, and of several modern formalist critics, it is a distinctive feature of literature, especially poetry, that it tears away what shelley called the veil of familiarity. A school of literary criticism that emerged in russia around 1915, 3. Viktor shklovsky 18931984 was a russian literary theorist. Defamiliarization is a literary technique in which the process of writing is itself focused on more than any particular plotline. First he points out that defamiliarization is a way of differentiating art manifestations from any other modes of expression. Defamiliarization is not simply a question of perception. He was a major voice of formalism, a critical school that had great influence in russian literature in the 1920s. The possibilities of socialpsychological methodology as applied to national specificity of research activity in russia are examined. He founded opoyaz society for the study of poetic language in the year 1916 which planted the seeds of russian formalism.
Pdf the presentation explicates the school of theory and analysis which emerged around 1915 in russia and. The process by which literary works unsettle readers habitual ways of seeing the world. A term used by the russian formalist viktor shklovsky to describe the capacity of art to counter the deadening effect of habit and convention by investing the familiar with strangeness and thereby deautomatizing perception. With a series of landmark papers, he taught generations of readers that, in the art of literature, content simply doesnt matter. Some of its concepts are still in use today in literary criticism. It includes the work of a number of highly influential russian and soviet scholars such as viktor shklovsky, yuri tynianov, vladimir propp, boris eichenbaum, roman jakobson, boris tomashevsky, grigory gukovsky who revolutionised literary criticism between 1914 and the 1930s by establishing the. Viktor shklovsky, who is a theorist of russian formalism, has pointed out that the technique of art is to. Russian formalism the johns hopkins guide to literary. What are the major differences between russian formalism and. He was also associated with the russian army during the 1 st world war. Defamiliarization by nasrullah mambrol on march 17, 2016 3 the russian formalists concept of defamiliarization, proposed by viktor shklovsky in his art as technique, refers to the literary device whereby language is used in such a way that ordinary and familiar objects are made to look different. Jan 24, 20 formalism is a literary theory that was spearheaded by two main bodies russian formalists and new critics which focused on understanding the literary text through the text itself. Petersburg, russiadied december 8, 1984, moscow, russian literary critic and novelist.
Russian formalism is the european counterpart of the angloamerican new criticism. One of its representatives, viktor shklovsky coined the term defamiliarization ostranenie in russian. According to russian formalism, poetry is the quintessential form of literary language, as it presents speech organized in its entire phonic structure, which deforms practical language to draw attention to itself. Defamiliarization defamiliarization of that which is or has become familiar automatically perceived is the basic use of literary language. In his pioneering study, russian formalism first edition in 1955, victor erlich translates ostranenie as the device of making it strange 177.