Introduction to Critical Theory and Formalist Criticism

What is “Critical Theory”?

• A Critical Theory is like a set of “lenses” that literary critics put on in order to bring certain elements of the work into focus. As is true with real lenses in glasses, every critical "lens" will make the work "look" a little bit different.

• Every critical theory has a set of assumptions about what is most important to look at in a work of literature. By "trying on" these assumptions for yourself, you can broaden your appreciation for the work, and for the critical theory or strategy.

What do Literary Critics do?

• Literary critics make observations about and connections between works of literature.

• A literary critic might…– Explain how a certain literary effect is achieved

using examples from a work of literature.– Explore how a work (or an author, or a group of

authors) treats a theme.– Explore a work in the context of another academic

discipline.

What do Literary critics not do?• Most literary critics (these days!) are not interested

in making judgments about whether a work of literature is “well written” or “poorly written.” – If a literary critic is writing about a work, he or she

most likely believes that there is something interesting and worthwhile to say about it.

• Most literary critics are not interested in making moral judgments about a work of literature. – They are usually not concerned about whether a book is

morally “bad” or “good,” and they don’t write about the work in terms of “agreeing” or “disagreeing” with it.

A (Not So) Brief Note on the "Literary Canon"

• Definition of “Canon:” Originally, the term "canon" applied to the books of the Bible that were accepted as "divinely inspired." – The word "canon" comes from a Greek word

meaning "rule" or "measure."• Therefore, the group of books that was accepted

at any given time was referred to as the "canon of scripture," and books outside of that canon were referred to as "non-canonical."

A (Not So) Brief Note on the "Literary Canon” (continued)

• The idea of the "Literary Canon" says that over time, teachers, academics, writers, and public opinion have, consciously or unconsciously, chosen works that are considered "worthy" of study. This also means that there must be other works that are not "worthy" of study.– Please note that there was never an actual list of works in the

literary canon, and works have risen and fallen in status over time.

• For much of history, the "literary canon" in Western literature has been written by white men. – The phase “Western literature” is used broadly to mean

literature of places that have their foundation in Greek and Latin cultures…this means Western Europe and most of the Americas post-Columbus

Your Textbook’s Guide to Critical Theories and How We Will Use It

• Page 1213-1238– Over the next several weeks we will be using these

pages along with the works of literature that they make specific reference to.

For your Reading Response Assignments, you will write a paragraph of thoughts on the Critical Theory, and then a paragraph of your thoughts/response to the work of literature.

Recommended Reading

• Introducing Critical Theory: A Graphic Guide– By Stuart Sim

• http://www.critical-theory.com– Not well organized, but a fun and funny blog on

critical theories and famous thinkers, philosophers, and critical theorists

Our First Critical “Lens”: Formalism The theory of Formalism assumes that all that is needed

in order to interpret a work of literature is contained within the literature itself.

Formalist critics…• are mostly unconcerned about historical/cultural

context and biographical information about the author. • are very concerned with sound, form, word choice,

literary effects, and "close reading." – "Close reading" is a detailed analysis of the literary effects

produced by a work without referring to outside influences.

Formalism• Object-centered theory

• Focus only on the work itself

• Do not focus on the artist or the observer/audience

A Too-Short History of Formalism• The formalist perspective began in Russia in the early

1920s. • In 1917, the Russian Revolution occurred. • Prior to 1917, Russia romanticized literature and viewed

literature from a religious perspective.• After 1917, literature began to be observed and

analyzed. The formalist perspective allowed literature to be viewed through a scientific lens.

• Formalism allows the reader to analyze a literary piece with complete objectivity.

A Too-Short History of Formalism• Formalism began to spread to English-speaking

countries in the 1920's as a reaction against the current literary criticism of the time that tended to focus only on the life of the author, religious and social values, and other concerns outside of the literature itself.

Some Formalist Critics you may have heard of: – T.S. Elliot – Robert Penn Warren – Cleanth Brooks

Formalists Focus On…• Formalists pay special attention to “the formal features of the text – the

style, structure, imagery, tone, and genre” (Kennedy 1468).– They believe: “what gives a literary text its special status as art is how

all its elements work together to create the reader’s total experience” (Kennedy 1468).

• Formalist think that “Great Literature” is “universal.”– A universal message is a message that transcends time and culture. A

universal message reveals a great truth about the human condition. • Specific passages in great works of literature can be closely analyzed to

determine its message and the constructs utilized to convey the message. • Formalists analyze the tension and ambiguity in a piece:

– Tension: “the way elements of a text’s language reflect conflict and opposition” (DiYanni 1561).

– Ambiguity: “the ways texts remain open to more than a single, unified definitive interpretation” (DiYanni 1561).

What a Formalist Does NOT Focus On…

• Formalist Ignore or Discount Certain Aspects of Literature. To a Formalist:– The name of the author is not important.– The time in which the author lived is not

important.– Any cultural impact on the author’s life is not

important. – The political or religious beliefs of the author are

not important. – The perspective of the reader is not important.

Questions Formalists might ask: • What are the effects produced by this work? (Formalists

see a difference between effects and feelings.) – For example, they would have written about the way Robert

Browning cleverly unfolds the story of "My Last Duchess" or the use of irony in "Ozymandius."

• How do individual word choices, sound patterns, and other literary devices combine to create this effect?

• What are some of the tensions in this work (between ideas, between forces, between people…)? – How do the things discussed above create, then heighten or

lessen those tensions? • Is this work internally consistent? How does it maintain

that consistency? • If the work contains literary allusions, how do those

allusions function within the confines of the poem?

Homework:

• Read Kate Chopin’s “The Storm” p. 175-179• Read “Formalism and New Criticism” p.

1214-1215• Read “Reader-Response Criticism” p. 1215-

1217

Works Cited• DiYanni, Robert. Literature Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama.

2nd ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. Print. • Guerin, Wilfred L. et al. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature.

5th ed. NY: Oxford UP, 2005. Print. • Kennedy, X. J. and Gioia, Dana. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction,

Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Revised edition for Burlington County College. NY: Pearson, 2011. Print.